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Harvesting
Safflower is physiologically mature and ready to harvest when most of the leaves have turned brown and only a tint of green remains on the bracts of the latest flowering heads. Stems are dry but not brittle and seed should rub freely from the least mature heads. Seed should have a moisture content of 8 percent or less. Since safflower is very spiny, use caution in hand threshing seeds from heads for maturity determination. Most safflower grown in North Dakota is ready to harvest in early to late September, depending on weather conditions during the growing season.
Safflower is usually directly harvested with a small-grain combine. Swathing should be avoided unless the presence of green weeds prevents straight combining. To prevent cracking of the seed, the combine cylinder speed should not exceed a peripheral speed of 3000 feet per minute. This will be about 500 rpm for a 22-inch cylinder. Suggested concave clearance is 5/8 inch at the front and 1/2 inch at the back. Shaker speeds greater than those used for small grains are required to prevent plant residue from clogging the machine. Air should be adjusted to remove most of the empty or unfilled seeds.
Seed shattering is usually not a problem, although safflower should be harvested as soon as it is mature to minimize the danger of shattering. Excessive rain and high humidity after physiological maturity of the seed may cause sprouting in the head. Bird damage to mature standing fields has rarely been a problem but may develop when fields adjoin a bird sanctuary.
During the harvest operation, a white fuzz from the seed heads is abundant in the air and may clog combine radiators and air intakes. Small-meshed screen enclosures over these cooling mechanisms should minimize this problem. Accumulations of this fuzz can be a fire hazard as well as an annoyance to the combine operator.
For safe storage, threshed seed should not exceed 8 percent moisture. Drying the seed can be accomplished following the same precautions and procedures as for other oilseed crops.
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