Amaranth (the name "amaranth" is found) is a medicinal plant. Ancient tribes used the plant to perform a variety of rites and rituals. But most often it was used as a nutritious lunch, because its nutritional qualities are comparable to oats or rice. Translated from Latin, amaranth means "beloved by God."

What is amaranth?

What is this plant - amaranth? In nature, there are several types, all of them are divided into perennial and annual. What does amaranth look like? Height can reach 80-150 cm, the stem has many branches. The shape of the leaves resembles an elongated egg. The inflorescences of the plant are of a very beautiful purple-red color, elongated, their height can reach 30 cm, and sometimes more. The color of the plant is green, but there are red amaranths.

Where does amaranth grow?

The main country of growth is the United States, and grass can also be found in China. In Russia, there are about two dozen different species, mainly in Siberia.

Kinds

Scientists have found about a thousand species of amaranth. In the common people, the plant is known under the names cockscombs or velvet. All plants are divided into three types:

• decorative;
• stern;
• vegetable.

The following types of amaranth have gained great popularity:

Grass amaranth: composition

Scientists have repeatedly studied the plant and came to the conclusion that it has a unique composition, in which the chemical elements and amino acids necessary for human body. The benefits of the plant are quite large, so nutritionists advise including it in your daily menu. The seeds of the plant are used to make flour and vegetable oil. Their nutritional value is 370 kcal. As part of the plants of the Amaranth family, there is a huge amount of vitamins of groups B, PP, C, K, A.

What is useful amaranth

The medicinal and beneficial properties of the plant are almost limitless due to the unusual composition. The plant perfectly reduces cholesterol levels due to phytosterols. In hypertensive patients and people with ischemic disease, with regular use of oil, the state of health improves several times.

On a note! In folk medicine, amaranth oil is used as a remedy for the treatment of various skin injuries, such as burns or bedsores.

High-quality protein is found in the plant in huge quantities. Compared to other crops, which also have a considerable amount of protein compounds in their composition, amaranth is simply a storehouse of this most useful trace element. Also, the culture contains the amino acid lysine necessary for the human body, with the help of which muscle fibers are synthesized, and muscle tissues are also formed. A large number of useful substances contained in the plant and, accordingly, in the oil from it, are useful:

Experts advise using bread for various eye diseases. In addition, if you include the culture in your daily diet, you can feel that the state of the body is improving every day, and this happens due to the saturation of the body with oxygen.

The use of amaranth

Shiritsa seed is indicated in the treatment of hemorrhoids, diarrhea, inflammation of the genitourinary system. Also, women whose menstrual flow is heavy can take it to reduce their intensity. The oil, which is made from the seeds of the plant, contains a huge amount of useful amino acids, as well as the Omega 6 fatty acid necessary for the body.

An infusion of amaranth leaves is used as a hemostatic agent, as well as for constipation and colitis. Hepatitis A is treated with root decoction. Shiritsa juice is an excellent remedy for:

The juice of the plant is used in the diet of infants and preschool children, as it contains a huge amount of amino acids and vitamins necessary for the growing body. More juice is excellent remedy prevention of diseases of the respiratory system. The use of a plant during pregnancy will significantly reduce the risk of pathologies of the head and spinal cord in infants, this is due to the huge content of folic acid.

The leaves and seeds of the plant are able to compensate for any lack of vitamins and minerals in the human body.

On a note! Amaranth tea gives a wonderful effect for weight loss, and also strengthens the immune system.

There are a huge number of recipes variety of dishes that can be prepared from this wonderful plant. After all, its leaves can be boiled, fried, cooked in a double boiler or baked in the oven. People who prefer healthy food use bread for baking and making a variety of desserts. In some African countries, raw materials for making beer are produced from the leaves of the plant, and in Asian countries, porridge is brewed from it. Amaranth oil can be used like any vegetable oil, that is, for dressing cold snacks and frying. Cereals are perfect for a children's menu, because they do not contain gluten at all, which can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Amaranth pests

It is known that the plant perfectly tolerates any weather conditions, whether it be heavy rains or scorching sun and drought. The high yield of amaranth can bring good money if it is used to produce feed for farm animals. Any such crops suffer from the attacks of various pests, and this noble plant is no exception.

