Amaranth Spacing?

[Hamilton]

This marks many firsts for me. One of which is that it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to post a new thread. The other first is planting Amaranth. I have poured over the planting guide provided by Baker Creek and can find no info on how far apart each plant needs to be. I am sure I could find this info somewhere out there on the internet but I wanted to get in on this on line community. Any help on planting Amaranth in northern Arkansas would be greatly appreciated. I am well read on gardening but this years garden will only be my second and I will welcome any and all advice.... My first garden only produced one pumkin, 5lbs of scrawny potatoes, and perhaps a bushel of tomatoes and bell peppers. Given the time invested, I lost out. However the experience was invaluable.

[backtobasics]

Spacing depends on if you are growing Amaranth for the Greens, Grain, or both.

For grain, 18 inches apart. For greens, 6 Inches apart (pick young greens).

This can change a little depending on the type of Amaranth you are growing.

[Hamilton]

Wow, I have a lot to learn... I knew that Amaranth could be used in both ways but never realized that I would have to make that choice when I planted them. I suppose I will have a mixture of both. My next question would be can you pick the leaves, and later collect the seeds or will picking the leaves stunt the growth and limit the ability to collect seeds?

[backtobasics]

You could plant them close and eat the greens as your 'thin' the plants out.

Maybe keep every other plant for grain and the others you thin out for greens.

[louanne]

Okay since we are on this subject...I picked up a packet of love lies bleeding...
hoping to use the grains...
is this an edible one or not?

[Hamilton]

That is some forward thinking. I will look forward to reading more post from you.
I am going to plant Love lies Bleeding as my first attempt. I am hoping to help my niece out with her glueten free diet. Not to mention to supplement my families diet with more things that I can trace back to a single person or farm. Thanks again for the quick answer...

[redbrick]

Just a little cautionary input here, I was growing amaranth for years before I bought any seed for it. Problem was, I was calling it redroot pigweed and pulling it out with the other weeds as fast as I could. Which was never fast enough! If you let it produce seed, you will never have to reseed it again. That being said, I still very much enjoy seeing the Hopi Red Dye Amaranth that volunteers every year in my garden. And yes, I do deliberately let a few go to seed.

[zebraman]

Hey Guys;It's best to use the blond seeded varieties for baking purposes.Love lies bleeding is a blond sd.The best however is Manna de Montana.The edible leaf Amaranth is better for eating-leaves.-

[flowerpower]

Redbrick, I have a bunch of the pigweed also. I do let most of them go to seed. The goats love it. I also have a few seeds for Hopi Red Dye. Glad to know it will probably reseed here.

[strong eagle]

I have just about every kind of Amaranth on this place, most of it volinteering like a red-leafed lawn over the gardens. I just try to recognize the seedlings as to what kind of Amaranth they are and let a couple dozen grow. The leaf Amaranth is the best for greens and tastes better than Spinach or even Lambs quarters to me. It has green leaves awith maroon markings on them and doesn't go to seed until late in the season, also 4-5 ft. tall. Aztec Red[ Vietnamese red] is my best seed producer and looks great wherever it grows, because of the bright maroon leaves and brilliant colored seedhead. It needs at least a two foot space between plants to get optimum size. Strong

[louanne]

but my the seeds aare so tiny....I have some that have germinated in te hot house.....( love lies bleeding) it did very well...gonna have a lot..and I didnt even start the whole packet....
I hope t have enough space here to let it seed for the grain...
so tell me...ifyou had limited space....but wanted a good show to let seed..where would you put it.....is it particular to any soil...shade/ sun
I will have to tr that hopi dye if I get my paper project started...

[louanne]

www.sproutpeople.com/seed/amaranth.html

[wilderness1989]

You could plant them close and eat the greens as your 'thin' the plants out.

Maybe keep every other plant for grain and the others you thin out for greens.

This is the way I do it, works well.

[wilderness1989]

My first garden only produced one pumkin, 5lbs of scrawny potatoes, and perhaps a bushel of tomatoes and bell peppers. Given the time invested, I lost out. However the experience was invaluable.

If you are having bad luck gardening get a Ruth Stout book and read up on mulching/no till. I've been using her methods since 1975 and the results are super.

[Hamilton]

I have recently read the no till book mentioned. This year I am going to try two methods. The first being raised beds with wood sides. Into these I will plant: tomatoes, peppers, onions, sweet potatoes, and potoatoes. The other method I am going to try is wide row gardening. This will be used for corn, beens, amaranth, mellons, and squash. I do plan to mulch liberally with grass clippings (that have not gone to seed). I have two wire compost bins that are full and ready to be put in the garden. I also have load of composted horse manure that I can spread onto the garden. This time it will be all about the preperation and process.