Rather than let the birds and bugs attack my sunflowers with abandon this year, I decide to harvest and dry them early on. Olivia loves this as she gets to dispatch the disk florets with abandon. These tiny yellow flowers are arranged in clockwise and counterclockwise patterns spinning their way around the large flower head. She does a great job, though her enthusiasm sprays the florets in such a manner that they cannot be collected for a tea mixture. Perhaps next year. After she is finished, I hang them on a rack in the garage to dry. I will save a few seeds for next year but will put out the heads this Winter for the hungry birds to feast upon.