Weevil - a pest of amaranth

Insects harm not only the leaves, but also the seeds of bread. This is especially pronounced during the growing season. For an adult plant, there are no pests that can completely destroy all crops and crops.

Important! To date, not a single case of plant death from pest attacks has been identified. Only the productivity of grain or ordinary amaranth suffers from their actions.

IN currently scientists have not identified insects that would harm only amaranth, which greatly simplifies the fight against them, because there is no need to come up with any new methods and means of their destruction. Usually, to control and prevent the spread of pests, I use conventional fungicides. Usually, preventive measures take another start landing. The main insect pests are aphids, flea beetles, moths and weevils.

Growing amaranth

Having figured out what it is - amaranth, it is worth studying the rules for its cultivation.

The soil of any composition is suitable for cultivating a crop. The best time to sow seeds is late spring. Just by this time, exactly enough water will accumulate in the soil that it will be enough for the first stage of cultivation.

Important! If you plant the plant just in time, you will not need to weed the beds, because the width will grow much faster than weeds.

Possible and autumn sowing before the onset of heavy frosts.

The distance between rows of crops should be at least 40-45 cm, and between plants - 7-9 cm. If these conditions are not observed, the plant will not fully develop and will give a minimum amount of yield. During sowing, fertilizers must be applied to the soil: compost and humus. As well as fertilizers that contain potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.

The first shoots will appear as early as 7-10 days from the moment of planting, and harvesting can begin in about 3.5-4 months from the moment of planting. If it is planned to grow amaranth in the northern regions, it is better to do this in seedlings.

An indicator of the maturity of the plant are panicles that have appeared - this means that it is ready for harvesting and use.

Important! Before harvesting, it should be remembered that the seeds located in the flowering part of the plant ripen in different time. Therefore, after harvesting, the crop must be folded in a room with excellent ventilation system and leave alone for a week.

For the use of a plant in the winter, it can be dried, frozen and pickled.

Wild amaranth is a common plant, grows almost all over the world and has several popular names, for example, in Russia it is called rubella or gypsy. In the gardens of Russian summer residents, this plant is considered a weed. It is most often used as feed for farm animals and poultry.

From the above, it can be seen that amaranth is a rather useful plant. Therefore, growing it on your personal plot is simply necessary.

The amaranth plant has another name: common amaranth. It refers to annual crops. And he "came" to us from America. There are over 900 species of this plant in the world, among which about 80 varieties are used for various purposes by people.
Amaranth grows everywhere, but most of them grow in the subtropics and tropics.

Description

Amaranth plants are annual and perennial, but all varieties have something in common: the stems are erect, branched and quite strong. The stems sometimes reach a height of 2.5-3 meters. And the thickness of the stems can reach 10 cm.

Its leaves are beautiful and are ovoid or elongated in appearance, and the color is more often green or slightly purple with green tint, and are arranged alternately on the stems. There are also such varieties of amaranth, the leaves of which have reddish-purple hues and resemble diamonds in shape. Sometimes amaranth is red-green with bright yellow dots. Amaranth flowers are small, collected complex inflorescences that hang down or stand straight. The fruits are in the form of round boxes. The color of the amaranth flower can be white, purple-red or burgundy.

Some varieties

The most famous varieties of amaranth are paniculate, tailed, white-seed and dark red. The tailed or panicled, sad or multi-colored amaranth looks most beautiful in flower beds and front gardens.
Some varieties are weeds and are very difficult to grow in vegetable gardens and beds.

White amaranth grows everywhere in gardens, in fields, near residential buildings, on the edges. It is a ubiquitous weed in Europe and parts of Asia, but also grows locally in the Americas.

It is a herbaceous plant, sometimes reaching a height of 1 m. Small whitish flowers are collected in dense dense inflorescences resembling spikelets. The plant is very hardy, does not need care and watering. It is very difficult to get it out in the garden. It has the property of self-scattering seeds. And there are sometimes up to 600 of them on one plant.

