How to Grow, Eat Sunflowers
2022-05-17
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1Sunflowers are huge plants with bright yellow flowers.
2They have a long history in North America.
3There is evidence they were used for food and for medicine by Native Americans beginning around 1,000 B.C.
4The seeds from sunflowers were likely brought to Europe by Spanish explorers around the late 16th century.
5Over time, they found their way to Eastern Europe.
6Today, Ukraine is the world's leading producer of the plants.
7Sunflowers are grown for their seeds and to make oil.
8The plant has increasingly become popular on social media.
9That is because users enjoy taking pictures of themselves in bright fields of sunflowers.
10The photos are called "sunflower selfies."
11But in recent months, sunflower images are appearing on social media for a different reason: to show support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion.
12Gardening expert and writer Jessica Damiano recently wrote a story about growing sunflowers for The Associated Press.
13It is easy to grow your own sunflowers, she writes.
14Small versions of the plants can even be grown in containers.
15If you start growing sunflower from seeds, put them in room-temperature water for 2-8 hours before planting to start the growing process.
16Plant each seed into dirt 2.5 centimeters deep and 15 to 30 centimeters apart.
17Plant them after the danger of frost has passed or start indoors three weeks before your last frost date.
18Keep the soil wet, but not too wet, until the seeds begin to grow.
19Sunflower plants can be moved outdoors when the danger of frost has passed in your area.
20Choose a place outside that will provide the plants with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day.
21As the plants grow, they will develop long roots that work their way deep into the ground.
22So, before planting, it is important to loosen the soil.
23Dig at least one third of a meter down and remove any rocks.
24Mix a large amount of compost into the soil where the plant will grow.
25Compost provides important, lasting nutrients that will help the plants all season long.
26Water the plants when the soil dries.
27Aim to provide about 2.5 centimeters of water a week.
28Pay attention to the amount of rainfall your area receives each week.
29A five-centimeter layer of mulch will help the soil hold water and reduce competition from unwanted plants.
30The sunflowers may not need additional nutrients if they were planted with compost.
31If compost was not added during the planting process, provide nutrients through a slow-release, all-purpose fertilizer one or two times during the growing season.
32Some kinds of sunflowers can grow up to three meters tall.
33These kinds of sunflowers may require protection from strong winds.
34So, it is best to plant them against a structure that will protect them from the wind.
35You can also tie them to something tall for support.
36When the flowers open, you can cut them and bring them inside.
37Put them in a container of water and enjoy their brightness and beauty.
38To gather the seeds, wait until the plants die back and the flowers start to fall at the end of the season.
39The backs of the flowers will be brown.
40The seeds will start coming out of the head.
41Cut the flowers off the plants.
42Then, put them into a bag or container to avoid spilling the seeds, which will be loose.
43Remove the seeds by rubbing flowers with your hands or a hard brush.
44Do this over a container.
45Look through the seeds and remove parts of the plant that came off. Wash the seeds with water.
46Set them out to dry overnight.
47Sunflower seeds may be eaten cooked or uncooked.
48To roast the seeds, you need an oven.
49Set the temperature to 165 degrees Celsius.
50Once the oven is heated, cook the seeds until they are brown.
51The process takes anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.
52To make salted seeds, boil them in hot salted water for 90 minutes to two hours.
53Let them dry and then roast them in the oven.
54I'm Jill Robbins.
1Sunflowers are huge plants with bright yellow flowers. They have a long history in North America. There is evidence they were used for food and for medicine by Native Americans beginning around 1,000 B.C. 2The seeds from sunflowers were likely brought to Europe by Spanish explorers around the late 16th century. Over time, they found their way to Eastern Europe. 3Today, Ukraine is the world's leading producer of the plants. Sunflowers are grown for their seeds and to make oil. 4The plant has increasingly become popular on social media. That is because users enjoy taking pictures of themselves in bright fields of sunflowers. The photos are called "sunflower selfies." 5But in recent months, sunflower images are appearing on social media for a different reason: to show support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion. 6Gardening expert and writer Jessica Damiano recently wrote a story about growing sunflowers for The Associated Press. It is easy to grow your own sunflowers, she writes. Small versions of the plants can even be grown in containers. 7How to grow 8If you start growing sunflower from seeds, put them in room-temperature water for 2-8 hours before planting to start the growing process. Plant each seed into dirt 2.5 centimeters deep and 15 to 30 centimeters apart. Plant them after the danger of frost has passed or start indoors three weeks before your last frost date. Keep the soil wet, but not too wet, until the seeds begin to grow. 9Sunflower plants can be moved outdoors when the danger of frost has passed in your area. Choose a place outside that will provide the plants with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. 10As the plants grow, they will develop long roots that work their way deep into the ground. So, before planting, it is important to loosen the soil. Dig at least one third of a meter down and remove any rocks. 11Mix a large amount of compost into the soil where the plant will grow. Compost provides important, lasting nutrients that will help the plants all season long. 12Water the plants when the soil dries. Aim to provide about 2.5 centimeters of water a week. Pay attention to the amount of rainfall your area receives each week. A five-centimeter layer of mulch will help the soil hold water and reduce competition from unwanted plants. 13The sunflowers may not need additional nutrients if they were planted with compost. If compost was not added during the planting process, provide nutrients through a slow-release, all-purpose fertilizer one or two times during the growing season. 14Some kinds of sunflowers can grow up to three meters tall. These kinds of sunflowers may require protection from strong winds. So, it is best to plant them against a structure that will protect them from the wind. You can also tie them to something tall for support. 15When the flowers open, you can cut them and bring them inside. Put them in a container of water and enjoy their brightness and beauty. 16How to eat 17To gather the seeds, wait until the plants die back and the flowers start to fall at the end of the season. The backs of the flowers will be brown. The seeds will start coming out of the head. Cut the flowers off the plants. Then, put them into a bag or container to avoid spilling the seeds, which will be loose. 18Remove the seeds by rubbing flowers with your hands or a hard brush. Do this over a container. Look through the seeds and remove parts of the plant that came off. Wash the seeds with water. Set them out to dry overnight. 19Sunflower seeds may be eaten cooked or uncooked. To roast the seeds, you need an oven. Set the temperature to 165 degrees Celsius. Once the oven is heated, cook the seeds until they are brown. The process takes anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. To make salted seeds, boil them in hot salted water for 90 minutes to two hours. Let them dry and then roast them in the oven. 20I'm Jill Robbins. 21Jessica Damiano reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 22____________________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24garden - n. an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown 25frost - n. the occurrence of weather that is cold enough to cause water to freeze and frost to form 26compost - n. a decayed mixture of plants (such as leaves and grass) that is used to improve the soil in a garden 27mulch - n. a material (such as straw, leaves, or small pieces of wood) that is spread over the ground in a garden to protect the plants or help them grow and to stop weeds from growing 28roast - v. to cook (food such as chicken, potatoes, or beef) with dry heat in an oven or over a fire 29We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.