How do I harvest Elf Sunflowers (Burpee)

[hjsullivan]

Good morning everyone!

Sorry it has been a while since I have been able to post. I have been very busy though! My vegetable garden is in full swing and I have also planted some Elf Sunflowers (Burpee) at my work this year. I specifically grew them to cut and give away. But I have no idea how to properly harvest the flowers without killing them, or worse, the entire plant. We had a crappy spring here in MA, so they are just opening now. I feel like they should have opened last month. Any advice is much appreciated as always!
Thank you!

Sunshine

 

[Nyboy]

With a pair of elf pruners of course. Sorry one of those days. Just make sure the cut stems stay in water. I don't think you can kill them by cutting flowers. Cut sunflowers go for about $5 each here, yours look good enjoy them

 

[hjsullivan]

Thanks! I have a few really good pairs of pruners at home . I should leave the big one on the top alone, right? Only cut the little off shoot ones? Will it keep producing sunflowers? Or will the plant die when I start cutting the flowers?

Thanks!

 

[Nyboy]

Not sure most annuals will keep producing. I know @thistlebloom grows sunflowers

 

[thistlebloom]

What a cute little sunflower you have there! I'm going to try to remember that one for next years kids garden, it would be perfect.

I'm not sure what you mean by killing your sunflower by cutting the blooms. It looks like they are multi-branching so they should (hopefully) continue to produce blooms from the nodes in the leaf axils. Cutting the top bloom won't kill your sunflower. If you let any of the blooms mature, they'll produce seed for next year, in fact letting seed heads mature and dry on the plant signals to the plant that it's done it's job and can stop making more flowers. So go ahead and make bouquets!

When you do cut a bloom, cut just above a leaf, without leaving a big stub. In a week or so you will see new growth coming from the leaf axil, and a bud should form on it producing more blooms.

Sunflowers are annuals and will die at the end of summer.

 

[hjsullivan]

What a cute little sunflower you have there! I'm going to try to remember that one for next years kids garden, it would be perfect.

Thanks so much! I will be planting several more next year! I only have what you can see in the photos at the moment. It was more of an experiment .

When you do cut a bloom, cut just above a leaf, without leaving a big stub. In a week or so you will see new growth coming from the leaf axil, and a bud should form on it producing more blooms.

And thank you for this as well! I will do just as you say and keep you posted . My friend here at work is going to take some home to his wife and daughter. I'll post an updated photo of the cut flowers before he does. Not until tomorrow though, he won't be going home right after work today.

Thanks again!
Talk soon .