But there is another variety: white decorative amaranth, slightly different from the weed described above. This plant looks very similar to the previous one, but it does not apply to weeds. It is distinguished from panicle weed and slightly leaf shape. It is also distinguished by the absence of alkaloids in the composition, as well as the shape of the panicles. In this variety, they look like inflorescences of a red species, only white.
It is not difficult to grow amaranth; planting seeds should occur when the soil warms up to 13. ° C, i.e. in the second half of May. Special care is not required. Often the plant is sown in summer cottages along the fences.

Amaranth: photo, description, varieties, cultivation and care. Plant amaranth, or amaranth, (Amaránthus) - ornamental perennial or annual widespread unpretentious plant. Herbaceous culture grows well both in open ground and at home.

Description Amaranth and options for use in landscape design

It is characterized by the formation of small flowers, which are collected in rather dense and very attractive spicate-paniculate inflorescences. All species and varieties belong to the Amaranth family (Amaranthaceae).

The stem part can be either simple or branched. The leaves are also very attractive and can be rhomboid, lanceolate or ovoid in shape. The base of the flower is elongated into a petiole, and the apical part has a notch and a small point. The axillary part of the flower is arranged in bunches, and the apical parts are collected in dense spike-shaped inflorescences. The plant blooms profusely, after which it forms fruits-boxes with seeds. The plant blooms green or purple-red.

Video: Amaranth in the garden

Varieties of Amaranth

To date, a huge number of species are known that grow in natural outdoor conditions in regions with a warm and temperate climate. The category of the most popular and well-known types of amaranth is represented by tricolor, tailed, crimson, paniculate, upturned and common amaranth.

Amaranth tailed

It has very beautiful hanging thin inflorescences resembling a fox's tail. The most popular ornamental variety is 'Viridis' with green or cream buds. Excellent honey plant.

Amaranth tricolor

Tricolor (A. tricolor) has rather narrow, sometimes wavy sheets of tricolor staining with red, yellow and in green. Inflorescences are upright, strongly gillyasty. Ornamental cultivars include Flaming Fountains, Illumination and Joseph's Coat.

Amaranth tricolor (Amaranthus tricolor)

Amaranth paniculata

Panicled (A. cruentus, syn. A. paniculatus) is characterized by the presence of a brownish-red shade of leaves and drooping or vertical inflorescences with originally hanging tips. Ornamental cultivars include 'Zwergfackel', 'GrueneFackel', 'PygmyTorch' and 'RoterDom'.

vegetable amaranth

Vegetable amaranth was grown as a cereal crop, but today it is recommended for use in fresh, boiled, fried and dried form. Most often it has a dark green or purple color. The category of the most popular varieties includes "Healthy", "Valentina", "In Memory of Kvasov", " White list”, “Kharkovskaya-1” and “Shuntuk”.

vegetable amaranth

Room amaranth

Indoor amaranth grows well in standard flower pots medium sizes. Planting seedlings or growing from seed requires the use of an all-purpose potting soil for flowering ornamental plants.

The best varieties of amaranth

Currently, domestic and foreign breeders have bred a large number of various varieties of amaranth, which differ not only in external characteristics, but also in resistance to external adverse factors and demanding care.

Even a beginner or a time-limited amateur grower can independently grow almost any variety.

Illuminations

The popular and often grown in the country variety "Illumination" is a fairly powerful and well-developed plant with a height of no more than 60-70 cm with very showy and large leaves. Young leaves are reddish-yellow, while older leaves are reddish-yellow. Orange color. For the lower leaves, they have a very original bronze hue.

Molteni fire

A feature of the Molteni Fire variety is its high decorative effect. This bi-color variety successfully combines raspberry red and chocolate brown in seeds. The culture is distinguished by light, moisture - and thermophilicity, it is characterized by rapid growth, but does not tolerate severe frosts. Prefers light and fertile soils.

Perfect for single and group planting, border background decoration, decoration of fences and the center of the flower bed. Cut flowers are used in bouquets and flower arrangements.

Raspberry necklace

The standard height of an adult plant does not exceed 80-100 cm. This fast-growing annual culture has a powerful and fairly branched stem part no more than a meter high. You can plant this unpretentious variety in order to decorate walls, fences, low buildings, and create living decorative fences. Group plantings look great against the background of decorative deciduous and flowering shrubs.

