Amaranth flowers: growing technology from seeds

HomeDirectory of a summer residentAmaranth flowers: growing technology from seeds

The herbaceous annual plant amaranth is very popular among gardeners and flower growers. According to various sources, there are from 60 to 90 species of representatives of the Amaranth family. The view of this is very remarkable, so it is simply impossible not to notice it in a flower bed. Its dense reddish paniculate inflorescences with small flowers look bright and go well with other inhabitants of the flower beds. Under natural conditions, the plant grows in the tropics and subtropics of America, Asia and Africa. Its inflorescences fade in turn, the old ones are replaced by new ones. How to grow amaranth for seedlings or seeds?

How to grow amaranth from seeds in a summer cottage

Growing amaranth from seed is not difficult despite their extremely small seed size.

To make it more convenient to work with small seeds, they are pre-mixed with dry sand.

The technology of growing amaranth involves sowing it for seedlings in boxes or pots and direct sowing into the ground. When choosing a place for planting seedlings or sowing seeds directly into the ground , it is necessary to take into account the fact that the plant loves heat and light. It can live in partial shade, but the place must be protected from the winds.

There are no special requirements for soil when growing amaranth from seeds, photos of which can be seen below.

Light soil with a high lime content is preferred. The plant does not tolerate high acidity of the soil and excessive watering . It blooms almost all summer, retains its attractiveness in the flower bed until the very first frost.

You can find out how to grow amaranth from seeds in the store where you purchased them or look for information in books or the Internet. If you want the plant to bloom as early as possible, you need to sow seeds for growing seedlings as early as mid-March.

Agrotechnics for growing amaranth involves not too deep planting of seeds. They need to be placed in the soil at a shallow depth of up to 0.5 cm, otherwise it will be difficult for the plant to break through to light and air. Before sowing, the soil must be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and loosened well.

Amaranth seedlings need comfortable growing conditions, which include sufficient lighting, an air temperature of 20-22ºС and moderate moisture.

On cloudy days, sprouts require artificial lighting.

The first shoots of the amaranth plant, which is grown at home on the windowsill, appear 7-10 days after sowing.

The weakest plants are removed, i.e. the rows are thinned out in order to provide more space for growth of strong sprouts.

After the appearance of 3 true leaves, they dive into separate pots. It is most convenient to use peat pots for this purpose. If there is a greenhouse, then you can pick them right under the film.

Strengthened and hardened plants are planted in the ground in May, when there is no longer a threat of night and morning frosts.

A photo of growing amaranth tailed amaranth and other plant species from seeds can be seen below:

Growing tricolor and tailed amaranth from seeds (with photo)

If the cultivation of tricolor amaranth for seedlings at home is not possible due to the lack of free space on the windowsill or windows with good natural light, then you can sow the seeds in a greenhouse or immediately in open ground.

It is necessary to sow tailed amaranth for growing in a greenhouse a little later than in boxes for seedlings. The most suitable time is mid-April. With a sufficiently warm microclimate in the greenhouse, the first shoots appear already on the 5-6th day. They also need to be thinned out, allowing stronger plants to develop.

If there is neither a window sill nor a greenhouse, then tricolor amaranth can be grown from seeds directly in the open field. In this case, sowing should be carried out only in May, provided that the soil warms up to at least 14 degrees. Seedlings in open ground can be expected no earlier than 12-14 days later.

A photo of growing amaranth tricolor from seeds can be seen below:

How to grow annual amaranth in the country

Many amateur flower growers are interested in how to grow one-year-old amaranth in the country, because not everyone can stay there all the time. In order for the cultivation of an amaranth flower to go smoothly and does not require any special efforts and does not cause difficulties, experts recommend following the following rules when planting:

  • sow in moist soil, shallow;
  • carefully level the surface of the soil before sowing;
  • the soil temperature should be +14 and higher, otherwise they simply will not germinate;
  • it is best to spray the seedlings with water, and not to water with a trickle.

To facilitate your work and simplify the planting of seedlings in open ground, it is recommended to dive plants after the appearance of the third leaf immediately into peat cups. This will help plants quickly and painlessly adapt to new conditions.

Growing and caring for amaranth in most cases does not cause any trouble for flower growers. The main care of the plant is the regular elimination of weeds, careful loosening of the soil and moderate watering.

Plants are able to tolerate not too long drought and love direct sunlight, however, in extreme heat, inflorescences can lose their decorative qualities.

Feeding is recommended two weeks after planting. It can be mullein solution or complex fertilizer . You can feed every 3 weeks with fertilizer for flowering plants.

Growing amaranth for grain, animal feed and ikebana

This culture is very widely used in floriculture and horticulture. Low varieties of plants look great in discounts and near borders, in flower beds and in mixborders.

High varieties of amaranth can be grown in a summer cottage as a hedge.

Single plants look great in the center of flower beds, as well as against the background of lawns and shrubs . You can also grow amaranth for grain or animal feed.

The inflorescences of the plant are an excellent material for creating flower arrangements, both live and dry.

The stems are cut at the right height along with the inflorescences and hung up to dry with flowers down in a dark, dry place. Compositions of fresh and dried flowers using the inflorescences of this culture should be placed away from windows, as the color of the inflorescences fades.

This flower is also used for medicinal, dietary and food purposes. In most countries, this crop is valued for its high protein and amino acid content in seeds and leaves. Oil from the seeds of this crop can replace sunflower oil and even surpasses it in some respects.

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