Amaranth Edible Red Leaf HEIRLOOM Seeds

Amaranthus tricolor

Item #0146

42-54 days. Grow this amaranth for its nutritious, flavorful foliage with a hearty spinach flavor that is sweet and slightly tangy. Amaranth loves the heat and makes a great salad ingredient when spring greens crops have been harvested or are bolting. Steam, stir-fry, sauté or mix with spaghetti sauce, rice or meatloaf. Unlike wheat, the seed is also easy to harvest, is 20% protein, and ranks 75 out of 100 as a complete protein: higher than milk, soybeans, or whole wheat.

This packet plants thirteen 10 foot rows.

Days to Emerge:
5-15 days

Seed Depth:
1/8”-1/4”

Seed Spacing:
A group of
3 seeds
every 18”

Row Spacing:
12"

Thinning:
When 1” tall
thin to 1
every 6”-12”

When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after average last frost; grows fastest when temperatures are warm. Will germinate in cool soils, though; you might get a jump start by early spring sowing (particularly if growing for seed/grain which takes 90-110 days).

When to start inside: Not recommended; does not transplant well.

Harvesting: FOLIAGE: You can start harvesting leaves when plant is greater than 4" tall; harvested leaves will be replaced with new foliage. You can also wait until plant is mature, between 7 and 9 weeks, and harvest the whole plant; the iron content of the plant doubles between the 7th and 9th week. GRAIN: Wait until seeds are mature and dry. Pull up plant and hang upside down in a warm, dry place; when completely dry, shake seed heads into paper bag. Seeds should be stored in an airtight container.

Artist: Carolyn Crawford

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