Amaranth Raspberry Necklace

cherry velvet

Highly ornamental variety "Cherry Velvet" refers to annual herbaceous ornamental plants, which are widely used in the decoration of the garden space and backyard, and are also used in the creation of bouquet compositions.

The variety is characterized by the formation of flowers collected in very neat highly decorative paniculate inflorescences. The bush is compact, no more than 40-45 cm high, with rather dense foliage. Inflorescences are upright, exotic, deep cherry-violet color.

Brazilian Carnival

Variety "Brazilian Carnival" is a bright decorative leafy mixture. Cute multi-colored bushes reach a height of half a meter. The aerial part is covered with oblong-ovate leaves.

The leaves are greenish-yellow, reddish-burgundy and pink-burgundy. The variety has proven itself both in single and in group landings on lawns, background of flower mixborders.

Amaranth Cherry Velvet

Amaranth varieties for indoor and garden cultivation

Amaranth"Openwork" blooms before the onset of tangible frosts. The aerial part is powerful and slender, decorated with very lush inflorescences-sultans, which resemble their appearance biscuit dough. The height is 120 cm. With a very original and bright appearance, it has a decorative leafy

Amaranth"Red Octopus" These are very pretty multi-colored bushes no more than 35-40 cm high with elongated ovate tricolor leaves of a greenish-burgundy, red and bronze hue.

No less popular with amateur flower growers amaranth"Perfect". Bushy type of medium vigor, the plant reaches a height of 75-90 cm. The leaves are very decorative. The upper leaves are rich red, yellow and green colors, but lower leaves It has green coloring with very pronounced burgundy patches.

Amaranth Openwork

For beginner gardeners-lovers of everything, they are very unpretentious in care and unpretentious to the soil and climatic conditions of the variety:

• dark-leaved "Mermaid";
• grain "Helios";
• grain "Lera";
• stern "Aztec";
• stern "Sam";
• "Magic Fountain";
• "Green Tambov";
• "Bronze Age";
• "Glamorous shine";
• "Christmas tree decoration";
• "Red Torch";
• "Handsome";
• "Inspiration";
• "Dance of fire";
• "Aurora";
• "Kesha";
• "Polovtsian dances";
• "Twins";
• "Velveteen".

The varietal feature of the medium-sized "Pigmy Torch" is the formation of dark purple inflorescences, which, in autumn period acquire an unusual chestnut hue. The leaves of the plant are multi-colored. Amaranth"Cascade" up to 70-80 cm high has a powerful and erect stem part. Small flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences no more than 60-80 cm long. Flowering is long and very plentiful. The unpretentious variety "Cherry Jam" refers to early ripe horticultural crops. The above-ground part is up to one and a half meters high. The plant is an excellent source of vegetable valuable easily digestible protein.

Video: how to grow Amaranth

Growing Amaranth from seeds

Seed propagation is one of the most convenient ways obtaining a beautiful and unpretentious annual.

Features of cultivation technology:

• occurs in the last decade of March;
• the use of earth based on humus and clean, disinfected medium-grained sand in a ratio of 3: 1;
• the height of the landing tank with drainage holes is at least 10 cm;
• planting seed material to a depth of one and a half centimeters;
• the use of a film coating to obtain a greenhouse effect;
• germination in a warm and fairly bright place with watering from a household spray bottle; compliance with the air temperature regime at the level of 18-22 ° C.

Young mass seedlings are recommended to be planted in separate seedling containers. Dive is carried out after the appearance of three or four true leaves on the bores. After transplantation, it is advisable to pinch the apical part of the growth point, which will allow you to quickly and well get stronger root system plants. Planting seedlings on permanent place in open ground is usually held in the first decade of May. If necessary, a temporary film shelter is used.

Amaranth: features of planting and care in the open field

After sufficient warming of the soil, planting in open ground is carried out. The growing area should have good lighting and good drainage. Preference should be given to light and nutritious soils. Volunteer extremely hard to endure low temperature conditions, as well as waterlogging of the soil, which must be taken into account when choosing a place for cultivation.

