How to plant amaranth seeds in open ground. Technology for growing amaranth from seeds, when to plant seedlings video. Amaranth beneficial properties and uses

19.10.2023

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Plant amaranth (lat. Amaranthus), or width belongs to the genus of the Amaranthaceae family, which is widely distributed in the wild in America, India and China. In East Asian countries, tricolor amaranth is grown as a vegetable crop, although this same species, like caudate and sad amaranths, are often used as ornamental plants. Eight thousand years ago, amaranth became, along with corn and beans, one of the main grain crops of the peoples who inhabited the territory of modern Mexico and South America - the Incas and Aztecs.

Some species of amaranth, such as amaranth caudate and amaranth paniculata, are cultivated as grain crops to this day, but there are species that are considered weeds, such as the grass amaranth bluish or amaranth upturned. In East Asian countries, tricolor amaranth is grown as a vegetable crop, although this same species, like caudate and sad amaranths, are often used as ornamental plants. The amaranth flower was brought to Europe by Spanish sailors as a decoration for flower beds, and from the 18th century it began to be grown as a fodder or cereal crop. Translated from Greek, the word “amaranth” means “unfading flower.” In our country, amaranth is most often called amaranth, and also velvet, axamite, cockscombs or cat's tail.

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Planting and caring for amaranth

Landing: sowing seeds in the ground - at the end of April or in May; sowing seeds for seedlings - at the end of March, transplanting seedlings into the ground - from mid to late May.
Bloom: from June until frost.
Lighting: bright sunlight.
The soil: light, nutritious, lime-containing soils that are not too wet and not acidic.
Watering: during the period of seedlings rooting in the ground - constant, then watering will be needed only during a prolonged drought.
Feeding: mullein solution 3-4 times per season, preferably in the evening.
Reproduction: seed.
Pests: aphids, weevil larvae.
Diseases: root and gray rot, powdery mildew, rust.
Properties: All parts of amaranth are edible and healthy.

Amaranth plant - description

Amaranth stems can be simple or branched, leaves can be alternate, entire, lanceolate, ovoid or diamond-shaped, the base of the leaf blade is elongated into a petiole, the tip of the leaf has a notch and a slight point. Axillary flowers of golden, red, green or purple color are collected in bunches, apical ones - in spike-shaped panicles. The amaranth fruit is a capsule with small seeds. The color of the plant is green, purple, violet, and sometimes all these colors are combined in one plant. The height of amaranth, depending on the type, can be only 30 cm, or can reach three meters. In our climate, amaranth is grown as an annual.

Growing amaranth from seeds

Sowing amaranth

Growing amaranth is not difficult. In areas where by the end of April the soil at a depth of 4-5 cm has already been warmed by the sun to 10 ºC, you can sow amaranth seeds directly into the soil, but before that you should prepare the area - add 30 g of a mineral mixture or complex mixture to each square meter for digging fertilizers in accordance with the instructions. However, when adding fertilizers to the soil, be careful: amaranth has the ability to convert nitrogen fertilizers into nitrates that are hazardous to health, so do not get carried away with the nitrogen component. If you sow amaranth on time, it will quickly grow and you will not have to fight weeds.

So, at the end of April, the seeds are planted one at a time in grooves in moist soil and planted to a depth of 1.5 cm. For convenience, you can mix small seeds with sand or sawdust in a ratio of 1:20 - this makes it easier to sow. A distance of 45 cm is maintained between the rows, between specimens there should be approximately 7-10 cm, so experienced gardeners prefer to suffer with sowing, but do not mix the seeds with sand, but lay them out one at a time. After 8-10 days you will see seedlings, which, if necessary, need to be thinned out and the soil between them loosened. If you planted amaranth later, in May, you will also have to fight weeds.

When the amaranth reaches a height of 20 cm, fertilize with nitrogen fertilizer, but the nitrogen concentration should be half as much as the manufacturer recommends. It doesn’t matter whether you grow vegetable amaranth or ornamental amaranth - it will fully ripen in three or three and a half months from the moment of sowing.

Amaranth seedlings

The conditions for growing amaranth in seedlings will not complicate you. Amaranth seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of March. Plastic containers or ordinary pots up to 10 cm high are suitable as containers for seedlings. Seeds are embedded in moist soil to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, then the pots are placed in a warm, bright place. Watering of crops is carried out with a sprayer; the optimal temperature for germination is about 22 ºC.

If all these conditions are met, seedlings will appear in less than a week. When the amaranths sprout, thin them out, getting rid of weak shoots, and when three leaves appear on the shoots, plant them in individual pots with a diameter of 12 cm.

Planting amaranth

When to plant amaranth

When the soil in the garden has warmed up well and the threat of return frosts has passed, the seedlings can be planted in open ground. This is usually done in mid or late May. The area for amaranth should be well-lit and drained, the soil should be light and nutritious, with a sufficient amount of lime. By and large, amaranth is completely unpretentious, but what it does not tolerate is low temperatures and too much moisture in the soil. Before planting amaranth in open ground, the soil on the site should be dug up with nitroammophoska at the rate of 20 g per 1 m².

How to plant amaranth

Amaranth is planted, depending on the type and variety, at a distance of 10 to 30 cm between specimens, and a gap of 45 to 70 cm is maintained between rows. Until the seedlings take root and begin to grow, they need regular watering. And be prepared to cover the area with amaranths if the cold suddenly returns.

Amaranth care

How to grow amaranth

Actually, caring for amaranth is needed only until the plant begins to grow, but in the first month, amaranth seedlings develop very slowly, so they need watering, weeding and loosening the soil. But then amaranth accelerates its development, and there is no longer room for weeds on the site. Sometimes an amaranth specimen can grow seven centimeters in a day!

Regular watering is also important for amaranth only in the first month in open ground, then the root of the plant penetrates deep into the soil, and the need for watering disappears, unless a dry period of summer comes without rain - then amaranth will need to be watered like any other plant.

It is advisable to feed amaranth 3-4 times per season; the best fertilizer for it is a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1:5 and ash (200 g per 10 liters of water). It is best to fertilize early in the morning after watering the area.

Pests and diseases of amaranth

Planting and caring for amaranth will not cause you any trouble. In addition, amaranth is very resistant to pests and diseases. However, sometimes it is also affected by aphids or weevils. Weevil larvae develop in plant stems, stunting their growth. Aphids can harm amaranth only at the beginning of its life, and, as a rule, this happens in a damp, rainy summer. Aphids are exterminated by treating amaranth with actellik or fufanon (karbofos). These same drugs also give good results in the fight against weevils.

If too much moisture accumulates in the soil, amaranth can develop fungal diseases, which can be treated by spraying the plants with fungicides - colloidal sulfur, copper sulfate, copper oxychloride and other similar preparations.

Amaranth after flowering

How and when to collect amaranth seeds

If you want to collect amaranth seeds, select a few of the strongest plants and do not cut off the leaves. As soon as the lower leaves on the amaranth turn red, dry out and fall off, and the stem of the plant turns whitish, choose a dry, fine day, cut the inflorescences from the selected specimens, starting from the bottom of the stem, and place them to dry in a well-ventilated, dry room. After a couple of weeks, when you rub the dried panicles with your hands, the mature seeds easily fall out of the boxes, then all that remains is to sift them through a fine sieve and store them in a box or paper bag. Amaranth seeds do not lose their viability for about five years.

Amaranth in winter

Amaranth in our latitudes does not tolerate even warm winters, which is why it is grown as an annual plant. At the end of the growing season, amaranth plant residues are collected and disposed of. If you are sure that your amaranths are not infected with pests or diseases, place their tops in a compost pit - they will make a good fertilizer. The ground part of amaranth is also used as feed for animals, for example, pigs and poultry, since in addition to high-quality protein it contains protein, a lot of carotene and vitamin C.

Types and varieties of amaranth

Paniculate or purple amaranth (Amaranthus paniculatus = Amaranthus cruentus)

Most often used for decorating flower beds and making bouquets, including winter ones. This is an annual plant with a height of 75 to 150 cm with elongated, ovate, red-brown leaves with a sharp, elongated tip. Small red flowers are collected in erect inflorescences. This species blooms in June and blooms until cold weather. In cultivation since 1798, it has several forms: nana - a low-growing form up to 50 cm high, cruentus - with drooping inflorescences of red flowers, sanguineus - vertical inflorescences with hanging ends. Most often, low-growing varieties with a height of 25-40 cm are used in floriculture:

Rother Dam And Rother Paris– varieties 50-60 cm high with dark red foliage and dark burgundy flowers;
Miniature torch And Grunefakel– varieties up to 35 cm high with purple and dark green inflorescences, respectively;
Hot Biscuit- the tallest variety, reaching a meter in height, with green foliage and red-orange inflorescences.

