Technology of growing amaranth from seeds and seedlings

growing amaranthDue to its simplicity, the plant is very popular. This is a unique flower, whose birthplace is the land of America. Culture has been cultivated for more than 8 thousand years. Many young leaves, flowers and stems are eaten, sent to livestock feed and used as a medicinal plant. To grow a healthy and beautiful amaranth, you need to know when to plant it in open ground and how to take care of it.

General rules for growing amaranth

You can cultivate crops in almost any climate zone, except for the desert and the Far North.

When it is cultivated, the following plant features should be taken into account:

1. Amaranth is drought tolerant. He tolerates them much better than overflow.
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2. Does not like excess moisture in the soil. Therefore, watering should be moderate. After each procedure, the soil between the rows must be loosened.
3. For its cultivation you should choose a well-lit place, since amaranth loves the sun very much.
4. The optimum growing conditions are + 20 ° С, but the plant tolerates slight night frosts( at least -2 ° С).
5. Few are affected by pests and diseases.

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

In order for the culture to branch well and produce a higher yield, it is necessary to systematically weed the bed and thin out the seedlings. The distance between the stems to 10 cm is preferable for fodder specimens. A wider space( about 20 cm) is required for plants that grow for seed.

After the first month of the growing season, the culture adds 6-7 cm per day. At this stage, there is no need to weed it, since weeds do not compete with amaranth. But do not forget about the introduction of organic or mineral fertilizers. It is necessary to feed plantations once in 10 days. It is better to do this in the morning, right after watering. It is impossible to ferret with nitrogen fertilizers, since nitrates accumulate in the plant, as a result it will be unsuitable for food.

What are the seeds of

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

Seeds ripen well, being on inflorescences in a dark place.

The amaranth vegetation period is 70 days, the seeds are formed after 3 months of cultivation. The grains ripen not at the same time, so it is easier to cut the whole inflorescences of amaranth, otherwise a part just falls on the ground.

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

You can clean them simply 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, cultivars that focus on the accumulation of green mass are cultivated. Before growing amaranth from seeds, it is necessary to prepare beds for it from the autumn. To do this, they dig up the earth to a depth of not less than 20 cm, and also make organic fertilizers. The best option is humus or compost. For each weave will need about 500 kg. Garden beds should be oriented north-south. It is impossible to sow amaranth on the slopes, since even small streams from the rain can wash its seeds. In the spring beds you need to dig up again and make mineral dressing. Amaranth is sown in rows, and then thinned.

In order for the grains to grow well, it is important to choose the correct planting time. The soil should have time to warm up to positive values. This is usually the end of May. The depth of the holes should be about 5 cm. In such conditions, the seeds will grow well, and the culture will grow so quickly that it will easily overtake the weeds and they will not be able to drown the amaranth. He doesn't even have to weed.

If you skip the optimal period and sow later, you will have to deal with weeds, as well as with pests: aphids, weevils, caterpillars. On a bed or in a small garden amaranth is sown by hand. On large fields, sowing is carried out using special planters. The soil should be moist and nutritious. Also, in order for amaranth to develop well in the open field, in addition to care, it is necessary to observe the rules of planting.

The distance between the rows should be:

• 70 cm when growing amaranth for seeds;
• 50 cm when cultivating plants for feeding purposes.

The first sprouts make their way through the earth after a week or 10 days. At first, amaranth grows slowly, but then accelerates noticeably. You can re-seeding after 2 weeks, so that the formation of young greens was as long as possible.

In Siberia, ordinary plant varieties of seeds can be grown only on green mass, since they do not have time to form new grains. In this climate zone, it is better to cultivate the early ripening varieties of amaranth, for example, Cherginsky. As well as planting seedlings in open ground.

Growing Amaranth seedlings

Cultivating a seed plant is the easiest way. But to speed up the ripening period of amaranth, which is about 3 months, it is better to grow it with seedlings. This method ensures a more lush flowering, so this method is also practiced for decorative varieties.

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

In order to grow amaranth for seedlings, it is necessary: ​​

1. In early spring, seeds should be sown in prepared soil, preferably in peat containers. The soil should be loose, sprinkle the seeds only slightly with earth and do not ram.
2. Pots must be placed in a greenhouse from a plastic container or covered with a film.
3. Systematically air a mini-greenhouse and water the land.
4. When the seeds have risen they need to be thinned.
5. As they grow, the seedlings are periodically brought out to fresh air, so that they become accustomed to new conditions( hardened).

Another option for obtaining seedlings is to sow the seeds in a box with earth and place it in a plastic bag, put it in a warm place. After one or two weeks, shoots appear and plants can already be kept on the window sill.

A few tips on how to germinate amaranth at home:

1. In order to better seed the amaranth seeds in an apartment or house, it is necessary to soak them in water for a few days in order for them to “hatch”.
2. 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.
3. Until sprouts appear, it is necessary to maintain the temperature not lower than + 20 ° С.
4. Watering should be moderate, but regular. You can hold it with a spray.

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

If the first three or four leaflets appeared on the seedlings, it means that it is time to dive amaranth. To do this, take the pots with a diameter of about 12 cm and plant the plants so that in each of them there is only one instance.

Planting amaranth and care in the open field

You can already plant seedlings in the open field about a month after the emergence. The best month is May, when the danger of frost is gone. The average daily temperature should be at least + 5 ° C.Carry out the procedure should be in cloudy weather. It is also good to plant a flower in the evening.

Culture feels great on different soils. Including on sandy and stony ground, even on salt marshes.

Transplantation stages:

1. For a start, amaranth seedlings are well watered.
2. Two or three plants are planted in each well.
3. After planting, the stems are sprinkled to the first leaf.
4. Abundantly watered.

Caring for an amaranth, obtained from seeds or seedlings, is no different. At the beginning of his weed, and then only watered and fed. For better "branching" you can pinch the top of the plant in late June. It is good to periodically spud culture, and the highest copies - to tie. If this is not done, then they may break due to their heavy flowers, panicles.

When the plant reaches a height of 20-25 centimeters, it can be cut into greens. After a short time, the stems will give new shoots. After harvesting, the remains of the plant are best folded in the compost pit to get excellent fertilizer for the next season.

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

Amaranth Cultivation Process - Video