Tournesol or Sunflowers

[Juddy in the Charente]

Have grown a heap of sunflowers so that I can let the chickens peck away at the heads. Unfortunately they are all about 10 feet tall and are blowing over! I've tried staking them but the heads are that heavy the poor things just collapse with the stake! Can anyone tell me if I can harvest the heads and just leave them in the sun (should it return!) to ripen? Many thanks.

[ina]

We used to pick them (before the birds got at them) and hang them up in the attic to dry and finish maturing.

[Juddy in the Charente]

Thanks Ina! Off to the sunflower patch right now