Dark or sad amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)

A low-branched species up to one and a half meters high with oblong-lanceolate pointed leaves of purple or purple-green color and vertical spike-shaped panicles of inflorescences of various colors, but most often dark red. In culture since 1548. There is a blood-red form - sanguineus, with hanging inflorescences. Varieties:

Pigmy Torch– amaranth 60 cm in height, the dark purple inflorescences of which turn chestnut in the fall, and the leaves become multi-colored;
Green Thumb- a variety up to 40 cm high, painted in different emerald tones and often used by phytodesigners when composing dry bouquets.

Tricolor amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor)

Decorative deciduous plant from 70 cm to one and a half meters high with erect stems forming a pyramidal bush. The leaves of tricolor amaranth are elongated, ovate or narrow, sometimes wavy, colored in combinations of yellow, green and red - young leaves are unusually bright and beautiful. It blooms from June until frost, has several varieties: willow (salicifolius) with narrow, bronze-green wavy leaves up to 20 cm long and half a centimeter wide; red-green (rubriviridis) with leaves of a ruby-violet hue with green spots; red (ruber) with blood-red leaves and bright (splendens), which has dark green leaves with brown spots. Varieties:

amaranth Illumination- a powerful plant up to 70 cm high with spectacular large leaves. Young leaves are red-yellow, and older ones are red-orange, the lower leaves are bronze in color;
Aurora– this variety has wavy apical leaves of a golden yellow hue;
Early Splender– the apical leaves are a bright crimson hue, the lower ones are almost black with a purple-green tint.

Amaranthus caudatus

It grows naturally in tropical Africa, Asia and South America. The stems are powerful, erect, up to one and a half meters high. The leaves are large, elongated-ovate, green or purple-green in color. Small dark red, yellowish-green or crimson flowers are collected in spherical balls, which in turn are arranged in long hanging paniculate inflorescences. This species blooms from June to October, in cultivation since 1568. It has several forms: white-flowered - with greenish-white flowers; green - this form with pale green inflorescences is in great demand among florists; bead-shaped - flowers of this shape are collected in a whorl and look like long beads strung on a stem. Varieties:

Rotschwanz– with red inflorescences;
Grunschwantz- with light green inflorescences.

Both varieties reach a height of 75 cm and are powerful bushes that occupy a large space.

Amaranth - harm and benefit

Scientists consider amaranth to be a plant of the 21st century, capable of feeding and healing all of humanity. This may be an exaggeration, but there is certainly some truth in this statement. All parts of amaranth are edible, nutritious and healthy, but the most valuable product is the amaranth seeds. The benefit of amaranth is that it contains a whole complex of fatty acids necessary for humans - stearic, oleic, linoleic and palmitic, and this property of amaranth allows it to be used in the production of dietary products. In addition, amaranth contains squalene, vitamins B, C, D, P and E, rutin, carotene, steroids, bile and pantothenic acid and many other substances necessary for human health.

Amaranth leaves are not inferior in the amount of nutrients they contain to spinach, but significantly exceed it in the amount of protein. Amaranth protein contains the amino acid lysine, the most important amino acid for humans, in almost the same amount as soybeans, but protein from amaranth is much easier to digest than protein from soy, wheat or corn. The Japanese compare amaranth greens with squid meat and believe that daily consumption of amaranth in food restores vital energy and rejuvenates the human body.

You can eat not only the leaves of the vegetable amaranth - ornamental species and varieties of the plant are also rich in vitamins, protein and microelements. However, it is better not to eat seeds of ornamental plants. By the way, it is easy to distinguish medicinal amaranth from ornamental amaranth by its seeds - in medicinal and vegetable varieties, the seeds are lighter than the seeds of ornamental varieties.

Amaranth oil is the most valuable of vegetable oils, having twice the healing properties of sea buckthorn oil. Creams and masks based on amaranth oil rejuvenate the skin, increase its tone and provide antibacterial protection.

Sprouted amaranth seeds have the same value in composition as mother's milk. They are often used not only in medicine, but also in cooking.

The beneficial properties of amaranth are used to treat obesity, atherosclerosis, neuroses, and dysbacteriosis with tea made from its leaves. Greens and amaranth grains effectively heal the liver and kidneys, treat adenoma, cardiovascular diseases, as well as inflammatory processes of the urinary system. The properties of amaranth, when constantly consumed in food, help to cope even with malignant tumors, and also strengthen the human immune system.

By adding amaranth leaves to summer salads, you extend your life and improve your health. Amaranth seed flour added to wheat improves the taste of baked goods and slows down the process of baking. Roasted amaranth seeds are very tasty and resemble nuts; they are good to sprinkle on buns and bread meat. Adding a single amaranth leaf to a three-liter jar will keep your cucumbers crisp and firm until spring. We offer you several amaranth recipes and hope that you will like them.

Dessert with amaranth and nuts. Heat the honey and butter over low heat, stirring, add any nuts and amaranth seeds, mix, pour into the mold, and after cooling, cut into pieces.

Salad. 200 g of amaranth leaves, 50 g of wild garlic leaves or young winter garlic, 200 g of nettle leaves, scald with boiling water, cut, salt and season with vegetable oil or sour cream.

Sauce. Bring 300 g of cream to a boil, add 200 g of chopped amaranth leaves, 100 g of grated soft cheese, add a little pepper and heat, stirring, over the fire until the cheese is completely melted.

Cypriot soup. Soak a glass of chickpeas overnight. Cook it until done. Saute the chopped onion and carrot, add them to the broth with chickpeas and beat everything with a blender. Separately, mix half a glass of amaranth seeds with chickpea-vegetable puree, boiled for 25 minutes, add canned or frozen sweet corn, pepper, pour in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and bring to a boil.

Some readers ask if we know anything about the dangers of amaranth. I answer: we don’t know.

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Amaranth is an annual plant, well known in Russia under the names amaranth, velvet, and cat's tail. It is practiced to grow amaranth from seeds and seedlings. The time when it is necessary to plant the plant in the ground is early spring, when the soil warms up to 10 degrees.

Growing amaranth from seeds

Amaranth is widespread in countries with tropical and subtropical climates. In Russia, about 17 plant species grow in the temperate climate zone. The most popular varieties among gardeners are “Fire Dance”, “Tailed”, “Crimson”, “Spanicle”, “Tri-colored”, “ordinary”.

IN northern regions gardeners grow acorn grass in seedlings, since in the harsh climate the crop does not have time to grow before the onset of cold weather. In the southern regions The plant is already sown with seeds directly into the soil in the spring. In warm weather and sufficient soil heating, amaranth grows quite quickly. With each of these methods, traditional agricultural techniques are used: soil preparation, the use of fertilizing and mineral fertilizers, watering, etc.

Soil preparation

Podzolic, sandy loam, turfy, and fine loamy soils are suitable for the growth of fodder and food species of amaranth. In soil with an acidic environment, the plant will develop slowly. Both poor and rocky soils are suitable for decorative varieties.

Soil preparation is carried out in the fall after harvesting. It is necessary to add rotted manure, peat or compost to the soil, and in the spring - superphosphate, potash fertilizers and ash.

In the spring, when the ground at a depth of 5 cm warms up to 10 degrees, the soil is cleared of debris, weeds and weeded. Before planting the seed, the soil is fertilized with mineral mixtures or complex fertilizers, applying per 1 square meter. m area 30 g of substance. When choosing fertilizer, you should focus on fertilizers that have a minimum nitrogen content. Otherwise, nitrates will accumulate in the stems and leaves of the plant.

For growing seedlings in pots take universal primer from a flower shop, dilute it with clean river sand and humus in a ratio of 3:2:1. The result should be nutritious, loose and breathable soil with a neutral reaction. In the case of using soil from a summer cottage to destroy pathogenic flora, the substrate must be calcined in the oven at high temperature.

Planting amaranth

Amaranth grows very slowly. If you follow the timing and rules of proper planting, the plant's flowering can be seen in July. Planting the crop in warm soil will reduce the risk of being “suppressed” by weeds. If you are late with planting, the weeds will quickly take over the flowerbed and you will have to weed the soil often. In this situation, complete seed ripening will occur in 3 months.

To create a decorative hedge from amaranth, it is advisable to choose the background of a garden plot or flower bed. The varieties “Magic Cascade”, “Avalanche”, “Angelina” will be clearly visible from any place. Decorative varieties “Illumination”, “Cherry Velvet”, “Bicolor”, “Glamourous Shine”, etc. will look impressive in the center of the flowerbed.

Boarding time

It is possible to plant amaranth seed directly into the ground in the end of April, when late spring frosts pass and the soil warms up a little under the rays of the sun.

The optimal time for sowing amaranth seeds indoors is mid-February or early March, and seedlings should be planted in the soil when the warm weather becomes stable and night frosts stop. In the northern regions this time occurs in the middle or end of May.

Sowing seeds in a summer cottage

For sowing, you should choose a sunny and dry place; amaranth does not tolerate wet soil or swampy soil. Before sowing the plant, the soil should be loosened, slightly moistened and a shallow furrow made. Since the seeds of the plant are very small, they are buried 1-2 cm. If you plan to plant the plant in several rows, the distance between the furrows should be at least 45-50 cm.

