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Q: When and how is the best way to harvest sunflower seeds?
A. Herbaceous perennials are non-woody plants that die back to the ground after a hard frost, creating a wet soggy mess that is difficult to clean up the following spring.
The petals of the sunflower will drop and the back of the sunflower will change color from green to yellow as harvest time approaches. To harvest, cut off the flower heads, leaving a couple of inches of stalk on the flower. If birds start eating the seeds before they are ready to harvest, you can place cheesecloth over the head of the flower to discourage them. Hang the flower heads in a dry, well-ventilated area. The head of the sunflower will turn dark brown when the seeds are ripe. Rub the head with your hand and the seeds will fall out easily. Store seeds for later use in a cloth bag to prevent mold.
Q: Should I prune my roses this fall before they freeze? They are bushy and tall and I'm worried that heavy snow will break the canes.
A. Pruning roses in the fall is not recommended-in fact, pruning them now may cause desiccation this winter. Pruning may stimulate tender new growth, which can be killed by hard frosts. Prepare your roses for winter by mounding soil at the base of the rose around the knobby portion. This is especially important for hybrid tea roses. Using potting soil from your summer container plantings is an easy way to reuse garden materials.
For information on a variety of horticulture topics visit www.planttalk.org, or call the Colorado State University Extension office in your county.
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