At the preparatory stage, the soil must be dug up onto a spade bayonet while adding 20 g of nitroammophoska for each square meter of a flower garden. Depending on the varietal and species characteristics, the scheme of planting and cultivation may vary. The average distance between them should be approximately 10-30 cm, while maintaining a distance between rows of 45-70 cm. Immediately after planting, for about a couple of weeks, you need to carefully monitor the soil moisture indicators.

During the first month, seedlings are characterized by very slow growth and development, therefore, at this stage of amaranth, it is necessary to provide full care, which consists in watering, weeding and loosening the soil. At the stage of activation of growth processes, watering should be quite rare, only in very dry periods. Top dressing is carried out three to four times per season. For this purpose, it is recommended to use a solution based on mullein diluted in a ratio of 1: 5 and wood ash at the rate of a glass per bucket of water.

Video: how to plant Amaranth

In this article, you can learn about an unusual plant known throughout the world as amaranth or amaranth. It has numerous useful qualities. In addition, amaranth oil is no less popular, which is no less useful than the whole plant.

In America and Mexico, shrubs have been growing for quite some time, even before the Spaniards visited the continent.

“Golden grain of God, Bread of the Incas and wheat of the Aztecs” is what the local population called amoranth, considering it a symbol of eternal life.

This the plant was grown on a larger scale than corn, and was also used both for food and for various rituals. Its foliage is endowed with a natural dye, which is used to give the product a red-scarlet color.

Interesting! Daily "inca bread" was used about 2 thousand years ago for food. There was a word on behalf of Mara, who was the goddess of death, and the letter “A” in front is a negation. If you literally translate the name of the flower, then it means denying death or giving immortality. The Aztecs gave cereals to young children to improve their health, and their fearless warriors were sure to take them on campaigns.

Description and characteristics of Amaranthus

Amaranth is a plant in the amaranth family that grows for only one year and is considered an annual rather than a perennial. It is also called shiritsa, cockscomb or smooth gauze.

It is characterized by a strong thick shoot, the height of which can reach more than one meter. The oblong-lanceolate pointed foliage has purple-red spots. Flowering begins in August and during this period, small flowers bloom on the peduncle, collected in spicate paniculate inflorescences. Flowering lasts almost until the first frost. Forms small black shiny seeds.

Comparison of amaranth with other cereals:

• The protein contained in the smooth mari is 2 times higher than similar substances in wheat.
• The amount of magnesium is 2 to 5 times higher than in wheat or rice.

Use in cooking

IN Lately is especially popular as the plant is used in gluten-free diets. Amaranth flour is a vivid example of this, because it is often used to make various pastries, if you want to treat yourself to something tasty, but you can’t do much!

From the grains of amaranth, flour and cereals are produced. Thanks to the foliage, you can cook salads, sauces, soups and meatballs.

Also, the seeds of the flower are used to create oil with beneficial properties, which in some cases are much more useful than sea buckthorn oil.

Amaranth honey useful properties, which are known to every person, should also be eaten.

Amaranth flour benefits and harms

Useful for:

1. breastfeeding
2. pregnancy
3. allows you to enrich the body with vitamins
4. maintaining normal weight

Important! Do not use in food if you have an individual intolerance.

About the incredible beneficial properties of germinated grains various plants everyone knows. Shiritsa cereals are no exception, because in the sprouted form their benefits become much greater. This is the reason why they are used to treat certain diseases. If you are wondering: how to use amaranth seeds, then you should find out that with their help you can cook not only cereals, but even desserts and much more.

Porridge from amaranth grains

amaranth plant

One of the most common ways used when eating seeds is to make porridge from them. You will need a glass of seeds and 3 tbsp. water. Bring water to a boil and pour cereals into it, which will immediately emerge.

Stir them until they sink to the bottom of the pot.

Be sure to cover the pan with a lid, because the grains will begin to burst. Until the final preparation, it takes about 40 minutes to cook the seeds, not forgetting to stir them regularly. In the event that the water has evaporated, and the seeds are not yet ready, add boiled water.

Properly cooked cereals will allow you to get one serving of tender porridge with a nutty flavor. Of course, some of the people who try it do not want to experience this taste again, but this is individual for each gourmet. To improve the taste, dilute it with dried fruits, honey or cinnamon. You should not completely refuse such an unusual dish, as it contains a lot of nutrients needed by the body.