Each seed must be sown at a distance of 7-10 cm from each other., for tall varieties this interval needs to be increased:

vegetable crops– 25─70 cm;

grain varieties – 60─70 cm;

decorative types– 50─70 cm.

Also, before planting, the seeds can be mixed with river sand or sawdust in a ratio of 1 to 15. After sowing, the furrow should be sprinkled with soil and lightly compacted.

The first sprouts from the seeds will appear within a week. Dense growth should be thinned out and the soil loosened. This technique will give more space and encourage the plant to grow further. Otherwise, the agaric will grow low and not so branchy.

After the seedlings stretch 20 cm, they will not be hindered by fertilizing with saltpeter. In this case, the concentration of fertilizer should be 2 times less than indicated on the packaging.

Mistakes gardeners make when planting amaranth:

planting ornamental varieties on loamy soils;

replanting seedlings during prolonged frosts;

planting seeds to a depth of more than 2 cm.

Attention! If unexpected frosts occur, the young shoots must be covered with film overnight, otherwise the plant will die. To prevent the amaranth from suffocating, the film must be removed in the morning.

Growing seedlings in pots

The seedling method is popular among gardeners because the development and flowering of the plant occurs much faster than when sowing using seeds. How to grow acorn grass using seedlings? To do this, take plastic boxes or pots, where seeds are scattered in loose, moist and enriched soil to a depth of 2 cm. It is very important that the container has a hole to drain moisture; a suitable height is 9-13 cm.

After sowing, the containers should be wrapped in polyethylene and kept in a warm room in a well-lit place. The optimal temperature for seedlings is 19–22 degrees. The soil should be irrigated using a sprayer. If necessary, seedlings can be illuminated with a phytolamp.

The first shoots appear after 10 days. After 3-4 days, weak shoots should be removed from the seedlings, leaving only strong and strong ones. To quickly give impetus to the green mass, it is better to spray the seedlings with bioregulators, for example, urea solution, epin, immunocytophyte.

As soon as 3 leaves appear on the sprouts, a pick should be made, in which each seedling is transplanted into a separate, deeper pot. You need to take the same soil that was used to germinate the seeds. The seedling is planted in moist soil. Before planting in the soil, the sprout is fed twice with complex mineral fertilizer.

Advice. If you use a peat pot with a diameter of at least 12 cm to grow amaranth, then it can be planted in the soil along with the grown plant.

Technology of planting seedlings in the ground

Sprouts sprouted at home do not need to be prepared when planted in open ground. The planting procedure is best done in the evening or on a cloudy day. If seedlings are planted in sunny weather, the young shoots should be protected from sunlight for several days. In the shade, amaranth adapts faster and begins to germinate.

Seedlings are planted in rows using the same technology as when sowing seeds. Step-by-step instruction next:

Make small holes and add 20 g of nitroammophoska into them. When planting in rows, a distance of 80 cm should be maintained, and between bushes - 50 cm.

Remove the grown amaranths from the pot and plant them in a hole. It is not worth burying the bush deep into the ground, as the unformed root system may begin to rot.

Water the plant well.

Varieties that are grown to produce young greenery are planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other. Until the plant begins to grow, the amaranth bush should be regularly watered and hilled with leaf humus.

Advice. In the northern regions, where amaranth is planted in the ground late, it is useful to harden the plant. The procedure is carried out a month before disembarkation. To do this, you should take the boxes of seedlings outside every day. Increase the outdoor hardening time gradually.

Plant care

The plant matures within 3.5 months. How to grow amaranth in the first month? During the growth of a young crop, it is necessary to weed the rows, remove weeds, loosen and moisten the soil. It is better to remove weak shoots, leaving a distance between bushes of 40 cm. This will allow healthy plants to take root and grow faster.

By the 2nd month, the grown plant is no longer demanding of any conditions. In addition, amaranth suppresses the development of weeds and does not require weeding or careful care. This crop is drought-resistant and can easily tolerate heat, even if grown in direct sun.

For that to get a good yield plants, it is better to adhere to some rules:

During the period of active growth, the crop should be fed with organic fertilizers, weeded and hilled;

Despite its resistance to drought, amaranth needs watering, otherwise its growth will stop;

adult tall amaranths must be tied up so that its branches are not damaged by the weight of the flowers;

To make the bushes lush and the stems more stable, it is better to pinch the tops of the plants in June.

At the dacha, with good care, amaranth grows very rapidly: a sunlit and well-watered bush stretches 6-7 cm in a day.

Diseases and pests

Amaranth is distinguished by excellent “health”, but still an invasion of aphids and weevils can be disastrous for the plant. Aphids are dangerous to crops during the vegetative growth period and become more active in rainy summers. If you don't fight it, it can destroy all amaranth bushes. Weevil larvae settle inside the stem and stunt the growth of the plant. To combat harmful insects, amaranth should be sprayed with karbofos, acarin or actellik.

Another enemy of garden crops is fungal diseases. Black leg and brown rot appear as a result of the accumulation of moisture in the soil. Irrigation with Bordeaux mixture, colloidal sulfur, copper sulfate and other fungicides will help get rid of them.

Harvesting amaranth

In September The plant's inflorescence begins to lose its attractiveness and fruits with seeds appear. At that time You can already collect the culture. To do this, you need to wait until the amaranth sheds its lower leaves and a whitish coating appears on the shoot itself. The plant should be cut closer to the base in calm and dry weather. To obtain seed material, the strongest flowers are selected.

How to collect seeds

This process is very simple and does not require any effort. In the fall, after harvesting, the cut inflorescences must be placed on a flat surface in a dry, well-ventilated area and left to dry completely. After 2 months, the panicles should be rubbed with your hands so that small seeds fall out of the “boxes”. The resulting seed must be sifted using a sieve with small cells.

The extracted grain must be dried well, left in the same place with ventilation for another 10 days and stirred from time to time. Elderberry branches placed nearby will help protect the seed from rodents. Place the dried grains in a box or paper envelope. Seed germination is very high, which amaranth does not lose for 5 years.

In the case when several varieties of amaranth were planted, it is necessary to dry the panicles and then the seeds in different places

Wintering amaranth

Cold conditions are destructive for amaranth, so this plant is mowed from the summer cottage for the winter. The stems and leaves can be fed to pets or used as compost.

The Internet is replete with articles about the exceptional benefits of amaranth. They say that the vegetable crop of the twenty-first century, which is superior to milk in protein content, can feed the whole world, prolong people’s youth and help improve the health of the body. And with all its many advantages in growing, amaranth is unpretentious and undemanding.

One of the main advantages of this vegetable crop is that almost all parts of the plant are suitable for food: leaves, stems, and (especially valuable) seeds. It turns out that it would be a sin not to allocate a piece of land on your summer cottage to such a profitable amaranth. And we will tell you everything you need to know and take into account to obtain an excellent harvest of valuable amaranth.

Technology for growing vegetable amaranth

Amaranth is a light-loving, heat-loving plant and responsive to watering. It grows in almost all types of soils, including sandy, rocky and saline soils. The ripening period for greens is 60-70 days, seeds - 100-120 days.

Amaranth is an excellent green manure and green manure. Therefore, you should tear off the leaves, stems and tops for food, leaving the roots in the ground. The summer resident receives a vitamin salad, and soil microorganisms receive the necessary organic matter. And everyone is fine!

There are two ways to grow amaranth: seedlings and non-seedlings. As a rule, grain varieties of amaranth are planted for seedlings to speed up the growth and ripening time of seeds, or decorative varieties for faster flowering.Growing amaranth for its leaves is quite possible by directly sowing the seed into the ground.

Growing amaranth through seedlings

Amaranth seeds are planted for seedlings in late March - early April. First, the seeds are sown in a common box and sprinkled with moist soil. Then cover with film and send to a dark, warm place. After 7-12 days, shoots appear, then the box is moved to the windowsill.

With the appearance of the first true leaf, amaranth seedlings are planted in pots. It tolerates transplantation well, so there should be no problems.

After the threat of frost has passed (late May or early June), the seedlings are planted in a permanent location.

Growing amaranth by direct sowing

The seeds are planted one at a time in moist soil. They can be sown in late April-early May, when the soil has warmed up to +6°C.

Any distance between bushes and rows is allowed and depends on the immediate purpose of cultivation. If you need powerful plants, with a large number of panicles and seeds, use a 70x30 cm pattern. If preference is given to delicate greenery, then you can thicken the plantings and use a 15x15 cm pattern.

For those who decide to plant a large area with amaranth, it will be more convenient to mix the seeds with sand, ash or sawdust in a ratio of 1:20, sow in rows, and then thin out. You shouldn’t bury the seeds too deep; just sprinkle them with a 1-2 centimeter layer of soil and roll them a little for better contact with the ground. Under favorable conditions, seedlings appear in 7-10 days.

