Sunflower micros looks strange… until you taste them
If you’ve ever opened a container of sunflower microgreens and seen lots of little black seed hulls, you might have wondered, “Is it supposed to look like that?”
We get it. At first glance, a tray of sunflower can look a little wild compared to daintier, picture-perfect greens.
When we first started growing sunflower, we had a love–hate relationship with it too. We spent a lot of time picking hulls off by hand and trying to make every tray look perfectly “clean.”
Over time, we learned something important: what looks a little messy is actually part of what protects flavor, texture, and food safety. Those hulls tell a story about how the sunflower was grown and how little it’s been handled.
What sunflower microgreens are (and aren’t)
Sunflower microgreens are shoot‑stage greens grown from sunflower seed. They are not sunflower petals or flowers, and they’re not the mature plant you see out in a field.
Here’s what you can expect:
Look: thick, bright green shoots with two sturdy leaves and some black seed hulls still hanging on.
Texture: crunchy and hearty, with a satisfying bite that holds up on hot plates and in big salads.
Flavor: mild, nutty, and slightly sweet – not bitter, spicy, or overwhelming.
In our lineup, sunflower is one of the most forgiving microgreens we grow. It’s a “workhorse” green: dependable, easy to work with, and versatile for both home cooks and chefs.
Why we leave the seed hulls on
We don’t leave hulls on by accident. It’s a choice we make on purpose, because it protects the things we care about most: food safety, shelf life and flavor.
Washing just for looks adds risk
It’s tempting to dunk and spin sunflower microgreens just to knock off more hulls and make the tray look smoother. But dousing in water and the added handling can:
Introduce new bacteria via water,
Shorten shelf life because of the extra handling, and
Make the greens break down faster
By keeping sunflower cold, dry, and gently handled, we’re choosing food safety and longevity over a “perfect” magazine photo.
Early harvest protects flavor
If we waited for every last hull to fall off naturally, the plants would be much taller and leafier. At that stage, the flavor change is dramatic—stronger and bitter—which is something we aim to avoid.
We harvest sunflower earlier on purpose so you get:
A mild, nutty flavor that plays nicely with a lot of different dishes.
A fresher, more vibrant eating experience.
Less handling = less damage
Every time we handle greens to go for a “prettier” look, we risk bruising the shoots and shortening how long they last.
One of Luke’s early greenhouse memories is spending time over tray after tray of sunflower shoots, picking hulls off. He watched YouTube video after YouTube video to find a decent way of getting rid of the hulls. Then he realized, all the fuss would make the shoots worse, not better. The time he invested then helped shape how we handle sunflower now: as little as possible and as gently as possible.
How to handle sunflower at home or in the kitchen
A few simple habits will help you get the best from sunflower microgreens.
Storage basics:
Keep the container cold and dry – store it in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Avoid rinsing the entire container at once. Extra water speeds up spoilage.
Use a clean utensil or hand when you reach in for a handful.
When (and how) to remove hulls:
It’s perfectly fine to flick or pinch off hulls right before plating if you prefer a cleaner look.
You don’t have to remove every hull though. A few left on are normal and safe.
Treat hulls as a sign of gentle handling, not a flaw.
Shelf life expectations:
Compared to more delicate microgreens, sunflower usually:
Tolerates heat and moisture better.
Holds up longer on hot plates and under heat lamps.
Stays crunchy
Easy ways to use sunflower microgreens
Sunflower is one of the easiest microgreens to plug into meals you’re already making.
For individuals (home use)
Try sunflower microgreens:
On eggs and toast for a weekend brunch plate.
Tossed into a grain bowl or salad for extra crunch and gentle flavor.
Inside sandwiches, wraps, or burgers instead of (or alongside) lettuce.
Sprinkled over soups and stews right before serving.
These small swaps turn everyday meals into something that looks and feels a bit more special, without a lot of extra work.
For chefs and restaurants
In a professional kitchen, sunflower microgreens can be a reliable, flexible tool:
As a hearty base or accent on hot entrées that may sit under a heat lamp.
On top of soups, stews, and braises where delicate micros would wilt instantly.
As a familiar but elevated garnish that supports the main flavors instead of fighting them.
Because sunflower microgreens are both sturdy and mild, they bridge the gap between “pretty garnish” and real, usable ingredient.
Our "why" behind this choice
We did experiment with different options to create a cleaner, hull‑free look. In theory they seemed doable, but in practice, adding more handling worked against what we value.
Those experiments:
Suggested water washes and rinses—which we've never done because we don't want to risk bacterial contamination from water.