It is worth noting that the composition does not include gluten, so if you have intolerance to this protein, then giving preference to this porridge, you can not worry about this.

leaf salad

You will need 200 gr. cockscomb foliage, the same number of young nettle leaves, which must be washed and poured with boiling water. In finely chopped leaves, add 50 gr. crushed leaves of wild garlic or feathers of young garlic. Salt and pour the salad with vegetable oil, mix well. You can also dress the salad with sour cream or mayonnaise and add a few boiled eggs to it.

Amaranthus has both nutritional and medicinal properties. Its grass serves as an excellent food for animals.

Despite the fact that the plant is endowed with useful qualities, almost no one grows it, and you can meet shrubs as weeds in the beds or as decorative ornament garden.

What are the beneficial properties

Amaranth pretty useful plants. In scientific circles, many argue about these qualities, but nevertheless, the benefits of cereals have been confirmed.

One of the most important qualities is a charitable effect on the skin. Cockscomb not only slows down aging by smoothing out wrinkles, folds, but also improves skin elasticity. Perfectly copes with skin diseases, cuts, purulent abscesses and wounds.

Useful substances are contained both in the grains and in the foliage and stem of the cockscomb. That is why in order to create delicious meals any part of the flower is used. Special attention should be given to grains. Since ancient times, the Japanese have equated amaranth with the nutritional values ​​​​contained in squid meat, and germinated seeds with milk.

Interesting! It is worth knowing that Peter 1 forbade eating amaranth, but in China amaranth medicinal properties, which is known to many, was used as a means of helping to prolong youth.

The substance squalene is a rather valuable product that is part of the smooth mari. Before it became known about its content in the plant, where it, by the way, is about 10% , people mined squalene from deep-sea sharks, in which it is only 1-2% . That is why not everyone could buy it.

With the help of this substance, organs and tissues are saturated with oxygen, increasing their protective functions, fighting cancer, and also lowering cholesterol in the blood. In addition, thanks to him, the body is struggling with the effects of radioactive exposure.

Amaranth, the benefits and harms in general, have probably already become clear to you, but every representative of the fair sex, without exception, should especially like it. The point is that he due to the presence of squalene rejuvenates the body at the cellular level, therefore, it is often included in cosmetics, and is also used to make homemade masks.

Use in cosmetology

As you already know, amaranth use in traditional medicine is incredibly popular. But in cosmetology, it is no less popular. From it you can prepare masks and lotions that will help tighten and rejuvenate the skin, as well as restore your hair.

Prepare homemade masks:

Can amaranth be harmful?

Absolutely any product tends to affect the body both positively and negatively. Something has proven itself to a greater extent negatively, while the other, such as the amaranth presented to the attention, affects more beneficially.

But! Still worth listening to the following!

Amaranth healing properties, which you have already learned, has practically no contraindications. It can harm the body only if you have:

1. individual intolerance to substances contained in the cockscomb
2. in the presence of urolithiasis and cholelithiasis
3. with pancreatitis and cholecystitis in acute form

Learn about manifestation side effects you can if mild nausea or dizziness sets in.

Video how to cook amaranth bread at home:

Varieties and varieties of cockscomb

Amaranth useful properties and applications are already familiar to you, now it's time to find out what varieties of an unusual flower exist. About 900 species of amaranth grow in the natural environment, while about 17 are cultivated in Russia. Each of them is able to grow in the most unfavorable conditions.

The only thing that the plant does not like is waterlogged soil.

• Amaranth tailed - Amaranthus caudatus

Found in South America, Asia and Africa. The height of a strong thick straight shoot reaches 1.5 meters. Large purple or green foliage of an elongated ovoid shape is decorated with paniculate inflorescences. From June to October, it blooms in balls strewn with crimson and yellow-green flowers.

The following varieties are distinguished:

1. Grunschwartz

A flower with a dense shoot and green inflorescences.

1. Rotschwantz

The height of the shrub reaches 75 cm. It produces red flowers.

