Thesplendiferous sunflowermight not be the first plant that comes to mind when you opine of your kitchen garden . But these stunner deserve a place in your edible garden for both their flowers and their seeds . Sunflowers are fearless in the North ; they ’re easy to raise ; and they make a sheer and vibrant statement in the garden . On top of all that , they ’re a sport novelty to use in the kitchen .
Planting and Growing
industrial plant sunflower seed outdoors when the soil has warm up sufficiently in outpouring ( ideally once soil temperatures reach 50 to 60 degree F ) , in well - drained soil , about 1 in deep , space 6 inches asunder , in course about 2 foot aside . Situate them in full sun and keep them well - watered . After constitute the seeds , you may wish to cover the field with some case of blind if bird , squirrels or other critter are troublesome in your garden .
As your seedlings emerge and grow , think back to thin appropriately free-base on the case of sunflower . The expert aloofness to space them will be heel on the germ package . Proper spatial arrangement is crucial if your intent is to farm sizeable sunflowers .
All helianthus varieties are beautiful in their own way , and the large number of available colors and type makes it a delight to mull the possibilities for your garden . But if you ’re regard helianthus for use in the kitchen , it ’s important to recognise the distinction betweenoilseedandconfectionery(also jazz asnon - oilseed ) varieties . Confectionery sunflowers produce stripy seeds — the kind that carry those delicious kernels that we use for preparation and snacking . Oilseed helianthus seeds are the kind you often see in birdfeeders ; this is the type from which helianthus oil is grow .
It ’s also of import to observe that there ’s a distinction between sunflowerseedsand sunflowerkernels : the seed is the Kingston-upon Hull ( protective coating ) that encloses the meaty part ( kernel ) . When snacking on sunflower seeds , it ’s easy to but spew out the piece of hull and deplete only the kernel , but for cooking you need to make for with kernels only . Post - harvest processing for roasted helianthus seeds for snack involve soaking the seeds in table salt water system , then dry out and roast them . ( See the picture athttps://youtu.be/oumO0BIy7Z4for instructions . ) Removing kernels for cookery typically involves pummeling the seed ( such as with an electric mixer ) , soaking them and then hand break up the hull from the center . If you are grow the seeds for oil , you ’ll need an extraction machine .
Cooking with Sunflower Seeds
If you do it baked good , then you ’re in fortune , because roast helianthus kernels and sunflower oil work beautifully in breads , muffins , bar and cookie . Oatmeal cookies are a peculiarly nice combination with helianthus kernels ( and burnt umber chips ) . The possibilities are unlimited when it occur to bread , and sunflower seeds make an fantabulous addition to your favorite muffin formula . Pumpkin and helianthus seeds are an exceptionally nice pairing in breads and gem .
And while you ’re in the kitchen baking , do n’t draw a blank about Proto-Indo European ! If you have n’t tasted a slice ofsunflower Proto-Indo European , you ’ve missed out on a just incredible goody that ’s reminiscent of pecan Proto-Indo European but is packed with roasted sunflower core .
Roasted sunflower kernels also shine in salad , pair well with many eccentric of special K and other vegetable by providing a nice compaction and additional flavor . Or dress your preferent salad with helianthus oil colour vinaigrette . helianthus seeds and Chuck Berry are another splendid combination ; try them together in oatmeal , with yoghourt or baked into bite bar .
If you ’re fond of Arachis hypogaea butter and are biz to try a substitute , you’re able to also sample make your ownhomemade sunflower butterfor an interesting change of footstep !
Any way you wait at it , sunflowers offer an awe-inspiring return on your investment . Just think : you may harvest more than a thousand helianthus seeds from a industrial plant that rise from a single seed and sate your garden with color and beauty .
This clause bySamantha Johnsonoriginally appear in the July / August 2020 issue ofNorthern Gardener . Samantha Johnson is the writer of several books , includingGarden DIY , ( CompanionHouse Books , 2020 ) . She lives on a former dairy farm in northerly Wisconsin . inflict her on-line portfolio athttp://samanthajohnson.contently.com .