Amaranth care and harvesting

Amaranth requires care only in the first month of growth. At this time, its ground part grows so slowly that it is difficult to believe that these blades of grass will soon turn into powerful tall bushes. Therefore, you need to periodically weed the bed, mulch with cut grass to prevent drying out, and if desired, you can feed it with an infusion of mullein and ash (or liquid fertilizer made from grass).

Starting from the second month, amaranth begins to grow rapidly and adds 5-7 centimeters per day. Now he himself is able to choke out any weed, and all he needs from the gardener is regular watering.

Amaranth is cut for greenery when it reaches a height of 20-25 centimeters. After cutting off the top, new shoots begin to grow from the lateral axils.

The seeds ripen in early September. At this time, the panicles begin to turn brown, and the lower leaves dry out and fall off. Amaranth seeds ripen unevenly and fall off very quickly, so it is preferable to cut off the panicles in advance and dry them in a dark place. The seeds ripen well.

Amaranth varieties

There are a great many varieties and varieties of amaranth. Vegetable, grain, fodder, ornamental... As gardeners, we are primarily interested in universal varieties (which are grown for both greens and grain), leaf and grain varieties.

Valentina. An excellent early vegetable variety with a large number of shoots along the entire length of the stem. The leaves and stems are purple, the flowers are erect and purple. The seeds are translucent, light brown, with a red border. It grows in height up to 1.7 meters. The ripening period for leaves is 45-60 days, seeds - 110-120 days.

Giant. A forage variety that can be grown for grain. The leaves are dark green, the flowers are red or yellow, and the seeds are white, disc-shaped. It grows 1.6-1.9 meters in height. The period from germination to seed ripening is 115-127 days.

Sturdy. An early ripening vegetable variety, grown for fresh greens. The leaves are green, juicy and tender, the flowers are brown with red spots. The seeds are light yellow. It reaches a height of 1.3-1.4 meters. The growing season is 70-80 days.

White list(White Leaf). A dwarf vegetable variety, grown for greens. It is cut off when it reaches a height of 18-20 centimeters. The leaves and stems are light green, very tender and tasty. This variety can be grown on a windowsill in winter.

Kharkovsky-1. A universal variety, one of the best for growing for grain. The leaves are green, the inflorescences are erect yellow, the seeds are light. It reaches a height of 1.7-1.9 meters. The growing season is 90-110 days.

In memory of Covas. A universal mid-season variety. The leaves are dark green, very juicy and tender. The inflorescences are erect, red with a brown tint. The plant is 0.9-1.1 meters high.

Voronezh. Early ripening grain variety. The leaves are green, the panicle is long, erect, yellow-green, the seeds are light. The average plant height is 0.8-1.2 meters. Grain ripening time is 90-100 days.

Helios. Early ripening grain variety. The leaves are light yellow with orange veins, erect orange panicles, and white grain. Can grow up to 1.5-1.7 meters tall. The seed ripening period is 105 days.

Kizlyarets. It is considered a forage variety that can be grown for grain. The leaf is large, light green. The inflorescence is a straight panicle of yellow-green color, turning red when ripe. The seeds are round, light yellow. Plants reach 1.2-1.6 meters in height. Grain ripening time is 80-120 days.

Remember that in vegetable and grain varieties of amaranth, the color of the seeds should be light. If the seeds are dark, it is an ornamental amaranth, which is grown for its beautiful bright panicles. It is not recommended to eat the grain of such plants, but the leaves can be added to summer salads in any case.

We wish you success and great harvests!published

The technology for growing amaranth is quite simple. Due to its unpretentiousness, the plant is especially popular. This is a unique flower, native to the lands of America. The crop has been grown for more than 8 thousand years. Many young leaves, flowers and stems are eaten, sent to feed livestock and used as a medicinal plant. To grow healthy and beautiful amaranth, you need to know when to plant it in open ground and how to care for it.

General rules for growing amaranth

The crop can be grown in almost any climate zone, except for the desert and the Far North.

When cultivating it, the following characteristics of the plant should be taken into account:

Amaranth is drought-resistant. It tolerates them much better than overwatering.
Does not like excess moisture in the soil. Therefore, watering should be moderate. After each procedure, the soil between the rows must be loosened.
To grow it, you should choose a well-lit place, since amaranth loves the sun very much.
Optimal growing conditions are +20°C, but the plant can easily tolerate light night frosts (not lower than -2°C).
It is little affected by pests and diseases.

To grow amaranth in Siberia, you need to use ready-made seedlings.

In order for the crop to branch well and produce a higher yield, it is necessary to systematically weed the bed and thin out the seedlings. A distance between stems of up to 10 cm is preferable for food specimens. A wider space (about 20 cm) is required for plants that are grown for seeds.

After the first month of growing season, the crop adds 6-7 cm per day. At this stage, there is no need to weed it, since the weeds cannot compete with amaranth. But we should not forget about applying organic or mineral fertilizers. Plantations need to be fed once every 10 days. It is better to do this in the morning, immediately after watering. You cannot overdo it, as nitrates will accumulate in the plant, as a result it will be unsuitable for food.

What do the seeds look like?

Many people do not know what amaranth seeds look like. In fact, it is not difficult to distinguish the grains of this crop from other plants. Amaranth planting material is very small. Light varieties of plants with green leaves have sand-colored seeds (like white sesame, only much smaller), with dense, smooth, slightly shiny shells. Such varieties are used for food and feed purposes. Plants with red leaves are ornamental varieties grown for their beautiful flowers. They have black seeds, also very small. Before planting amaranth seeds, it is recommended for convenience to mix the grains with sawdust or sand in a ratio of 1:20.

The seeds ripen well when placed on inflorescences in a dark place.

The growing season of amaranth is 70 days, and the seeds are formed after 3 months of cultivation. The grains do not ripen at the same time, so it is easier to cut off entire amaranth inflorescences, otherwise some will simply end up on the ground.

When the panicles turn brown and dry well after about a month or two, you need to remove the seeds. They need to be dried only in a dark place.

You can simply clean them in the wind or on a very fine sieve. When stored in a dry place, amaranth seeds retain the ability to germinate for five years.

Technology for growing amaranth from seeds

In this way, varieties oriented toward the accumulation of green mass are cultivated. Before growing amaranth from seeds, it is necessary to prepare beds for it in the fall. To do this, the earth is dug up to a depth of at least 20 cm, and also added. The best option is humus or compost. For each hundred square meters you will need approximately 500 kg. The beds should be oriented in a north-south direction. It is impossible to sow amaranth on slopes, since even small streams from rain can wash away its seeds. In the spring, the beds need to be dug up again and mineral fertilizer applied. Amaranth is sown in rows and then thinned out.

In order for the grains to germinate well, it is important to choose the right time to plant the plant. The soil should have time to warm up to positive temperatures. This is usually the end of May. The depth of the holes should be about 5 cm. In such conditions, the seeds will germinate well, and the crop will grow so quickly that it will easily overtake the weeds and they will not be able to choke out the amaranth. You don't even have to weed it.

If you miss the optimal period and sow later, you will have to fight weeds, as well as pests: aphids, weevils, caterpillars. In a flowerbed or small garden, amaranth is sown by hand. In large fields, sowing is carried out using special seeders. The soil should be moist and nutritious. Also, in order for amaranth to develop well in open ground, in addition to care, it is necessary to follow the planting rules.

The distance between rows should be:

70 cm when growing amaranth for seeds;
50 cm when cultivating the plant for feed purposes.

The first sprouts break through the ground after a week or 10 days. At first, amaranth grows slowly, but then noticeably accelerates. You can re-sow after 2 weeks so that the period of formation of young greenery is as long as possible.

In Siberia, ordinary plant varieties from seeds can only be grown for green mass, since they do not have time to form new grains. In this climatic zone, it is better to cultivate early ripening varieties of amaranth, for example, Cherginsky. You can also plant plant seedlings in open ground.

Growing amaranth seedlings

Cultivating a plant from seeds is the easiest way. But to speed up the ripening period of amaranth, which is about 3 months, it is better to grow it using seedlings. This method guarantees more luxuriant flowering, so this method is also practiced for ornamental varieties.

Before germinating amaranth at home, you need to remember that the grains should be sown in a container at the end of February or in March.

In order to grow amaranth for seedlings you need:

Another option for obtaining seedlings is to sow the seeds in a box of soil and place it in a plastic bag and place it in a warm place. After one or two weeks, shoots appear and the plants can be kept on the windowsill.

Some tips on how to germinate amaranth at home:

In order for amaranth seeds to germinate better in an apartment or house, they must first be soaked in water for several days so that they “hatch”.
The soil is best prepared from a mixture of peat, leaf humus and soil from the garden. It is important to add ash and superphosphate to the mixture.
Until sprouts appear, it is necessary to maintain the temperature at least +20°C.
Watering should be moderate but regular. You can do it using a spray bottle.

You cannot plant seedlings at lunchtime when it is very hot outside.

