Amaranth

[bupster]

Anybody here grow amaranth? I'm very tempted, seems like a great all-rounder of a plant and it's something a bit different. Hard to find info on it, though there does seem to be a few seed suppliers. As regular readers of this board will know, though, I haven't a clue. Anyone with more experience?

[bupster]

[Trenchboy]

For the seeds go to www.greenol.co.uk. £2.57 for 500.

The plants can get pretty big...

If you suffer from gout, don't bother!

[bupster]

Oxalic acid? That's the same as elderly rhubarb, right? Or am I making this up? I don't, but I know someone that does - moo haa haa...

[Trenchboy]

Amaranth has that and some other stuff in its leaves, but the seeds are fine to use. And the rhubarb/spinach doesn't have to be old... I know!

It grows anywhere, as well.

[bupster]

I had heard that, which is one of the things that appeals - I'm still pretty hopeless. I didn't know that spinach had oxalic acid in it. Good job I'm not prone to gout, I eat mounds of the stuff.

When should it be planted? There was a bit on the 'Grow Your Own' magazine website that suggested it should go in now, though all the seed sales places seem keener on spring. I would have guessed spring, so the link (http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/diary/food.php) seems odd...

[john_miller]

Every plant has oxalic acid in it to some extent. Levels in different plants can be found near the bottom of this page:
http://growingtaste.com/oxalicacid.shtml

[bupster]

Love the conclusion:

"Summing Up

We think it is nuts for anyone not already under medical advice to select this leafy green over that based on oxalic-acid content."

Well, that told us. Any idea about planting amaranth, John?

[fbgrifter]

i grew the ornamental variety on the allotment and it grew to huge proportions.  howerver, the edible variety that i grew which was part of a mix salad pack (i think t&m's niche salad) only grew to about 4 inches before it bolted.  nice flavout tho and beautiful colour!

[jennym]

This looks interesting. I'm sure I read somewhere that you can grind the seed to make a sort of low gluten flour. anyone tried that? And what variety?

[chrispea27]

sounds worth trying if only for its decorative properties ::)

[sarahr]

The west indians call one form Amarath, Calaloo. You cook it like spinach. I've got a load of seeds if you want a handful. It doesn't grow very tall - a couple of feet at most. It is much bigger in the west indies.

[bupster]

I'd love some, Sarahr. I really fancy having a go at this.

And you can grind the seeds, Jenny; http://www.vidaverde.co.uk/amaranthprocessing.html shows the process. It's no gluten, which sounds interesting. I'm not on any special diet, but I love trying new foods.

[organicartist]

you can buy amaranth cheaply from health food shops and it does germinate ok - I use the tiny seeds as one of my sprouting grains.

[john_miller]

A word of warning- if you do grow it don't let amaranth go to seed. Some cvs. can produce 2 million seeds from a single plant-yes, they are small seeds- and can produce huge plants. Our local cv. is commonly called pig weed because it is such a (3 dots) to get rid of. Amaranth, seeds and leaves, was a staple food for the first peoples of both the North and, especially, the South hemispheres over here and has been cultivated for millenia.

[allotmanye]

We have two or three people who grow this on our site but find that is now appearing almost anywhere so take note of the warning.

Tastes nice though