Amaranth growing technology, how to plant amaranth, sowing and care

Amaranth has long served as food for the Aztecs and Incas of Central America and Mexico; it was grown in huge quantities.

During excavations in Central Mexico, amaranth seeds were discovered in a cultural layer 4800 years old. But the Spanish colonialists banned its cultivation. The ban was due to the fact that local residents used amaranth flour, as well as corn grains, honey and agave juice to make figures of military gods for the main Aztec festival .

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The Spaniards believed that these ritual ceremonies were directed against Christianity. As a result, the culture almost disappeared. It was grown in small quantities for grain in villages in Guatemala and Peru. But after several hundred years of oblivion, amaranth again aroused keen interest. It is not for nothing that this word in Greek means “eternal”, “unfading” . Currently, amaranth is widespread in China, India, the countries of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Half of the vegetable protein consumed by the population of these countries comes from amaranth protein. Currently, several types of amaranth are grown, which, depending on their purpose, are divided into vegetable, grain and fodder .

Vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is a powerful annual plant, 1.5-3 m high. The root is taproot, going 90 cm deep. The stem is erect, up to 5 cm thick, highly branched, well leafy. The leaves are alternate, with long petioles, ovate, entire, pointed at the end.

Some varieties of amaranth have red-violet leaves. The inflorescence is a large branched panicle. The seeds are very small, shiny, covered with a hard shell, colored black, light orange, white, or reddish.

Vegetable amaranth: beneficial properties, cultivation, varieties, agricultural technology, recipes

Amaranth has long served as food for the Aztecs and Incas of Central America and Mexico; it was grown in huge quantities.

During excavations in Central Mexico, amaranth seeds were discovered in a cultural layer 4800 years old. But the Spanish colonialists banned its cultivation. The ban was due to the fact that local residents used amaranth flour, as well as corn grains, honey and agave juice to make figures of military gods at the main Aztec festival.

The Spaniards believed that these ritual ceremonies were directed against Christianity. As a result, the culture almost disappeared. It was grown in small quantities for grain in villages in Guatemala and Peru. But after several hundred years of oblivion, amaranth again aroused keen interest. It is not for nothing that this word in Greek means “eternal”, “unfading”. Currently, amaranth is widespread in China, India, the countries of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is a powerful annual plant, 1.5-3 m high. The root is taproot, going 90 cm deep. The stem is erect, up to 5 cm thick, highly branched, well leafy. The leaves are alternate, with long petioles, ovate, entire, pointed at the end.

Description of the plant

Amaranth (Amaranthus) or amaranth is a genus of plants belonging to the Amaranth family. The genus includes about 100 species distributed throughout the world. The plants are most often found in tropical and subtropical Asia and America. Amaranth is used in cooking; some species have edible seeds (A. caudatus, A. hybridus), others have young shoots (A. tricolor).

Botanical description:

Annual plant up to 3 m tall.
Stems are usually erect, branched or single, often reddish or burgundy-red.
The leaves are arranged alternately, diamond-shaped with a pointed end.
The flowers are small, wind-pollinated, collected in dense, raised or hanging, spherical or elongated inflorescences - spikes. Sepals, transparent, papery, without crown petals. Stamens 1-5, ovary single-chambered.
The fruit is a spherical, multichannel capsule containing many seeds.

The name amaranthus comes from the Greek word amárant and means “flower that never fades.” It was called “Inca gold” and was an important element of the menu of the indigenous people of South America. Amaranth seeds were used to make beer, seed flour for baking, and fresh leaves for salads.

Botanically, amaranth belongs to the same family as beets, spinach, quinoa and celosia. The seeds of this plant are used similarly to the seeds of cereals, but together with buckwheat and quinoa they are included in the composition of pseudocereals, since they are not herbs. The seeds of the following species are edible: Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus spinosus, Amaranthus viridis and Amaranthus tricolor.

In the garden, amaranth is a very decorative and unpretentious plant. Depending on the type and variety, plants can reach a height of 2-3 m; they have a raised stem covered with ovate leaves at the bottom and lanceolate at the top. Some subspecies and varieties grow vertically upward, others are more of a ground cover nature.