If the first three or four leaves appear on the seedlings, this means it’s time to pluck the amaranth. To do this, you need to take pots with a diameter of about 12 cm and plant the plants so that there is only one specimen in each of them.

Planting amaranth and care in open ground

You can plant seedlings in open ground about a month after germination. The best month is May, when there is no longer any danger of frost. The average daily temperature must be at least + 5°C. The procedure should be carried out in cloudy weather. It is also good to plant a flower in the evening.

The culture feels great on various soils. Including on sandy and rocky soils, even on salt marshes.

Transplant stages:

To begin with, the grown amaranth seedlings are well watered.
Two or three plants are planted in each hole.
After planting, the stems are sprinkled down to the first leaf.
Water generously.

Caring for amaranth obtained from seeds or seedlings is no different. At the beginning it is weeded, and then only watered and fed. For better “branching”, you can pinch the top of the plant at the end of June. It is good to periodically hill up the crop, and tie up the tallest specimens. If this is not done, they may break due to their heavy panicle flowers.

When the plant reaches a height of 20-25 centimeters, it can be trimmed for greenery. After a short time, the stems will sprout new shoots. After harvesting, it is better to put the remains of the plant in a compost pit to get excellent fertilizer for the next season.

As can be seen from the article, planting and caring for the amaranth plant is very simple. To grow a beautiful flower, it is enough to follow the basic rules.

The process of growing amaranth - video

The climate in our country is mostly harsh and amateur gardeners have to grow amaranth using seedlings. In southern regions with warm winters, sowing can be done directly into the soil. Seeds germinate fairly quickly at a soil temperature of 15°C.

A standard question that arises for a gardener when growing a new crop. In the case of amaranth, seeds can be sown as early as mid-February. But then you need to be ready to illuminate the young shoots. Since in February - March there is still little sun. To prevent seedlings from stretching out without additional lighting, in the middle zone, Moscow region, and the Urals, I recommend sowing amaranth no earlier than mid-March.

First prepare the containers for sowing - they should be wide and not very deep; their height should not be more than 10 centimeters.

Soil preparation

For growing amaranth seedlings, universal soil sold in flower shops is suitable. The soil, home-made, should consist of garden soil, peat, humus. The basic requirements for it are simple, it must be: nutritious, loose, breathable, with a neutral reaction.

Both purchased and home-made soil must be disinfected before use. Any old-fashioned processing methods are suitable: steaming, calcination, freezing, treatment with a solution of potassium permanganate, and modern methods using various preparations. Today, the most popular soil treatment products are:

copper sulfate;
colloidal sulfur;
systemic fungicides (Fitosporin, Alirin-B, Gamir, Extrasol).

The planting boxes must be filled with soil and watered. Scatter the seeds over the surface and cover with a 0.5 cm layer of soil. Spray the top layer of soil with a spray bottle and cover the top of the boxes with cling film, you will get mini-greenhouses.

Place the greenhouses in a warm place; the higher the air temperature, the faster the seeds will sprout. Usually, if the room temperature is 22° C or higher, the sprouts hatch within a week; after the green sprouts appear, the film must be removed.

Seedling care

Caring for amaranth seedlings is no different from caring for seedlings of other garden and garden crops. Amaranth seedlings must be watered; the soil in the cups must be constantly moist. In February and March, daylight hours are short, seedlings need lighting; fluorescent lamps can be used to illuminate the seedlings.

It is necessary to carry out hardening. Start ten days before planting young plants in a permanent place. You can harden in two ways:

take boxes with plants outside or onto the balcony;
open the window for ventilation.

On the other hand, some types of amaranth are weeds and interfere with the cultivation of other crops. Depending on the type, amaranth shoots can be simple or branched. The shoot height ranges from 40 cm to 3 m.

The foliage is alternate, lanceolate, oblong, located on the petiole. Flowers are formed in the axils, have a green, red or purple color, and there is a combination of different colors.

Most species of the genus are annuals, and in our climate even perennial plants are grown as annuals.

It is quite easy to sow agarica. In warmer areas where the soil has already warmed up by early May, you can sow the material directly into the soil. Seeds should be planted one at a time in wet furrows, deepening one and a half centimeters.

In about a week and a half, seedlings will appear, which should be straightened and the soil between them loosened. When the shoot reaches 20 cm in height, fertilize the flower with nitrogen fertilizer, but dilute it 2 times stronger than indicated in the instructions.

To obtain acorn seedlings, seeds are sown at the end of March. They are deepened by one and a half to two centimeters and placed in a warm (about 22 ° C) and bright room, periodically moistening with a spray bottle. When the shoots appear, they are thinned out, and when they reach 12 cm in height, they are planted in separate containers.

The crop can be grown in almost any climate zone, except for the desert and the Far North.

When cultivating it, the following characteristics of the plant should be taken into account:

Amaranth is drought-resistant. It tolerates them much better than overwatering.
Does not like excess moisture in the soil. Therefore, watering should be moderate. After each procedure, the soil between the rows must be loosened.
To grow it, you should choose a well-lit place, since amaranth loves the sun very much.
Optimal growing conditions are 20°C, but the plant can easily tolerate light night frosts (not lower than -2°C).
It is little affected by pests and diseases.

In this way, varieties oriented toward the accumulation of green mass are cultivated. Before growing amaranth from seeds, it is necessary to prepare beds for it in the fall. To do this, the soil is dug up to a depth of at least 20 cm, and also added. The best option is humus or compost. For each hundred square meters you will need approximately 500 kg.

The distance between rows should be:

70 cm when growing amaranth for seeds;
50 cm when cultivating the plant for feed purposes.

Some tips on how to germinate amaranth at home:

In order for amaranth seeds to germinate better in an apartment or house, they must first be soaked in water for several days so that they “hatch”.
The soil is best prepared from a mixture of peat, leaf humus and soil from the garden. It is important to add ash and superphosphate to the mixture.
Until sprouts appear, it is necessary to maintain the temperature at least 20°C.
Watering should be moderate but regular. You can do it using a spray bottle.

If the first three or four leaves appear on the seedlings, this means it’s time to pluck the amaranth. To do this, you need to take pots with a diameter of about 12 cm and plant the plants so that there is only one specimen in each of them.

Amaranth tricolor
It grows well in open ground, but it is important to remember that spring frosts can destroy the seedlings. Therefore, seeds are most often sown only when there is no risk of frost. Seeds germinate at temperatures from 4 to 25 °C. The place for sowing is chosen to be sunny.

If amaranth tricolor is grown
As an edible plant, the soil for it must be very fertile. However, sandy, acidic or even rocky soils will also provide fresh greens.

For a larger harvest
You can sow new amaranth seeds every two weeks after the first sowing.

On the sowing site
All weeds must be removed. For better seed distribution, you can mix them with river sand or ash in a ratio of 1:15. Planting depth is 1-2 cm. It is best to simply sprinkle the seeds with an even layer of soil and then lightly level it.

With seedling method
sowing is done in the same way, only in boxes that need to be covered with glass or film. Crops located in warm conditions will produce their first shoots within 10-12 days. When each sprout acquires one true leaf, the seedlings are planted in a larger container.

Sowing amaranth

In early spring, sow the seeds in prepared soil, preferably in peat containers. The soil should be loose, just sprinkle the seeds a little with soil and not compact them.
The pots must be placed in a greenhouse from a plastic container or covered with film.
Systematically ventilate the mini-greenhouse and water the soil.
When the seeds sprout, they need to be thinned out.
As the seedlings grow, they are periodically taken out into the fresh air so that they become accustomed to new conditions (hardened).

Types and varieties of amaranth

The wide variety of types and varieties of amaranth should not confuse the novice gardener or gardener. Before choosing any variety, you need to decide for what purpose it will be planted.

All varieties of amaranth can be divided into types according to their intended purpose:

decorative;
vegetable;
grain;
stern

Decorative varieties are usually heat-loving and light-loving. Lack of light leads to a significant loss of decorativeness, they stretch out, the leaves lose their brightness and color.

Forage varieties are very productive, growing a large volume of green mass per season. The composition of the food plant is no less useful and also has medicinal properties.

Vegetable varieties:

Valentina
In memory of Kvasov
White list
Sturdy

They are grown for fresh consumption of young shoots and leaves. They can also be used to prepare various dishes; when cooked, the plant retains its beneficial properties.

Cereal varieties contain a large percentage of squalene in the grains - a liquid hydrocarbon so necessary for the human body for its anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial and fungicidal properties. Amaranth grain varieties produce oil that has medicinal properties.

Amaranth Tricolor

Amaranth tricolor

Beautiful and spectacular, plants of this species are annuals: erect pyramidal-shaped bushes. The narrow, slightly wavy leaves have a tricolor color: green, yellow, red. All varieties of this species are very decorative. Plant height is from 0.6 m to 1.5 m.

Rother Dam and Rother Paris - varieties 50-60 cm high with dark red foliage and dark burgundy flowers;
Zwergfakel and Grunefakel - varieties up to 35 cm high with purple and dark green inflorescences, respectively;
Hot Biscuit is the tallest variety, reaching a meter in height, with green foliage and red-orange inflorescences.

