How to Plant Amaranth
Amaranth is a warm season crop that grows 5 to 7 feet tall producing thick stems resembling sunflowers. This broadleaf plant creates purple, red, pink, orange and green flowers. The tiny seeds are white to cream colored. Amaranth is an ancient crop used by the Native Americans. This leafy grain plant is used as a source of protein. The amaranth grain is ground into flour for breads, noodles, pancakes, cereals, granola and cookies. The seeds are also popped like popcorn for snacks. Amaranth is commonly seeded at the rate of 2 pounds per acre, which produces an abundance of seedlings. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Place a thermometer in the ground to check the soil temperature in late May or early June. The temperature needs to read 65 degrees Fahrenheit before planting.
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Remove the weeds, debris, brush and grass from your planting area. Amaranth competes with all other plants and grows smaller when crowded.
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Plow the area with a rototiller as deep as the blades allow. Work the soil when it is dry enough not to stick to your garden tools. Keep working the soil until you have a fine-textured soil.
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Create rows that are 1/2 inch deep with the edge of your garden hoe and 30 inches apart. Spread the amaranth seeds in the rows at 5 to 6 inches apart. Overseeding is okay, just thin the seedlings out when they reach 6 inches tall.
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Cover the seeds loosely with soil. Do not firm down over the seeds, since the tiny seeds are easily blocked by any type of soil crust. Direct contact with the soil is needed for seed germination in amaranth.
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Sprinkle the area with water until the soil is damp. Do not water until puddles form, because this could wash the seeds away.
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Tips & Warnings
Amaranth is drought tolerant. This grain likes strong sunlight and warm temperatures. Amaranth grows throughout the Midwest and Western United States.
Amaranth grows very slowly until it reaches 1 foot tall and then it grows quickly. Harvesting amaranth takes place after the first hard frost dries out the plants.