At the tops of the shoots, small, inconspicuous flowers are formed, collected in dense spike-shaped inflorescences. Depending on growing conditions and climate, plant height can reach from 30 cm to several meters. The roots are powerful, penetrate deeply into the soil, are highly branched, and have a reddish color.

Amaranth

Amaranth, or amaranth, is considered one of the most ancient plants cultivated by humans. Its name comes from the Latin word Amaranthus, which means “unfading.” It owes its name to its long flowering cycle, which lasts more than two months. There are annual and perennial species of amaranth. The bushes reach a height of two meters. Its small flowers are red and collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. The leaves are large, oval or elongated, arranged in several rows. The fruits of the flower are presented in a round capsule, each of which contains up to 2000 thousand dark brown seeds.

In Russia, the culture grows in the Caucasus, as well as in some areas of the middle zone. At the moment, 15 species of this plant can be found in the country. Some of them are considered weeds, while others, on the contrary, occupy a place of honor in country gardens. Amaranth was first brought to Russia at the end of the 15th century and was immediately included in the list of harmful weeds. The first plants that could be cultivated appeared a little later. It is worth noting that amaranth is an unpretentious plant. It grows equally well in drought conditions and is not susceptible to frost. If all the necessary conditions are provided, then up to 10 harvests can be harvested per year.

Amaranth, like any grain crop, is harvested at the end of summer. Of course, this applies only to the most common plant varieties. There are also species that need to be collected in winter. The processing of collected raw materials is no different from wheat or barley. At home, the seeds must be manually removed from the boxes. On an industrial scale, harvesting is carried out using a combine.

Flowers and stems are frozen, dried or fermented like regular cabbage. Raw materials are collected only after the end of the flowering cycle, otherwise it will not be mature enough. Frozen parts of the plant are stored for more than a year and do not lose their beneficial properties.

Care

At first, amaranth grows slowly, but as nutrients accumulate, the plant’s development accelerates. It is easier to care for a flower than for other inhabitants of the garden.

Watering

The flower tolerates dry weather well, but still do not forget to water it on particularly hot days. It is better to do this in the evening hours. After the amaranth has grown enough greenery, watering can practically be stopped.

Top dressing

During the season, 3-4 feedings are carried out with special complex fertilizers or a mixture of mullein and ash. When consuming flower leaves as food, do not overuse nitrogen fertilizers.

Weeding and weed removal

Amaranth is a green manure, so weeds practically do not grow around the flower. Occasionally appearing weeds can be pulled out and the bed can be weeded at the same time. Frequent weeding is done during the period of active growth. It will be helpful to mulch the soil around the stem to retain heat and moisture.

Pinching

You can increase the yield of this unique crop by pinching the top. This procedure will stimulate the growth of side shoots and ensure a good harvest.

Recently, amaranth has become very popular all over the world due to its large number of useful properties, versatility in use and unpretentiousness. You can even grow it at home without devoting a lot of effort and time to it. Thanks to its easy care and endurance, the crop will supply gardeners with useful substances for a long time.

Growing from seeds in open ground by direct sowing

To grow cat's tail without seedlings, you will have to wait for consistently warm weather, when the ground warms up to at least +10C at least to a depth of 4-5 cm. The street temperature can serve as a guide - it should not fall below this mark for several days, incl. and at night.

Soil requirements, preparation and fertilizing

The plant is not too demanding on the composition of the soil, but it will grow better on podzolic, sandy loam, turfy and fine loamy soils. Increased acidity will slow down development.

It’s good if it is possible to prepare the bed in the fall by adding compost or rotted manure. Spring preparation includes the application of superphosphate, wood ash and potash fertilizers. But you shouldn’t get carried away with nitrogen, this can lead to an increased content of nitrates in the above-ground part of the plant. They can be used at the stage when the shoots have reached a third of their growth, reducing the concentration by half from that recommended on the package. Complex fertilizing is applied at the rate of 30g per 1m2.

The best predecessors of amaranth are potatoes, corn or cereals, especially barley and wheat.

