How to grow Amaranth

Amaranthus cruentus

Full Sun
Medium

Half hardy annual, will easily self seed

Growing Amaranth from seed

Surface sow in spring using pots or modules. Cover lightly with vermiculite or perlite and place under protection at 15C. The seeds need light to germinate.
Germination only takes a few days, then pot onto individual pots with plenty of air circulation to prevent damping off

Soil temperature should be kept higher than 15°C / 59°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Amaranth about 49 days before your last frost date .

Transplanting Amaranth

Plant in a fertile well drained sunny position.

Ensure that temperatures are mild (minimum night temperatures should be around 15°C / 59°F) and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Amaranth is a tender plant.

How long does Amaranth take to grow?

These estimates for how long Amaranth takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Days to Germination How long does it take Amaranth to germinate?: 5 days
Average 5 days | Min 2 days | Max 21 days (14)
Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Amaranth?: + 27 days
Average 27 days | Min 17 days | Max 79 days (2)
Days to Maturity How long until Amaranth is ready for harvest / bloom?: + days
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Amaranth?: = days

When should I plant Amaranth?

Our when to plant Amaranth estimates are relative to your last frost date.

When to sow The number of days to sow Amaranth before or after your last frost date.: 49 days before Last Frost Date

Amaranth Etymology

The botanical epithet is from the Latin cruentus meaning “bloody”

Other names for Amaranth

Red amaranth, Purple amaranth, Mexican grain amaranth, Love-lies-bleeding, Tassel Flower

Amaranthus cruentus L.

Footnotes

¹ Plants For A Future entry on Amaranthus cruentus: http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Amaranthus+cruentus

² Wikipedia entry on Amaranthus cruentus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthus_cruentus

³ http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/syllabi/308/Lists/Fourth%20Edition/Amaranthus%20cruentus.pdf

⁴ List of diseases and problems:http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/amaranthus-cruentus-princes-feather-purple-amaranth.aspx