Amaranth tailed: growing from seeds
An unpretentious annual – tailed amaranth – will decorate any flower bed or become the center of a garden composition. With proper care, it reaches up to one and a half meters in height, and bright inflorescences delight the eye until autumn.
Growing amaranth tailed from seeds
An annual is grown in two ways: by sowing seeds in open ground or harvested seedlings. It takes three months for full ripening and the appearance of bright tails, so planting ready-made seedlings guarantees early and abundant flowering.
The tailed amaranth blooms from late June to October.
The optimal time for growing caudate amaranth from seeds in open ground is the end of May, when the soil has warmed up enough. Sow in rows to a depth of no more than one centimeter. The minimum distance between rows is about 30 centimeters. Seedlings appear in one to two weeks. For the first month, the plant requires regular watering, loosening the soil and removing weeds.
Young shoots must be thinned out so that the plants do not interfere with each other’s development.
Seeds for seedlings are planted in March-April. Saplings are grown at home or in a greenhouse, in a well-lit place. Seeds are sown in prepared soil, covered with foil or glass on top to create a greenhouse effect. After emergence, the cover is removed.
A week before planting in the ground, the seedlings must be hardened: they must be taken out daily. Increase the time spent in the fresh air every day. They are planted in the soil at the end of April – May, when the threat of frost has passed.
This annual is native to South Africa, so it easily tolerates dry weather and high temperatures. The optimal place for growing caudate amaranth is open sunny areas. Good lighting improves the decorative qualities of leaves and inflorescences.
The soil at the planting site must be well drained. Stagnant water and swampy soil can lead to rotting of the plant. Watering should be moderate.
The plant is responsive to feeding. It is recommended to fertilize once a month with diluted manure, infusion of wood ash.
When choosing fertilizers, you should not abuse nitrogenous components – amaranth is able to convert them into nitrates.
To prevent rain or wind from damaging the stem, it is necessary to tie the bush to the support.
At the end of June, the top of the plant can be “pinched”. This technique will stop the growth of the stem, enhance the branching and decorative characteristics of the inflorescences.
With proper care, by the beginning of July, amaranth will turn into a powerful bush with bright tails and will retain an attractive appearance until the first frost.