Landing

Amaranth is an amazing plant that can grow in a variety of soil types, including rocky and sandy soils. When planting a plant, it needs to be provided with living conditions such as plenty of sunlight, warmth and humidity.

The green part of vegetable amaranth ripens in 60-70 days, and the seeds in 110-120 days.

Growing through seedlings

The best time for sowing amaranth seeds for seedlings is considered to be the beginning of April. You can use a commercial mixture for green plants as soil.

The algorithm for growing seedlings is as follows:

First, the seeds are scattered over the surface of moist soil and covered with a thin layer of the same moist soil;
Then the box with seeds is covered with film and put away in a warm, dark place. The soil must be watered regularly;
The first shoots should appear in 7-10 days, after which the plants can be moved to a lighted place;

Amaranth seedlings

As soon as 1-2 true leaves appear on the seedlings, they can be planted in separate containers and grown in them until the beginning of June;
Amaranth is transferred to open ground when the threat of return frosts has passed and the soil has warmed up sufficiently.

Sowing seeds directly into open ground

If you plant vegetable amaranth directly in open ground, you must wait until the soil warms up to 6-8 degrees. The seeds are deepened into moist soil to a depth of 1.5-2 centimeters; the distance between plants will depend on the purpose of their cultivation:

to obtain young greenery, leave a distance of 15-20 centimeters between individual plants and rows;
if the purpose of cultivation is panicles and seeds, then such distances increase to 50-70 centimeters.

Amaranth seeds should be sown at the rate of 15 grams per 100 square meters

If there are favorable weather conditions and other factors, the first shoots should appear in about a week.

How and when to plant amaranth seedlings

Since small seeds were planted quite close to each other in a common bowl, it is very important to pick in a timely manner. Otherwise, the roots of the seedlings will begin to intertwine, and the plants themselves will stretch, competing for sunlight

The most suitable time for picking amaranth seedlings is when the seedlings grow one true leaf. New containers for seating should be exclusively individual. Peat or plastic cups, pots, and cassettes are suitable. The soil can be used the same as was used previously.

You can pick amaranth seedlings using the following algorithm:

The plants need to be watered within a few hours.
New containers are filled with soil, a volumetric hole is made in the center
hole.
You need to carefully pick up the seedlings one at a time, without damaging the roots and preserving the soil around them.
Plants are transferred one by one to the hole in a new container. The roots should be positioned evenly, without bending.
The holes are filled with earth, watered abundantly with clean water, and the earth, after absorbing the water, is slightly compacted with a finger.

Amaranth seedlings are planted in open ground at the moment when a consistently warm, positive temperature has established and the ground has warmed up.

It is important that there is no risk of recurrent night frosts. Approximate transplant dates: second half of May (in the Moscow region - in the middle or end of May, in Siberia and the Urals - in early June, in the south - at the end of April)

Planting is done using the transplantation method, that is, the earthen ball with the root system is kept intact and simply transferred to the hole. The distance between plants is about 20-30 centimeters.

Fodder crop

The high yield of amaranth crops - 5 tons per hectare of useful grain and 200 tons per hectare of biomass - makes this crop an excellent feed source for livestock. From June to October, animals can be fed with green biomass, and the rest of the time - with silage, dry panicles, and granules.

Recent studies have shown that amaranth silage has 1.7 times more protein than corn silage. And when using mixed crops of these crops, the protein level per one feed unit is up to 100 g, which corresponds to zootechnical standards. The use of amaranth silage showed an increase in the average daily weight gain of young cattle by 16%.

In addition, as a forage crop, agarica is of interest due to its low water consumption to create a unit of biomass - 3 times less than alfalfa and beans. Compared to corn, amaranth ensiling requires 2 times less labor.

All these indicators indicate that amaranth is an effective solution to the feed problem and helps to increase livestock production.

Medicinal properties, harm and use of culture

The herb, rich in microelements and vitamins, helps with:

cancerous tumors;
skin inflammation;
obesity;
anemia;
cystitis;
gastritis;
chronic fatigue syndrome;
hemorrhoids;
diabetes;
stomatitis;
atherosclerosis;
gynecological diseases.

