Those who are not very familiar with sunflowers might be curious what black oil sunflower seeds are. The short answer: it refers to black sunflowers seeds. Sunflowers produce seeds that differ in appearance. Some sunflower seeds are white, and some seeds have stripes too! When it comes to growing sunflower microgreens, you can opt for black oil sunflower microgreens. It is not difficult to find. The black oil sunflower seed is a popular bird seed and you can use this for growing black oil sunflower microgreen. Of all the sunflower seeds available in the market, the black oil sunflower seed is the most inexpensive.
Classification Information:
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Helianthus
Species: H. annuus
Binomial name: Helianthus annuus
Black Oil Sunflower Microgreen Trivia
- Black oil sunflower seeds are pressed to extract its oil, while striped sunflower seeds are usually dried, roasted or dusted with salt before it is eaten. It is a popular street food snack.
- A sunflower can contain as many as 2,000 seeds.
- Sunflower microgreens are small, very different from the tallest sunflower in the Guinness World Records. It was 30-feet tall.
- Microgreens started in the 80s in San Francisco.
Black Oil Sunflower Microgreen Buying Guide
Black oil sunflower microgreens are sold in groceries, supermarkets, farmers markets, and other specialty stores. Ask around for local growers so that you can source your black oil sunflower microgreens locally. When buying black oil sunflower microgreens, buy just enough that you can eat until the next grocery day, since black oil sunflower microgreens do not keep for longer than a week even if stored in the refrigerator. If this is the first time you are buying black oil sunflower microgreens, try to buy in small quantities first so that you can taste it; should you not like it, you don’t have a lot of black oil sunflower microgreens to dispose of and you are not being wasteful. When buying, make sure to inspect it thoroughly. See if the leaves and stems are of good quality. It is ok if one or two are wilted, but if most of the bunch are wilted and do not appear fresh, do not buy it.
If you are buying seeds so that you can grow your own black oil sunflower microgreen, this will give you an idea of how many seeds you expect to get from a pack.
- 1-ounce pack contains approximately 8,000 seeds
- 4-ounce pack contains approximately 32,000 seeds
- 1-pound pack or bag contains approximately 128,000 seeds
- 5-pound pack or bag contains approximately 640,000 seeds
- 25-pound pack or bag contains approximately 3,200,000 seeds
Black Oil Sunflower Microgreen Production & Farming in Texas
Growing black oil sunflower microgreens is easy. Put soil on your growing tray. Moisten the soil if it feels dry but do not overwater it because if this happens, you need an extra hour just to make sure the excess water has fully drained. The next step is sprinkling the seeds on the growing medium. If you are unsure how many seeds you need, 1.25 ounces of seeds are enough to cover a 10×20 tray without the problem of overcrowding. Lightly mist the seeds using a spray bottle. Cover the tray with a lid and keep it somewhere dark with a room temperature ranging from 60°F to 70°F. Remove the lid and mist them lightly every day. Expect signs of germination in 48 to 72 hours. The next step is exposing them to sunlight. You can use grow light, artificial light, or indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight is not recommended because the microgreens will easily dry.
Tips:
- Buy black oil sunflower microgreen seeds from a reputable seed seller or distributor.
- Water from the side of the tray to make sure the weight of the water will not squash the microgreens.
- Maintain water in the water tray.
- Give it a full 12 days before harvesting. But feel free to sample a few each day starting from day 8. You’ll notice the subtle difference in flavor as the microgreens continue to grow.
- Rotate crop once it is exposed to light to avoid “bending” microgreens.
There are farmers and growers in Texas who grow black oil sunflower microgreens. There are also initiatives like the Big Tex Urban Farms that help promote the business as well as the attitude of the public towards microgreens. Texas restaurants with microgreens on the menu use and mix different microgreens including black oil sunflower microgreens.
Pesticides:
Pesticides may be used in black oil sunflower microgreens to manage the pests that target the plant, particularly flea beetles, aphids, and slugs.
- Use slug bait or copper tape against slugs.
- Aphids – Kill aphids using neem oil, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil. You can also use the pesticide malathion, which is the most commonly used organophosphate insecticide in the United States, or rotenone, a selective, non-specific insecticide typically used in home gardens for insect control.
- Flea beetles – The use of man-made pesticide carbaryl is the solution to rid of flea beetles. Other options include pyrethroid insecticides like cyfluthrin and Lambda cyhalothrin, pesticide malathion, pyrethrin spray, permethrin insecticide, and spinosad.
Geography:
Because of grow lights and temperature-controlled rooms, it is possible to grow black oil sunflower microgreens anywhere in the world. North America is a major microgreens market. The US, Canada, and Mexico are among the top producing countries of microgreens.
Packaging:
Black oil sunflower microgreens are sold in transparent plastic clamshell packaging or Styrofoam food tray covered with plastic wrap.
Enjoying Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens
When you eat black oil sunflower microgreens, you will notice that it has a delicious, nutty flavor – the same flavor you get when you eat sunflower seeds.
Storage:
If you have to store black oil sunflower microgreens, make sure to wrap these in damp paper towels before you put these inside a resealable plastic bag or food container. They will last for a week this way. Freezing is not ideal because microgreens simply do not have the structural strength mature, full-grown vegetables have to survive being frozen and thawed. Most of the time, freezing and thawing will turn microgreens into slime, and what is left is unappetizing.
Cooking:
Put black oil sunflower microgreens on your sandwiches or soups. Toss it with other vegetables when making a salad. It is a great addition to your scrambled eggs if you are looking to put a yummy and nutritious twist to your breakfast.
Nutritional Benefits:
Black oil sunflower microgreens are packed with vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, as well as zinc, iron, and calcium. Eating black oil sunflower microgreens helps reduce blood pressure. The folate in black oil sunflower microgreens helps pregnant women have a healthy pregnancy by helping prevent potential birth defects on babies. Black oil sunflower microgreens help boost fertility, improve immunity, and help repair muscular tissues.
