How to grow Amaranthus from seed to harvest

This particular plant is really grown as a decorative flower in North America and Europe, Amaranth is really an excellent food crop that is grown in many parts of the world. Growing amaranth for food is really fun and interesting, and it adds a little bit of something different to your vegetable garden.

Furthermore, this plant is a grain and greens crop plant. Amaranth plant develops long flowers which can be upright or trailing, although it depends on the variety. The Amaranth flowers are used to produce the amaranth grain, and the leaves can be used as amaranth greens.

Some of the varieties of Amaranth

If you actually want to grow amaranth for food, it is strongly advice to select varieties of amaranth that work well as a food crop. If you actually want to grow amaranth as a grain, you can consider these varieties: Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Amaranthus retroflexus, Amaranthus caudatus, and Amaranthus cruentus. Also if you actually want to grow amaranth plants as leafy greens, you can consider these varieties: Amaranthus viridis, Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus blitum, Amaranthus tricolor, and Amaranthus dubius. 

Steps on how to Plant Amaranth

 This plant really grows well in average to rich, well-draining soil with equal amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus. Amaranth is like many vegetable crops that need at least 5 hours of sunlight a day to do well. Apart from the plant grows best in moist but well drained soil, it also tolerate somewhat dry soil too. This plant seeds are very fine, the seeds can be sprinkled over a prepared area after the risk of last frost has passed. This plant seeds can be started indoors as well about 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost date. Once the amaranth seeds have sprouted make sure you thinned to about 18 inches apart.

Steps on how to grow Amaranth

Once the plant is established it requires little care. Amaranth plant is more tolerant of drought than most other leafy vegetable and it also tolerate a wider range of soils than other grain crops.

The harvesting of Amaranth leaves

This plant leaves can be used at any time. Is just like any other greens, the smaller the leaf is the more tender it will be, although larger leaves have a more developed flavor.

The harvesting of Amaranth Grains

If you actually want to harvest the amaranth grain you can allow the plant to go to flower. The Flowering amaranth plants can still really have their leaves harvested to eat, although you may find that the flavor has change after the amaranth plant flowers. Immediately the flowers have developed, just allow the amaranth flowers grow fully and watch carefully for the first few flowers to start dying back or browning a bit. At this time you can cut all the flowers off the amaranth plant and place them in paper bags to dry the rest of the way.