Contraindications when using amaranth:

allergies and predisposition to Quincke's edema;
pancreatitis with frequent relapses;
severe course of cholelithiasis.

The plant is used in landscape design to create flower beds and mixborders. It combines harmoniously with all colors, but looks most impressive against the backdrop of delicate daisies, luxurious ageratum and nirembergia.

The dried leaves of the plant are steamed to make a tasty and healthy tea. Upturned amaranth is used as silage and feed for domestic animals (especially pigs and poultry). Boiled leaves of the plant are suitable for human consumption.

Usage

Amaranths are readily grown in gardens and country houses, appreciating their decorative qualities. Their seeds are edible and used for food. These plants have extremely beneficial effects not only on humans, but also on the environment. Amaranth absorbs 2 times more carbon dioxide than other plants. Therefore, it can be used to combat the greenhouse effect.

In landscape design

Amaranths are one of the favorite and reliable decorative species. They are one of those annuals that can dwarf many perennials in size, color and use. These are not particularly exclusive species, but they are quite reliable. Their single flowers are microscopic; they show all their beauty in powerful paniculate inflorescences. And some species will also decorate the garden with beautiful, colorful leaves.

Amaranths grown in the garden are excellent plants for edging, suitable as a colorful addition to edgings. Low varieties are suitable for growing in pots on balconies, for fantastically colorful arrangements instead of coleus.

They are also well represented in compositions with species associated with rural gardens:

immortelle bract;
forget-me-not;
nasturtium;
delphinium.

The amaranth flower is well suited for cut flowers used for fresh and dried bouquets.

For bouquets

Amaranths for fresh bouquets are cut when half of the flowers are developed. Plants are uprooted and placed in water for several hours. Then the roots are removed. Prepared in this way, they remain fresh for 5-7 days.

Plants for dry bouquets are picked after setting the seeds. Before drying, it is necessary to remove the leaves from the flower stalks. Plants are dried tied in bunches, inflorescences down.

Properties of amaranth

Amaranth greens and grains have very high medicinal, dietary and nutritional value.

In many countries, amaranth is valued due to its exceptionally high protein content of the highest quality, including almost all essential amino acids.

Amaranth protein contains the same amount of protein as soybean grain, which contains the most important amino acid for humans - lysine. Moreover, amaranth protein is absorbed by the human body better than soy, corn or wheat protein.

Amaranth seeds contain up to 20% protein, and there is a lot of it in green mass.

In terms of protein content, amaranth has the greatest agreement with the theoretically calculated ideal protein, and in terms of the balance of amino acid composition (essential and non-essential amino acids) it is equal to human milk protein. For comparison, let's look at the evaluation coefficient for the ideal protein:

amaranth – 75,
cow's milk – 72,
soybean – 68,
barley – 62,
wheat – 60,
corn – 44,
peanuts – 32.

Moreover, 100 g of amaranth protein contains 6.2 g of lysine - an essential amino acid that other plants do not have in such quantity. If there is a lack of lysine, food is simply not digested and the protein passes through the body in transit.

In addition to the high protein content, amaranth leaves are the richest source of vitamin C (up to 110 mg per 100 g of leaves), vitamin P (up to 20 mg%), carotene (up to 10 mg%), etc. They contain significant quantities of biogenic forms of silicon, which plays an important role in metabolism and is especially necessary for elderly people.

Nowadays, varieties of vegetable amaranth are becoming more widespread, the leaves of which are especially tasty and healthy.

In terms of the nutrient content in the leaves, the vegetable forms of amaranth are similar to the “king of vegetables” spinach, but significantly exceed it in protein content. The Japanese compare amaranth greens to squid meat.

The unique chemical composition of amaranth determines the limitlessness of its use as a remedy.