Pygmy Torch - amaranth 60 cm in height, the dark purple inflorescences of which turn chestnut in the fall, and the leaves become multi-colored;
Green Thumb is a variety up to 40 cm high, colored in different emerald tones and often used by phytodesigners when composing dry bouquets.

It blooms from June until frost, has several varieties: willow (salicifolius) with narrow, bronze-green wavy leaves up to 20 cm long and half a centimeter wide; red-green (rubriviridis) with leaves of a ruby-violet hue with green spots; red (ruber) with blood-red leaves and bright (splendens), which has dark green leaves with brown spots. Varieties:

amaranth Illumination- a powerful plant up to 70 cm high with spectacular large leaves. Young leaves are red-yellow, and older ones are red-orange, the lower leaves are bronze in color;
Aurora - this variety has wavy apical leaves of a golden yellow hue;
Early Splender - apical leaves of a bright crimson hue, lower ones - almost black with a purple-green tint.

It grows naturally in tropical Africa, Asia and South America. The stems are powerful, erect, up to one and a half meters high. The leaves are large, elongated-ovate, green or purple-green in color. Small dark red, yellowish-green or crimson flowers are collected in spherical balls, which in turn are arranged in long hanging paniculate inflorescences.

This species blooms from June to October, in cultivation since 1568. It has several forms: white-flowered - with greenish-white flowers; green - this form with pale green inflorescences is in great demand among florists; bead-shaped - flowers of this shape are collected in a whorl and look like long beads strung on a stem. Varieties:

Rotshvants - with red inflorescences;
Grunschwanz - with light green inflorescences.

Both varieties reach a height of 75 cm and are powerful bushes that occupy a large space.

The variety of amaranth species is amazing: about 900 species, including decorative, vegetable, fodder, and grain varieties. Most varieties are universal in use. But still, before planting, you should clearly understand what result is expected, for what purpose the plant will be planted, in order to most accurately select the required variety.

For ornamental varieties, the main growing condition is bright light. A lack of light leads to a loss of decorativeness, because the stems stretch and the leaves fade.

Or crimson
an annual species that grows up to half a meter in height. The foliage is oval, oblong, purple in color. The flowers are small red. It is preferably grown to decorate flower beds and flower beds.

Or sad
species with a small number of branches. The stem reaches 150 cm in height, the foliage is oblong and has a purple tint. The inflorescences are preferably purple in color.

The erect shoot of the plant grows a little over half a meter. The foliage is oval or narrow, combining green, yellow and red colors. Young leaves are especially beautiful, distinguished by their brightness.

It has a massive straight stem that grows up to 150 cm. The foliage is large, oblong, green, sometimes with purple splashes. The flowers form small balls with a yellow or pink tint. There is also a variety with white flowers.

Red;
Caudate;
Tricolor;
Rother Dam;
Hot Biscuit;
Green;
Yellow;
Illuminations;
Rotschwanz.

Vegetable varieties are grown to produce fresh greens for the table, for preparing porridges, soups, and winter preparations.

Valentina;
In memory of Covas;
White list;
Sturdy;
Opopeo.

Fodder amaranths - a treasure trove for farmers - quickly gain juicy green mass, rich in nutrients for fattening animals and poultry. Farmers use amaranth as green manure to improve the properties of the fertile soil layer.

Fodder amaranths:

Aztec;
Giant;
Kizlyarets;
Lera.

Grain varieties are cultivated for the sake of grain - seeds containing a precious substance of antimicrobial, anti-carcinogenic, fungicidal quality - squalene or liquid hydrocarbon. It is from grain varieties that amaranth oil is produced, which has undeniable medicinal and cosmetic properties.

Kharkovsky-1;
Voronezh;
Ultra;
Helios;
Orange giant.

Plant care

Amaranth grows very slowly. If you follow the timing and rules of proper planting, the plant's flowering can be seen in July. Planting the crop in warm soil will reduce the risk of being “suppressed” by weeds. If you are late with planting, the weeds will quickly take over the flowerbed and you will have to weed the soil often. In this situation, complete seed ripening will occur in 3 months.

To create a decorative hedge from amaranth, it is advisable to choose the background of a garden plot or flower bed. The varieties “Magic Cascade”, “Avalanche”, “Angelina” will be clearly visible from any place. Decorative varieties “Illumination”, “Cherry Velvet”, “Bicolor”, “Glamourous Shine”, etc. will look impressive in the center of the flowerbed.

Boarding time

It is possible to plant amaranth seed directly into the ground at the end of April, when the late spring frosts have passed and the soil has warmed up a little under the rays of the sun.

It is necessary to sow each seed at a distance of 7-10 cm from each other; for tall varieties this interval must be increased:

vegetable crops– 25─70 cm;

grain varieties – 60─70 cm;

decorative types– 50─70 cm.

Also, before planting, the seeds can be mixed with river sand or sawdust in a ratio of 1 to 15. After sowing, the furrow should be sprinkled with soil and lightly compacted.

The first sprouts from the seeds will appear within a week. Dense growth should be thinned out and the soil loosened. This technique will give more space and encourage the plant to grow further. Otherwise, the agaric will grow low and not so branchy.

After the seedlings stretch 20 cm, they will not be hindered by fertilizing with saltpeter. In this case, the concentration of fertilizer should be 2 times less than indicated on the packaging.

Mistakes gardeners make when planting amaranth:

planting ornamental varieties on loamy soils;

replanting seedlings during prolonged frosts;

planting seeds to a depth of more than 2 cm.

The seedling method is popular among gardeners because the development and flowering of the plant occurs much faster than when sowing using seeds. How to grow acorn grass using seedlings? To do this, take plastic boxes or pots, where seeds are scattered in loose, moist and enriched soil to a depth of 2 cm. It is very important that the container has a hole to drain moisture; a suitable height is 9-13 cm.

Seedlings are planted in rows using the same technology as when sowing seeds. Step-by-step instruction next:

Make small holes and add 20 g of nitroammophoska into them. When planting in rows, a distance of 80 cm should be maintained, and between bushes - 50 cm.

Remove the grown amaranths from the pot and plant them in a hole. It is not worth burying the bush deep into the ground, as the unformed root system may begin to rot.

Water the plant well.

Varieties that are grown to produce young greenery are planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other. Until the plant begins to grow, the amaranth bush should be regularly watered and hilled with leaf humus.

For that to get a good yield plants, it is better to adhere to some rules:

During the period of active growth, the crop should be fed with organic fertilizers, weeded and hilled;

Despite its resistance to drought, amaranth needs watering, otherwise its growth will stop;

adult tall amaranths must be tied up so that its branches are not damaged by the weight of the flowers;

To make the bushes lush and the stems more stable, it is better to pinch the tops of the plants in June.

At the dacha, with good care, amaranth grows very rapidly: a sunlit and well-watered bush stretches 6-7 cm in a day.

In the first 30 days, the root system is formed and the plants gain power and strength, so at this time they need at least two weedings, regular watering as the soil dries out and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

If thickening has been allowed in the rows, then the amaranth stems will form thin and fragile.

Amaranth leaves are shortened as it grows. The same applies to the stem - when it reaches 25-30 centimeters in length, it is carefully cut off so that it does not lose its juiciness. By the way, amaranth is capable of excellent recovery from buds on the trunk, so it is advisable to leave a few buds uncut so that the plant continues to grow.

Planting: sowing seeds in the ground - at the end of April or in May; sowing seeds for seedlings - at the end of March, transplanting seedlings into the ground - from mid to late May.
Flowering: from June to frost.
Lighting: bright sunlight.
Soil: light, nutritious, lime-containing soils that are not too wet or acidic.
Watering: during the period of seedlings rooting in the ground - constant, then watering will be needed only during a prolonged drought.
Feeding: mullein solution 3-4 times per season, preferably in the evening.
Reproduction: seed.
Pests: aphids, weevil larvae.
Diseases: root and gray rot, powdery mildew, rust.
Properties: all parts of amaranth are edible and healthy.

When the soil in the garden has warmed up well and the threat of return frosts has passed, the seedlings can be planted in open ground. This is usually done in mid or late May. The area for amaranth should be well-lit and drained, the soil should be light and nutritious, with a sufficient amount of lime. By and large, amaranth is completely unpretentious, but what it does not tolerate is low temperatures and too much moisture in the soil. Before planting amaranth in open ground, the soil on the site should be dug up with nitroammophoska at the rate of 20 g per 1 m².

How to plant amaranth

Plant care

Amaranth stems can be simple or branched, leaves can be alternate, entire, lanceolate, ovoid or diamond-shaped, the base of the leaf blade is elongated into a petiole, the tip of the leaf has a notch and a slight point. Axillary flowers of golden, red, green or purple color are collected in bunches, apical ones - in spike-shaped panicles.

