When and how to plant Amaranthus

Planting time of Amaranthus

It is best to plant Amaranthus in spring from February to May and in autumn from August to October. During these two periods, there is sufficient sunlight and the temperature is suitable, which is the best time to plant Amaranthus.

How to plant Amaranthus

1. Site selection and land preparation

Amaranthus mostly grows wild on roadsides, fields, and hillsides. It has a wide adaptability to the environment and can be planted in loose, fertile land with good irrigation and drainage conditions. Before planting, deep plow the soil, expose it to the sun for a month, and then apply base fertilizer.

2. Reproduction

Amaranthus can be propagated by sowing and rhizomes. The sowing time is after the beginning of spring. The seeds are evenly spread on the ground. Generally, seedlings will emerge 15 days after sowing. However, since the seeds are difficult to collect, rhizome propagation is chosen in production.

In August and September, you can dig out healthy plants from the wild or artificially cultivated plants along with their rhizomes, being careful not to damage the roots. Then spread the dug rhizomes flat in the hole, cover them with a layer of decomposed organic fertilizer, and then cover them with a 3-5 cm layer of soil. Compact and water them, and they will survive in 5-7 days.

3. Field management

After planting Amaranthus, the soil should be kept moist. If the soil is dry, water it in time until the seedlings emerge. When the seedlings grow a pair of true leaves, you can apply a thin liquid fertilizer. When the seedlings grow to 4 pairs of true leaves, thinning and supplementing should be carried out, and the spacing between seedlings should be controlled.

Matters Needing Attention in Planting Amaranthus

There are rarely any diseases or pests during the growth period of Amaranthus, but due to the influence of other surrounding crops, cabbage loopers may appear, so after harvesting, it is necessary to spray pesticides in time. As a wild vegetable, Amaranthus has a strong ability to resist diseases, but gray mold may occasionally occur, which can be controlled with ethidium bromide.