Totally changed the flavor, in a bad way, because it took too long a grow time to wait for the seed hulls to fall off naturally.
We see our work as a form of stewardship. When we cooperate with God's design instead of fighting it, we end up with food that is safer, better tasting, and just more honest. Leaving some hulls on is a small way of saying: we care more about your experience at the table than about chasing flawless photos.
Closing: what those black hulls really mean
When you open a clamshell of our sunflower microgreens and see black hulls in the container, here’s what we hope you remember:
The greens were harvested at a stage that protects their pleasant flavor.
They’ve been handled gently and kept as dry as possible.
What you’re seeing is a sign of how they were grown, not that something went wrong.
If you’re curious, pick up a clam of sunflower this week from your usual spot where you buy our microgreens and try it on one of your go‑to meals.
Chefs, if you haven’t tried sunflower on hot plates or heartier dishes yet, consider adding it to your next order and see how it performs on the line.
Watch instead of read here on our YouTube Channel.
Sunflower micros looks strange… until you taste them
If you’ve ever opened a container of sunflower microgreens and seen lots of little black seed hulls, you might have wondered, “Is it supposed to look like that?”
We get it. At first glance, a tray of sunflower can look a little wild compared to daintier, picture-perfect greens.
When we first started growing sunflower, we had a love–hate relationship with it too. We spent a lot of time picking hulls off by hand and trying to make every tray look perfectly “clean.”
Over time, we learned something important: what looks a little messy is actually part of what protects flavor, texture, and food safety. Those hulls tell a story about how the sunflower was grown and how little it’s been handled.
What sunflower microgreens are (and aren’t)
Sunflower microgreens are shoot‑stage greens grown from sunflower seed. They are not sunflower petals or flowers, and they’re not the mature plant you see out in a field.
Here’s what you can expect:
In our lineup, sunflower is one of the most forgiving microgreens we grow. It’s a “workhorse” green: dependable, easy to work with, and versatile for both home cooks and chefs.
Why we leave the seed hulls on
We don’t leave hulls on by accident. It’s a choice we make on purpose, because it protects the things we care about most: food safety, shelf life and flavor.
Washing just for looks adds risk
It’s tempting to dunk and spin sunflower microgreens just to knock off more hulls and make the tray look smoother. But dousing in water and the added handling can:
By keeping sunflower cold, dry, and gently handled, we’re choosing food safety and longevity over a “perfect” magazine photo.
Early harvest protects flavor
If we waited for every last hull to fall off naturally, the plants would be much taller and leafier. At that stage, the flavor change is dramatic—stronger and bitter—which is something we aim to avoid.
We harvest sunflower earlier on purpose so you get:
Less handling = less damage
Every time we handle greens to go for a “prettier” look, we risk bruising the shoots and shortening how long they last.
One of Luke’s early greenhouse memories is spending time over tray after tray of sunflower shoots, picking hulls off. He watched YouTube video after YouTube video to find a decent way of getting rid of the hulls. Then he realized, all the fuss would make the shoots worse, not better. The time he invested then helped shape how we handle sunflower now: as little as possible and as gently as possible.
How to handle sunflower at home or in the kitchen
A few simple habits will help you get the best from sunflower microgreens.
Storage basics:
When (and how) to remove hulls:
Shelf life expectations:
Compared to more delicate microgreens, sunflower usually:
Easy ways to use sunflower microgreens
Sunflower is one of the easiest microgreens to plug into meals you’re already making.
For individuals (home use)
Try sunflower microgreens:
These small swaps turn everyday meals into something that looks and feels a bit more special, without a lot of extra work.
For chefs and restaurants
In a professional kitchen, sunflower microgreens can be a reliable, flexible tool:
Because sunflower microgreens are both sturdy and mild, they bridge the gap between “pretty garnish” and real, usable ingredient.
Our "why" behind this choice
We did experiment with different options to create a cleaner, hull‑free look. In theory they seemed doable, but in practice, adding more handling worked against what we value.
Those experiments:
We see our work as a form of stewardship. When we cooperate with God's design instead of fighting it, we end up with food that is safer, better tasting, and just more honest. Leaving some hulls on is a small way of saying: we care more about your experience at the table than about chasing flawless photos.
Closing: what those black hulls really mean
When you open a clamshell of our sunflower microgreens and see black hulls in the container, here’s what we hope you remember:
If you’re curious, pick up a clam of sunflower this week from your usual spot where you buy our microgreens and try it on one of your go‑to meals.
Chefs, if you haven’t tried sunflower on hot plates or heartier dishes yet, consider adding it to your next order and see how it performs on the line.