The amaranth fruit is a capsule with small seeds. The color of the plant is green, purple, violet, and sometimes all these colors are combined in one plant. The height of amaranth, depending on the type, can be only 30 cm, or can reach three meters. In our climate, amaranth is grown as an annual.

Amaranth is most often propagated by seeds in pots and then by planting the finished seedlings in open ground.

The plant is sown in peat pots or in pick boxes to obtain seedlings. It is planted in the ground in late spring. The plant blooms on day 40.

You can grow the plant from seeds by planting it in open ground.

Seed collection

To collect seeds from a plant, you need to choose the strongest, healthiest ones, and do not cut the leaves from the amaranth. You can start collecting seeds when the stem turns whitish and the lower leaves dry out and fall off.

It is better to cut the inflorescences from below. To prevent them from spilling out, they are cut slightly unripe and then dried.

After a while, the ripened inflorescences are rubbed with their hands, and then sifted through a sieve.

Seeds are stored for a long time: about 5 years. One plant can produce half a million seeds.

This is what collected amaranth seeds look like

The main pest of the plant is aphids. Amaranth is afraid of high humidity, which can cause fungal diseases. It is better to water moderately.

Amaranth is a genus of annual herbs common in Africa, South America and other countries with subtropical and tropical climates; in temperate climates, this plant is much less common. About 16 species of amaranth are found in Europe and Russia.

The amaranth genus includes up to 70 species of plants with a height of 15 to 80 centimeters and above. In nature, tall species can be found, reaching a height of 2-3 meters. The root of this plant is thick, taprooted, and goes two or even three meters into the ground.

The color of the stem and leaves can be either green or purple-red. In some species of amaranth, a root crop is formed. The leaves are elongated, pointed at the end, and come in different shapes: lanceolate, diamond-shaped or ovate.

The petioles of the leaves located in the lower part of the thick trunk are longer than those that grow higher, thanks to which the upper leaves never shade the lower ones. The flowers are small, collected in paniculate inflorescences. There are axillary and apical flowers.

The vegetative period for plants of this genus lasts from 3 to 5 months, the duration depends on the climate. Amaranth is sown in spring in warm soil. The temperature should not be lower than 8° C. The seed ripening period is from August to September. During this period, the stems and leaves turn creamy. When the stem is shaken, mature seeds easily fall off. The fruits resemble a round-shaped box. Up to 500 thousand small, dark brown seeds are formed on one plant per season.

Amaranth growing from seeds

Since amaranth is a native of warm countries, in the short summer conditions of central Russia and Siberia, the plant requires a seedling planting method for its full life cycle from sowing to harvest. The best time for sowing is February - early March.

Containers for germinating seeds (regular seedling pots, containers, boxes) must have a drainage hole. Soil – universal from any manufacturer or your own based on humus and sand in a 3:1 ratio.

The seeds are buried 1.5-2 centimeters into moist soil, after which the container is covered with film, creating greenhouse conditions, and placed in a warm (22°C) and bright place. Overmoistening the substrate is unacceptable: seedlings can rot from excess moisture. Therefore, it is preferable not to water, but to spray the soil from a sprayer.

Sprouts will appear within a week. If the temperature is below 20 °C, germination will take longer.

It is important to remember that the soil for sowing any seeds for seedlings or for picking must be treated against pests and diseases. The simplest treatment methods are steaming the soil, calcining in the oven, pouring a solution of potassium permanganate, treating with copper sulfate or systemic fungicides.

The top of the transplanted sprouts is pinched so that the plant puts all its energy into rooting. Caring for amaranth seedlings is simple: warmth, light, careful watering. This is all that is required for any crop at this stage. To ensure a sufficient level of light, fluorescent, energy-saving, LED daylight sources or special spectrum phytolamps are used.

The time for replanting is closer to the end of May, when the possibility of night frosts is reduced to zero, because the heat-loving representative of the amaranths is afraid of even a short-term drop in temperature to zero or below.

The soil for planting is prepared in the fall by carefully digging the soil and freeing it of weeds. In the spring, dig up the soil, adding potassium-phosphorus fertilizers and humus.

To decorate a plot, amaranth is planted in rows in the background of a flower garden or as a bright accent in the center of a circular flower bed. When planting in rows, the distance between individual specimens should be 30-40 cm, and between rows - about 50 cm. If the purpose of planting is fresh greens for salad, then planting every 15 cm between plants and rows is possible.

Amaranth is propagated by seeds, which must be germinated in advance. As soon as they hatch, they are sown in open ground after spring frosts (the soil should be warmed to 15 ° C). The sowing area is cleared of weeds in advance, fertilizers are added (compost, rotted chicken droppings, ash, manure), mixed and furrows up to one centimeter deep are prepared.

When growing seedlings at home, the seeds are sown in bulk in boxes filled with nutrient soil, then lightly sprinkled and covered with cellophane. The box needs to be kept in a warm, bright place - so, after 12 days the first shoots appear. To prevent seedlings from interfering with each other’s growth, it is advisable to thin them out and, after the appearance of a leaf, to pluck them.

Planting of amaranth seedlings begins around the beginning of June. They should be planted in rows of open ground, the distance between which should be within 30 centimeters (between plants 10-15 centimeters).

Seeds for a future harvest can be obtained without cutting the stems of several plants until September. Thus, the panicles become orange, the leaves dry out and fall off, and the stem becomes lighter.

To obtain seeds, amaranth is cut off at the base and the panicles are left to dry for 2 months in a room with good ventilation, away from moisture. The removed seeds must be dried again (to do this, they are laid out in a thin layer and left for two weeks).

Have a good harvest and stay healthy! After all, amaranth is incredibly beneficial for our health: once its seeds replaced bread for us, but now adherents of a healthy diet prefer to prepare porridge from amaranth flour, and the leaves of this wonderful plant serve as an excellent basis for preparing salads, snacks and side dishes!

In the northern regions, gardeners grow ashiritsa in seedlings, since in the harsh climate the crop does not have time to grow before the onset of cold weather. In the southern regions, the plant is sown directly into the soil in the spring. In warm weather and sufficient soil heating, amaranth grows quite quickly.

Soil preparation

Podzolic, sandy loam, turfy, and fine loamy soils are suitable for the growth of fodder and food species of amaranth. In soil with an acidic environment, the plant will develop slowly. Both poor and rocky soils are suitable for decorative varieties.

Soil preparation is carried out in the fall after harvesting. It is necessary to add rotted manure, peat or compost to the soil, and in the spring - superphosphate, potash fertilizers and ash.

To grow seedlings in pots, take universal soil from a flower shop, dilute it with clean river sand and humus in a ratio of 3:2:1. The result should be nutritious, loose and breathable soil with a neutral reaction. In the case of using soil from a summer cottage to destroy pathogenic flora, the substrate must be calcined in the oven at high temperature.

To collect acorn seeds, you need to wait until the plant sheds its lower leaves and the shoot begins to turn white. After this, cut off the inflorescences and place them in a dry place with fresh air. After 10-15 days, you just need to rub the flowers and the seeds will fall out of them. Amaranth seeds have high germination capacity and do not lose it for up to 5 years.

This plant cannot withstand our winters, even if the temperature does not drop too low, so in the fall the acorn is destroyed. The stems of the plant can be used for feed purposes - pigs, rabbits, and chickens feed on them.

Such varieties are used for food and feed purposes. Plants with red leaves are ornamental varieties grown for their beautiful flowers. They have black seeds, also very small. Before planting amaranth seeds, it is recommended for convenience to mix the grains with sawdust or sand in a ratio of 1:20.

When the panicles turn brown and dry well after about a month or two, you need to remove the seeds. They need to be dried only in a dark place.

You can simply clean them in the wind or on a very fine sieve. When stored in a dry place, amaranth seeds retain the ability to germinate for five years.

At the first stage it is important to remove weeds
. Subsequently, amaranth begins to grow very quickly (up to 7 cm per day). If there are too many bushes, the extra ones are eaten.

Amaranth tricolor
is not afraid of crowded conditions in the garden - only its stems become thinner and more tender.

Sowing amaranth

Amaranth seedlings

The conditions for growing amaranth in seedlings will not complicate you. Amaranth seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of March. Plastic containers or ordinary pots up to 10 cm high are suitable as containers for seedlings. Seeds are embedded in moist soil to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, then the pots are placed in a warm, bright place. Watering of crops is carried out with a sprayer; the optimal temperature for germination is about 22 ºC.

Usually, at the end of August, beginning of September, amaranth panicles change color and turn orange. The stems of the plant also change color, they become light. It is by these signs that they know that the seeds are already ripe; if you shake the panicle, seeds begin to fall from it.

To harvest seeds, plants must be cut. Place the picked panicles in the shade in a draft. Dry for a week, then thresh, after threshing, scatter the seeds in a thin layer to dry and dry for at least two weeks. Seed germination lasts for 4-5 years.

