Growing Amaranth

Has anyone tried growing Amaranth grain in your back yard? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

rob

Reply to
George.com
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Thanks for the site. We are trying both this year.

Perhaps the old ways, old crops are best, eh?

We've had commercial quinoa and amaranth and we like both.

Charlie

Reply to
Charlie

Not yet, but we will be in late May.

I take heart from this...

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have a good soil, but our growing season in zone 5 in SW Ontario might be marginal for maturation.

If it works and we like it, I might try to pick up a garden allotment or two to let us expand our options next year and maybe try quinoa.

Reply to
phorbin

I had to think about this for a minute.

My answer is an unqualified yes to the former and to the latter, a yes to what I think you mean. That is, NA old crops are best for NA.

Reply to
phorbin

I am afraid that it is too late for me (northwest NC) to try quinoa this spring. I am thinking about planting in September. How long to maturity?

Reply to
The Cook

Yes to the former, but now I am not sure what *you* mean, in regards to the latter. What is NA?

Charlie, too easily cornfused

Reply to
Charlie

On Mon, 05 May 2008 09:35:43 -0500, The Cook wrote:

It looks like around a 100 days or so to maturity. I have a sea level variety to try, but I have no idea how this is going to work out, given that quinoa is generally a high altitude crop. If I don't get my butt in gear and get it planted, I'm not going to know this year either.

From

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and care. Fruiting takes place under short day length. September is the best time for sowing in Chile and Peru. In Colorado, it has been grown in elevations of 7,000 to 10,000 feet. In the Sacramento Valley, the time of sowing should correspond to that of safflower-- mid-February through April. Distances between rows of 1.25 to 2.5 ft allow for good production. As the distance between plants increases, they produce more panicles to compensate for the smaller number of plants per A. Plant at a depth of F(1,2) to 1 inch with consideration to soil type and moisture. The type of soil preparation used, from intensive to minimum tillage, does not significantly affect yields. The vigor of the quinoa plant, however, decreases with the minimum tillage systems. Quinoa seeds germinate within 24 hours. Emergence occurs in 3 to 5 days. Optimum density is 130,000 plants per acre (F(1,2) to F(3,4) pound per acre). Over-irrigation causes severe stunting in seedlings. In Colorado, maturity occurs from 90 to 125 days. Plots that are thinned to 4 plants per foot on the row during the season yield 25% more than those grown without thinning. In Colorado, quinoa planted in late April to mid-May may not need irrigation until mid-June, if the soil profile was near field capacity at planting. Colorado Extension trials show that July rainfall is sufficient to carry the crop to August. In California, irrigation is required as the crop grows primarily during California's dry season.

Charlie

Reply to
Charlie

In this case North American and North America respectively.

Reply to
phorbin

I believe both the red root pigweed and lamb's quarter are types of amaranth. Both grow readily in my garden. The seeds of both are tasty IMHO. Steve

Reply to
Steve Peek

Just ducky, it already costs $750 worth of water to grow $150 worth of rice in the Central Valley, and we are already looking at water restrictions which will reduce our ability to grow our own crops.

Reply to
Billy

What, back to the "Three Sisters"? That was subsistence agriculture and we would still have to go hunting. Include South America, with its' tomatoes and potatoes, Mediterranean herbs, and we can talk:-)

Reply to
Billy

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