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Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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Posted by
RedSun Z6 Central NJ (
My Page) on
Thu, Sep 4, 14 at 12:18
| In some of the markets (Asian, Indian and farmer's), you'll see sunflower seeds, along with other dry beans, for sale by pound. They are raw, not roasted. Are they good for planting for the sunflower heads and seeds? They are not produced as seeds, but I do not think they are treated with any chemicals.... Probably same with the dry beans.... |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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| FWIW, last year someone walking by on my sidewalk dumped a snack bag of (presumably store-bought) raw Sunflower seeds on my lawn. I've been pulling up Sunflowers there ever since. So they'll likely grow. Whether that's a good way to get heads and seeds is another matter. |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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- Posted by glib 5.5 (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 4, 14 at 13:06
| I buy sunflower seeds at the store for shoots, which is just bout the only fresh crop here in February-April. |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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- Posted by RedSun Z6 Central NJ (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 4, 14 at 13:14
| This is great. I have an area where I'd like to grow a big bunch of sunflowers. The sunflower seeds sold as "SEEDS" are so uneconomical. |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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| I have planted sunflower seeds that I got for birds. They grew good and am still getting volunteers from them. probably cheaper than food grade. |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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| Don't assume they didn't use chemicals. You should check on that if you're concerned. |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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| You're sure to get a standard variety. It leads me to wonder what would happen if you interplanted a bag of known-variety/seed catalogue Sunflowers. What kind of monsters could nature create?! |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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- Posted by RedSun Z6 Central NJ (My Page) on
Mon, Sep 8, 14 at 13:00
| Actually store sunflower seeds are for snacks, which is what I'm looking to grow. I plan to grow an area of 8'x40' sunflower beds, mainly for harvesting seeds (food). A lot of the known variety sunflowers are for ornamental only. It is going to expensive to source the real "seeds" from seed company.... |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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| Even though most sunflowers might be ornamental that doesn't mean that the seeds aren't edible. I grew a red "ornamental" variety (can't remember the name) several years ago and the seeds were very tasty (although they were smaller than those bred for eating). But yeah, for the size garden you want the bulk raw seeds meant for eating would be a heck of a lot cheaper than buying seed meant for planting. If you want to check the viability of the bulk seeds do a germination test. Just sow x-amount of seeds in a small container and see how many sprout. Rodney |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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- Posted by RedSun Z6 Central NJ (My Page) on
Mon, Sep 8, 14 at 14:02
| I have more than 10 bags of old sunflower seeds, even the Russian Mammoth. All of them are smaller than the seeds I can buy from a supermarket. Yes, I'll test plant some seeds in the winter inside to see if they germinate. I do not see the reason for the farmer to spray any chemicals. The only problem if the seeds are too old. But I think sunflower seeds can be good for a couple of years. |
RE: Are Store Sunflower Seeds Good for Planting?
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| Because the black oil birdseed sunflower seeds are so inexpensive just buy another 25 or 50 lb. bag for next year and don't give it all to the birds. I plant it wit a 2-row tractor drawn corn planter (bean plates) and I'm cutting on my third planting for this year. Most people comment on how mich nicer the flowers are than the ones they are growing when I take to market. When I had mixed varieties on first planting (auction seed purchase) the majority of the customers preferred the generic birdseed sunflowers. So by all means plant them and expect about 50% of the flowers to be attractive enough to cut, same as for the expensive seeds. For each planting expect a 2-3 week cutting period before outer petals begin to drop; always best to cut flowers within a few days of first opening. Other flowers give you a slightly longer cutting window. |
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