Secrets for growing healthy amaranth

Amaranth belongs to herbaceous annual plants of the Amaranth family. It got its distribution from South America, and the first mentions were recorded already 8 thousand years ago. Then amaranth was called "the drink of the gods, which gives immortality." Of course, there is no arguing about useful qualities and properties. The very word "amaranth" in translation means "unfading". Nowadays, this plant is more often used as a beautiful ornamental plant that decorates the site, rather than something edible. This is not surprising, because amaranth has beautiful burgundy inflorescences and lush foliage. But about its excellent useful qualities in food and medicine was known back in the days of Ancient Russia, but over time this knowledge was lost. But in vain.

Also among the people, amaranth is called "oxamitnik", "schiritsa", "fox's tail" and even "cockscombs".

Types and varieties of amaranth

The genus Amaranth includes about 70 species, but not many of them are used as vegetables and forage crops.

Here are some of the species: tailed amaranth, upturned amaranth, tricolor amaranth. All these species are decorative, but now we will dwell in more detail directly on vegetable, edible variations of amaranth.

The most popular varieties of vegetable amaranth:

Strong guy. This variety is wonderful because juicy ripe leaves can be harvested after 40-79 days! Standard height - 110-150cm. The inflorescences are brown-green in color, the leaves are pale green, great for preparing salads and other dishes.

Valentine. This variety is early, the first full harvest can be harvested in one and a half to two months. Height ranges from 100 to 170cm. It features beautiful burgundy leaves that look spectacular in salads.

Aztec. Belongs to mid-season varieties, ripens for 120 days. The stems are red, the height of which can reach up to 150cm. The variety has a high yield of grains and green mass. Aztec grains are often used to make amaranth oil.

Helios. The stem is about 150-160cm high. The panicle is of a beautiful orange color. It belongs to the early maturing, the growing season is about 105 days. It is very popular with gardeners, as it has a fairly high yield.

Features of growing amaranth

Amaranth is a very unpretentious plant, it can adapt to almost any conditions. But it is best to grow it in a fairly sunny location with well-drained soil. At the same time, the pH level is better slightly acidic and neutral.

Planting can be done in two ways: seedlings and in open ground.

If you chose the first option, then this is done as follows: you need to bury the seeds a couple of centimeters into wet sandy-peat soil. Cover with foil at night, the growing area should be fairly illuminated with a temperature of at least 20 degrees. After about 5 days, you can see the first shoots. Further, the shelter is removed, and the seedlings must be continued to be regularly sprayed and, if necessary, thinned out. When 3 leaves appear, we transfer the seedlings in separate pots.

When the ground is well warmed up and the threat of frost has passed, you can plant seedlings in the ground with a distance between plants of 30-40 cm, preferably 70 cm between rows. The rhizome must be deepened to the level of the root collar.

As for planting amaranth in open ground, there is also nothing difficult here.In the spring, when stable warm weather is established, you can sow. We spill shallow grooves (about 2 cm) with warm water and sow. After the first shoots (after 10-12 days), we remove the weak plants, thereby thinning the rows.

Further care consists in stable watering (without waterlogging the soil), weeding (especially at first, while the plants are still small and weak) and loosening the soil in order for aeration (saturation of the earth with oxygen). Additional fertilization is usually not required, except in very poor soil conditions.

Useful properties and uses of amaranth

The track record of the healing properties of amaranth is very long. So, for example, the degree of nutritional value contained in amaranth protein exceeds milk protein. Great, you can use all parts of this plant, from roots to leaves and seeds. All this is a source of a huge amount of vitamins and many other elements necessary for a person.

Amaranth is the highest protein plant that can be used for food. It is also famous for the fact that it contains important amino acids, for example, lysine, the indicator of which is much higher than in some other cereals.

Amaranth seeds are widely used in the production of flour and cereals, which in turn are added to diet food (baby food, cereals, confectionery, etc.).

Young amaranth leaves can be an excellent help in the kitchen. They are used both fresh and dried and even canned. Amaranth leaves perfectly complement salads, sauces, soups, casseroles, side dishes.
Amaranth seeds are very good at making oil, which is a source of many beneficial substances. The oil is also popular and actively used in the cosmetic field.