Preparing for sowing amaranth at home

Before planting amaranth seedlings, you need to prepare everything you need: seeds, planting container, substrate. At first glance, it seems that the task could not be simpler. This is partly true, but you should know certain points that will help you do everything as correctly as possible:

When choosing seeds, the recommendations are very standard: it is best to buy seed produced by a reliable manufacturer with a good reputation and reviews

When purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date; it is better to avoid products with an expired expiration date. It is also recommended to pay attention to the characteristics of the future plant (variety, height, flowering time, etc.), information should be indicated in the package. Amaranth seeds do not require any preparation in the form of soaking, stratification, germination, etc.

Their germination rate is excellent even without this! To sow amaranth for seedlings, you must immediately select a suitable container. I’ll go ahead a little and say that the seeds of the plant are very small and should be scattered with your hands on the surface of the ground. Because of this planting method, it is necessary to choose a wide container that has a small height (i.e., no more than seven to eight centimeters). It doesn’t matter what material it will be made of - wood or plastic. The main thing is that there are drainage holes at the bottom through which excess moisture will flow out after watering. And of course, the process will not start without soil. There should definitely be no difficulties with him in this matter, because the soil needs to be loose, neutral, nutritious, air- and moisture-permeable. That is, a universal soil mixture for flower seedlings is suitable. You can purchase it at any store specializing in goods for the home and garden. But if you like to do everything yourself, then you can prepare the soil with your own hands: mix garden soil (1 part), lowland peat (2 parts), humus (1 part), river sand (1 part). However, it is not enough to simply buy or prepare a soil mixture. An important stage of pre-sowing preparation is the disinfection of the soil. For example, you can keep it in a colander over steam for about 1.5 hours. Or you can bake it in the oven for 30 minutes.

UNIQUE AMARANTH

AMARANTH - PHOTO
Amaranth, or amaranth, grows in the garden as a weed for many gardeners, and they treat it accordingly. Actually, amaranth is an annual plant, but actively reproduces by self-sowing. However, the question is different: is it worth getting rid of it?

After all, the plant is very impressive, so it is quite worthy to show off in flower beds (preferably in the background, since its growth is considerable - up to 1.5 m). Amaranth blooms in summer. Its large, long inflorescences sometimes fall all the way to the ground and remain completely decorative until frost. Tip: if you don’t cut it, it will also become a decoration for the winter garden.

Meanwhile, the main value of the plant is not its beauty, but its unique nutritional properties: its vitamin-rich greens are suitable for salads, and flour and butter are made from the seeds. They are rich in nutrients and can form the basis of a healthy diet. Baking from amaranth flour does not spoil the figure and also helps strengthen the body's defenses.

Amaranth is an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and also contains vitamin C and a large amount of protein. There is so much of it in the seeds of some varieties that the product can compete with chicken meat. In recent years, scientists have been closely studying amaranth and found that when eaten, it reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol and, in addition, does not contain gluten. In 2008, scientists from Mexico also discovered the peptide lunasin, which has anti-cancer properties, in the seeds.

Amaranth oil is obtained by cold pressing, which means that all the beneficial substances are preserved as much as possible. This life-giving substance is of particular value for cosmetology.

The oil helps mature skin maintain youth and effectively fights skin diseases, such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis or poorly healing ulcers. It is recommended to take a few tablespoons of oil inside every day for diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, anemia and decreased immunity. It is also successfully used in radiation therapy. By the way, the oil has a pleasant smell and nutty taste, so it does not cause disgust. However, if you have problems with the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage, you should refrain from taking the oil.

Growing amaranth is simple: in early May, sow it in a sunny place with fertilized soil, and then the plant will take care of itself. Collect seeds in the fall. To do this, carefully cut off the inflorescences on the eve of ripening (this happens unevenly, so some of the seeds may fall off if you delay collection) and dry the extracted “seeds” in a well-ventilated area.

Amaranth oil is used in cooking, cosmetology and as a medicine.

It is consumed internally and used externally.

Amaranth seed flour is high in calories (465 kcal per 100 g), but the basis of the fat, which is only 3.6 g, is healthy fatty acids.

