Red Garnet Amaranth

Seed Count: Approx. 100 seeds

Days to Maturity: 60-120 days

Description:  The beautiful foliage and blooms of Red Garnet Amaranth will be a great addition to your garden!  Green foliage show its red highlights best in hot conditions. Delicately flavored sprouts can be used as a garnish for your salads and can be harvested in 15 to 30 days. Young leaves can be cooked like spinach. Or, if you wish to attract birds to your herb garden, let this variety go to seed, and your feathered friends will enjoy a feast! Amaranth greens have a higher iron content than any other green vegetable, except parsley, as well as containing many valuable vitamins and minerals.  

How To Grow

Sowing:  Amaranth germinates when the soil temperature reaches at least 70 degrees F, so gardeners in cool climates may want to start their seed indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting. Direct sow the seed several weeks after the last spring frost.  Sow thinly, 1/4" deep, in rows 16-18" apart, thinning the seedlings to 10-12" apart as soon as they appear.  Some gardeners prefer closer spacing such as 2-3" if they are harvesting the greens only. Amaranth prefers full sun and well drained soil.  Germination should occur within 8-10 days.

Growing:  Amaranth tolerates drought very well once it's established, but the greens will be more tender, if the soil is kept moist. Plants grown in average garden soil will be 4-6 feet tall, while those grown in rich soil or compost may reach over 8 feet. Add a general purpose fertilizer once or twice during the season.

Harvesting:  Amaranth greens can be harvested as soon as they grow big enough for eating, and they continue producing well into late summer. For the best flavor, harvest the leaves before the plant flowers; the leaves will begin to mature in about 40 days after planting. Individual leaves can be lightly harvested from each plant even if the goal is to harvest the grain, which will mature about 120 days after planting.