Please Teach Me How to Grow Amaranth in Western Washington

Hello,


The year has finally come for me to grow amaranth! The only problem is, I've never done it before. I've been wanting to for years though.

When should I sow it? Should I sow it under cover or even indoors? (I loathe starting plants indoors, FYI. I would like to avoid it if I could). I do have cold frames I can put it in while it's getting started.

Does anyone direct sow?

I tried Hopi Red Dye Amaranth in Upstate NY. The seeds are tiny and I just spread them out in my lettuce garden. They got good sun and after established I stopped paying any attention to them. They self-sowed and I have had them for two additional years without planting. I don't have too many expectations because most of my greatest gardening accomplishments are experimental at best. A one-time investment of $3 for a seed packet has gone a long way. They are beautiful, low maintenance, and useful! I think I'll try another type in the future.

That's good to know! I'll give that a try as well.

adaptive seeds has a good selection of PNW adapted amaranth varieties for short season, and specifically grain amaranths. Hopi red dye is pretty but those seeds are barely digestable if that's what you're growing it for.

Daniel Sillito wrote:adaptive seeds has a good selection of PNW adapted amaranth varieties for short season, and specifically grain amaranths. Hopi red dye is pretty but those seeds are barely digestable if that's what you're growing it for.

Adaptive is where I got the seeds from actually. I have the goldilocks and the amaranth alliance.

Good to know about that particular variety!

back to your original question about growing:

Do not start amaranth indoors. it will get leggy and never, ever recover well. It does not enjoy being transplanted.

Best thing to do in my experience is to plant it out in clumps so they have some resilience to wind. plant some nasturtiums and marigolds near it or around it. dont give amaranth nitrogen or it will flower late.

Amaranth wont sprout until the soil is at least 15 degrees consistently. planting early will have no benefit, just wait for warm days to be routine. This north thats about mid May.

Forget it exists all summer. it will be fine. Nothing short of a hailstorm or tornado seems to bug amaranth. i didnt water or weed or even visit my amaranth last summer more than once during one of the hottest, driest summers I've ever experienced. It was the only thing besides my squashes and rattail radishes that did well last year in that particular plot.

if you need to thin it early summer, pull em, strip the leaves, treat the stems like asparagus if theyre under 8 inches tall, treat leaves like kale or spinach.

Daniel Sillito wrote:back to your original question about growing:

Do not start amaranth indoors. it will get leggy and never, ever recover well. It does not enjoy being transplanted.

Best thing to do in my experience is to plant it out in clumps so they have some resilience to wind. plant some nasturtiums and marigolds near it or around it. dont give amaranth nitrogen or it will flower late.

Thank you for all the advice!