DIY amaranth bread

200 g amaranth flour,

400 g wheat flour, 350 ml water,

15 g yeast, 1 tbsp. spoon of sugar, pinch of salt, 25 g olive oil

Dissolve the yeast with sugar, 1/3 of the wheat flour and half of the water (room temperature). Leave the mixture warm for about 10-15 minutes for the yeast to start working.
Add the remaining wheat flour, amaranth flour and knead the dough, adding the remaining water in small portions (knead for 10-15 minutes).

At the very end add oil and salt. 3. Lightly dust the mixture with flour and leave it alone for about 2 hours until the dough has at least doubled in volume. 4. Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Roll out two loaves of bread and let them rise for another 40 minutes. 5. Preheat the oven to 200° and place the buns in it for about 20-25 minutes.

Growing vegetable amaranth

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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 mowed grass to prevent drying out, and if desired, you can feed it with an infusion of mullein and ash (or liquid grass fertilizer).

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.

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.

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 sheet (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.

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.

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.

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Amaranth care and harvesting

The most important period of a plant's life is its first month. It is necessary to create the best conditions for young amaranth for growth and development. The soil needs to be loosened and the plants rid of weeds. To maintain soil moisture, it is better to mulch the beds. Any organic fertilizing at this stage will not be superfluous.

Already in the second month, all your work will begin to produce results. The strengthened plant will begin to grow, which is called “by leaps and bounds.” Amaranth will grow more than 5 centimeters every day. The most important thing is to carry out timely and regular watering.

When the height of the bushes reaches twenty centimeters, you can cut off the green tops and use them for salads. If you are only interested in seeds, then their ripening will begin in late August - early September. The burgundy panicles can be cut off a little earlier, as the drying seeds will begin to fall to the ground. Seeds can ripen in a dark, dry room.

History of amaranth cultivation

There are few plants with such an ancient and dramatic history of cultivation as amaranth.

8 thousand years ago, the indigenous population of South America began to cultivate caudate amaranth; it was the second most important grain crop (after corn) before the arrival of Europeans. For many centuries and millennia, amaranth products were part of the diet of the Aztecs and Incas. The ancient Aztecs used amaranth to feed newborn children; warriors took its grains with them on difficult campaigns as a source of strength and health. Moreover, the Aztecs and Incas revered amaranth not only as a food crop, but also as a sacred and medicinal crop. Holidays were held in honor of amaranth. There was a cult of amaranth, which even involved making human sacrifices.

The Spanish conquerors decided that by destroying amaranth, an integral attribute of these cruel rituals, they would be able to put an end to the inhumane tradition of sacrificing living people to the gods.

Any use of amaranth, cultivation, or storage of its processed products was strictly prohibited. Thus, the most unique and valuable plant, which today scientists call nothing more than a “product of the 21st century,” was forgotten in its historical homeland for many centuries. Its cultivation continued only in small areas in the most inaccessible areas of Mexico and in the Andes.

In Asia, amaranth is popular among the hill tribes of India, Pakistan, China and Nepal as a grain and vegetable crop.

Amaranth caudate is most widespread in the mountainous regions of India and Nepal, where its grains, soaked in milk, prepared like puffed corn, were the only allowed food on special holidays.

Moreover, the residents of these areas are sure that ramadana amaranth (a grain sent by God) is a purely local plant.

The same Spaniards brought amaranth seeds to Europe, where they first began to grow it as an ornamental plant, and from the 18th century it was already cultivated as a fodder and cereal crop. It became so popular that the Swedish Queen Christina Augusta even founded the Order of the Knights of Amaranth in 1653.

The plant came to Russia two or three centuries later. Now in Russia there are 15 species of amaranth growing, the most common being amaranth, or common amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus), which grows freely in nature and is known as one of the best forage crops, on the one hand, and as a malicious weed, on the other. Other names for this plant are cockscombs, velvet, axamite, cat's tail, beetroot. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, as well as its wide distribution in the wild almost throughout Russia, amaranth quickly gained popularity among livestock breeders. Its seeds contained more protein than rye, wheat, corn and buckwheat. The addition of amaranth to the diets of domestic animals has a stimulating effect on the processes of protein metabolism. Amaranth grain is a valuable feed for poultry.