Growing sunflowers from birdseed?

[Billy Bee]

I was wondering if you can grow black oil sunflowers from the kind for bird feeding, or do you have to buy special seeds for planting. I wanted to leave some for wildlife and harvest some for winter feeding.
Thanks

 

[STx]

You can but, you'll get better germination rates if you plant the seeds meant for it. If you can keep the deer out of it, peredovik is a good variety. They'll run you about $50 for a 50 pound bag online but I was buying them from a local supplier for $37/bag last year. I couldn't keep the deer out of mine so I'm not going to try them again this year.

 

[GregbkH]

I've done it for 3 years now and it grows good. Just don't over seed it. Give it a bit of nitrogen and some potash.

 

[EddieWalker]

I tossed several 50 pound sacks out in my food plot and had great results. They all grow about 3 feet tall and have some very pretty flowers. I never got much out of them for seeds, and none of them ever reseeded themselves. I just did it for a few years to take pictures. I've also planted giant sunflower seeds in my garden and gotten some huge plants taller then me. Lots more seeds in those plants!!!

 

[nybirdman]

I have tried it;they grow but do not produce seeds.Buy certified seed if you want a seed crop.Plant lots the deer like them as soon as they form a bulb.

 

[2458n]

Dove hunters plant them around here. There was one field planted near the road, and I was amazed how the heads all faced the east in the morning. And they all faced the west when coming home from work.

 

[oosik]

I've planted some from seed bought at the local feed 'n seed store. They did well and the chipmunks & squirrels loved them. Never saw the deer touch them - around here the deer like the nasty seed heads on the milkweed plants.

 

[Billy Bee]

You can but, you'll get better germination rates if you plant the seeds meant for it. If you can keep the deer out of it, peredovik is a good variety. They'll run you about $50 for a 50 pound bag online but I was buying them from a local supplier for $37/bag last year. I couldn't keep the deer out of mine so I'm not going to try them again this year.

I guess I will plant certified seed, it isn't that much more than bird seed. Don't think I need 50 lbs. I just want to plant 4 rows about 125 ft. long. I'll check online for lesser amounts. Thanks everyone. By the way deer are a big issue around here, they ate everything in one of my gardens including dill. I was able to save the other garden by putting 2 strands of caution tape around it. It looked like a crime scene, but it was a crime when the deer were in there stealing stuff.

 

[GLyford]

Birds eat every seed that forms long before we can pick them...but then I figure that's fair since it's the chipmunks that are planting them from birdseed to begin with.

 

[TnAndy]

We use common sunflower birdseed. They grow literally like weeds. If up have yellow finches in your area, they will strip the seed out before much else gets a chance at it.

First one blooming in what will be a sea of yellow shortly. Note the 6' high fence....that's what we had to do to slow the deer up here....they can still clear it, but most don't. The ones that do become dog food.