Drying sunflower seeds

[SarahJane]

I have got quite a few sunflowers in the back this year. The giant yellow ones are just about to flower but the red ones are almost finished flowering.
I would like to dry the seeds so that next year I can plant them out and have a forest of sunflowers.
Can you tell me any tried and tested methods of the best way of drying them and storing them please?

[Marc]

Hi SarahJane, the best way is to let them dry naturally, but if the weather's awful like it is at the moment they do need to be under cover
If you have a greenhouse you can dry them in there but if not then indoors, in an open(flat) cardboard box or similar. Just leave them to dry until the seeds will come off the flower head with a gentle rub. Then sort the seeds out from the other odd bits that you don't want and store them in a dry but not too warm place in a paper bag.
You should have loads for next year
Good luck
Marc

[SarahJane]

Thanks for that Marc. I have just picked the first head off my red sunflowers and have put it to dry in the greenhouse. Loads are still flowering and some still to bloom. Hopefully I will have loads of seeds by the end of the summer, ready for a sunflower forest next year!