Diseases and pests

Not picky about living conditions and resistant to various diseases, amaranth can be attacked by aphids in rainy weather. But aphids are dangerous to amaranth plants only in the first stages of development, destroying tender greenery. Weevil larvae, developing in the stems, interfere with the normal growth and development of even an adult plant. Actellik and Fufanon are successfully used to combat these pests.

Excess moisture, its stagnation in the soil, and dampness cause fungal diseases, which are treated with fungicides. But in order to prevent such problems, it is necessary to take into account the consequences of waterlogging, choosing the right place for planting amaranth and ensuring good drainage.

Humanity dreams of elixirs of youth, searches for the gene of old age, and invents life pills. And the means for healthy longevity may have long been found, discovered by ancient civilizations. And its name is amaranth.

When there is excess moisture in the soil, the plant begins to rot. This is caused by the development of fungi, which can be eliminated using Bordeaux mixture.

There are pests that interfere with the normal growth of amaranth. Basically, plantings suffer from weevils and aphids, penetrating into the stems of the plant, the weevil larvae damage the plants and inhibit its growth.

Large colonies of aphids can also suppress the plant. It is recommended to treat plants infected with pests with preparations. Popular treatments for aphids and weevils:

karbofos solution;
actellik.

If the summer is rainy and the air is humid, then favorable conditions are created for the proliferation of fungus and the occurrence of fungal diseases. For medicinal purposes, plantings must be treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur or copper sulfate.

Useful and healing properties

Amaranth is an underrated plant. All its parts are edible, and the seeds are especially useful. This plant contains fatty acids, vitamins and other substances needed by the human body.

The foliage of ashiritsa contains lysine, which is much easier to digest than similar ones from other crops. It can also be used as a tea to combat obesity, nervous disorders, and arterial vascular diseases.

Oil is produced from amaranth, which is widely used in cosmetics, helps disinfect the skin and rejuvenates it. The sprouted seeds of the plant are used in medicine and cooking.

In addition to its use in landscape design, amaranth is widely used in other areas of life.

The nutritional value

It is widely used as a food plant, as it is well absorbed by the body of animals and humans. Contains beneficial amino acids and protein.

The plant can rightly be called the “king of vegetables” due to the abundance of nutrients. Amaranth contains a lot of protein, which is quickly and easily absorbed by the body, vitamins C, P, and carotene. It is especially useful for older people to consume young leaves of the plant.

The taste qualities were appreciated by culinary specialists. You can prepare a variety of dishes from the tender soft leaves of the young plant: snacks, salads, seasonings for soups, borscht, side dishes, and added to herbal teas.

It tastes a little like spinach. It is added when pickling cucumbers to preserve their freshness and elasticity; amaranth stems are also pickled.

It is used as an effective medicinal plant, from which mixtures, ointments, oils, and tinctures are made for the treatment of enuresis, inflammatory processes, for rejuvenating the body, neuroses, and diabetes.

Amaranth oil is effective in treating burns, can inhibit the development of malignant tumors, and remove heavy metals from the body.

By regularly eating amaranth, you can rejuvenate the body, fight obesity, impotence, and restore vitality.

The plant is used in medicine as a hemostatic agent, in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, inflammation of the urinary system.

Amaranth tea is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and to strengthen the immune system.

Animal food

It is used as feed for animals, as it has nutritional benefits that are much more valuable than those of buckwheat.

Amaranth is enjoyed by poultry - chickens, turkeys, rabbits, pigs, cows, goats. This is a nourishing, healthy meal for them.

The plant is used for flower beds, in ground plantings, for cutting (making winter bouquets from dried amaranth).

The crop has no equal in terms of productivity: about 1,600 centners of green mass can be obtained from 1 hectare on average.

Amaranth tricolor
is a bright and unusual plant that is loved by many gardeners. Its yellow-red “fireworks” amaze the imagination and attract the eye. And caring for this spectacular plant is surprisingly simple and not burdensome.

Amaranth, regardless of the type, is endowed with beneficial properties. For treatment, amaranth caudate is usually used. All parts of the plant are medicinal raw materials. The leaves are collected before the amaranth blooms. In summer, when the plant is in bloom, the panicles are cut off. At the end of August or beginning of September, seeds are collected, and then the roots are dug up.

The seeds are rich in vitamins and microelements necessary for humans. The phytosterols, squalene and polyunsaturated fatty acids it contains give the product particular value. Oil obtained from seeds is used to treat and prevent many diseases:

atherosclerosis;
heart disease;
hypertension;
cervical erosion;
ovarian cyst;
fibroids;
cataract.

Amaranth is considered an effective immunostimulant due to its high content of squalene. Preparations containing squalene are used in the treatment of:

burns;
stomach ulcers;
tumors;
dental diseases (periodontitis).

Amaranth leaves are valued for their content of carotenoids, zooxanthin, rutin and calcium. You can make salads from amaranth leaves picked before flowering; they are especially useful for patients diagnosed with diabetes, people suffering from excess weight and constipation. The leaves can be dried and used as a seasoning in winter.

Amaranth after flowering

Amaranth in winter

Species composition

Types of decorative amaranth:

Caudate.
The stems of caudate amaranth are erect, reaching a height of up to 150 cm. The leaves are large, green in color, slightly elongated. The panicle-shaped inflorescences hang down and have small flowers: yellow or red. The size of the inflorescences is up to 80 cm. They are grown using seedlings. It looks beautiful in the garden and retains its beauty for a long time when dried.
Dark
- practically does not branch, the stem is fleshy - up to 150 cm. It has lush purple inflorescences, spike-shaped. The leaves are green, pointed, slightly elongated.
Paniculate
– has an attractive shape. Small flowers of inflorescences: red, burgundy, purple - drooping or erect. The stem height is 150 cm, the leaves have an elongated top.
Tricolor
amaranth is a unique, inimitable bush of rare beauty. The stems are erect, the plant shape is pyramidal. As a rule, 3 colors or more.

The photo shows a tricolor amaranth

megan92 2 weeks ago

Tell me, how does anyone deal with joint pain? My knees hurt terribly ((I take painkillers, but I understand that I’m fighting the effect, not the cause... They don’t help at all!

Daria 2 weeks ago

I struggled with my painful joints for several years until I read this article by some Chinese doctor. And I forgot about “incurable” joints a long time ago. That's how things are

megan92 13 days ago

Daria 12 days ago

megan92, that’s what I wrote in my first comment) Well, I’ll duplicate it, it’s not difficult for me, catch it - link to professor's article.

Sonya 10 days ago

Isn't this a scam? Why do they sell on the Internet?

Yulek26 10 days ago

Sonya, what country do you live in?.. They sell it on the Internet because stores and pharmacies charge a brutal markup. In addition, payment is only after receipt, that is, they first looked, checked and only then paid. And now everything is sold on the Internet - from clothes to TVs, furniture and cars

Editor's response 10 days ago

Sonya, hello. This drug for the treatment of joints is indeed not sold through the pharmacy chain in order to avoid inflated prices. Currently you can only order from Official website. Be healthy!

Sonya 10 days ago

I apologize, I didn’t notice the information about cash on delivery at first. Then, it's OK! Everything is fine - for sure, if payment is made upon receipt. Thanks a lot!!))

Margo 8 days ago

Has anyone tried traditional methods of treating joints? Grandma doesn’t trust pills, the poor thing has been suffering from pain for many years...

How to plant amaranth seeds in open ground. Technology for growing amaranth from seeds, when to plant seedlings video. Amaranth beneficial properties and uses

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Planting and caring for amaranth

Amaranth plant - description

Growing amaranth from seeds

Sowing amaranth

Amaranth seedlings

Planting amaranth

When to plant amaranth

How to plant amaranth

Amaranth care

How to grow amaranth

Pests and diseases of amaranth

Amaranth after flowering

How and when to collect amaranth seeds

Amaranth in winter

Types and varieties of amaranth

Paniculate or purple amaranth (Amaranthus paniculatus = Amaranthus cruentus)

Dark or sad amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)

Tricolor amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor)

Amaranthus caudatus

Amaranth - harm and benefit

Growing amaranth from seeds

Soil preparation

Planting amaranth

Boarding time

Sowing seeds in a summer cottage

Growing seedlings in pots

Technology of planting seedlings in the ground

Plant care

Diseases and pests

Harvesting amaranth

How to collect seeds

Wintering amaranth

Technology for growing vegetable amaranth

General rules for growing amaranth

What do the seeds look like?

Technology for growing amaranth from seeds

Growing amaranth seedlings

Planting amaranth and care in open ground

The process of growing amaranth - video

Soil preparation

Seedling care

Sowing amaranth

Types and varieties of amaranth

Amaranth Tricolor

Fodder amaranths:

Plant care

Boarding time

How to plant amaranth

Plant care

Seed collection

Amaranth growing from seeds

Soil preparation

Sowing amaranth

Amaranth seedlings

Diseases and pests

Useful and healing properties

The nutritional value

Animal food

Amaranth after flowering

Amaranth in winter

Species composition