• Tricolor amaranth - Amaranthus tricolor

This specimen is a pyramid-shaped shrub with straight shoots ranging from 70 to 150 cm. This name is due to the foliage, painted in three shades. The ovate long leaves are endowed with red, green and yellow. Flowering begins in the first summer days and continues until the first frost.

ornamental variety

There are such varieties as:

1. Early Splendor

It is characterized by purple-green, almost black lower leaves and rich crimson upper ones.

1. Aurora

Shrub with unusual wavy leaves of golden yellow color.

1. Illuminations

It has large dense leaves. While the plant is young, the green is red-yellow, but over time its color changes to red-orange.

• Sad or dark amaranth - Amaranthus hypochondriacus

The branches of this shrub reaches 1.5 meters and is characterized by purple-green, sometimes just green, slightly pointed oblong-lanceolate leaves.

What color the inflorescences will be depends on which variety you choose.

Standout varieties

1. Green Tamb

Compact flower with emerald-colored inflorescences.

1. Pygmy Torch

Shrub, reaching about 60 cm, decorated with colorful leaves and flowers. At first they are painted in a rich purple color, but after a while they acquire a chestnut hue.

• Panicled amaranth is it differently crimson - Amaranthus paniculatus / Amaranthus cruentus

The height of this variety reaches 150 cm. It has a sharp, slightly elongated top with red-brown long leaves. Inflorescences include small flowers that bloom in early July. Pleases others with its flowering until the first mild frosts. This variety is used to convey personal plots unusual and original, as well as for cutting into bouquets.

ornamental variety

Flower growers prefer to dwell on such varieties of panicled amaranth as:

1. Grunefakel.

Relatively low variety, endowed with rich green inflorescences.

1. Zwergtorch.

Height is about 35 cm. Inflorescences consist of small purple flowers.

1. Rother Dam.

The height of a medium-sized shrub reaches half a meter. The branches are decorated, saturated with red leaves, among which are dark burgundy flowers.

1. Hot Biscuit.

One of the most gigantic paniculate giants above a meter. It is characterized by a strong stem with bright emerald foliage and catchy fiery red crests.

What you need to know when growing amaranth

Amaranth what it is you already know, now it's time to learn how to grow it properly.

The most important thing that you should remember is that amaranth is quite demanding on the soil composition.

• The first thing to make sure is that the soil has warmed up to 6 degrees to a depth of about 45 cm.
• Also, you should remember that the ascended plant needs regular watering.
• It will not be superfluous to get rid of weeds.

That is why seedlings should be sown before the cold days come outside, which will allow the sprouts to break through before the weeds and you do not have to weed the beds. If you are interested in the question: where does amaranth grow in Russia, then you should know what it is. unpretentious flower and you can meet him in any city. In the northern regions, before planting, you need to prepare a greenhouse, where flowering shrubs will grow.

During the growing season, there is practically no need to take care of the bush. In the event that you planted it correctly, following the rules, you will soon be able to enjoy lush flowering. After sowing, seedlings take a long time to sprout, so the cultivation of cockscomb is practiced with seedlings or by sowing seeds into the soil in the autumn.

How to sow seeds

Growing amaranth from seeds requires following some rules that will help you get healthy seedlings in the future.

For sowing, you can use universal soil sold in stores, or you can make it yourself.

To do this, take in equal shares (1:1:1)

• humus
• sod land

Mix well.

The result is loose, moisture-retaining soil. Boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate will help you get rid of possible pathogenic microflora.

If you will grow amaranth in cold regions, then this business should be done in the first half of February. Since the days are short in winter, you will need additional lighting for future seedlings.

Sequential actions for the correct sowing of amaranth seeds for seedlings:

1. You will need boxes that are about 10 cm high.
2. Fill them with a moistened mixture and deepen the seedlings into it by about 0.5 cm.
3. Be sure to use a sprayer, spray the seeds and cover them with polyethylene or glass.
4. The air temperature should not fall below +22 degrees.
5. At proper fit and leaving the sprouts will appear after about five days. From now on, move the drawers to a well-lit area and remove the glass.
6. Be sure to water the seedlings regularly and remove excess seedlings if they are close together.

Advice! In order for the roots to be able to get stronger, it is necessary to pinch the top of the seedlings. Replanting them will also help speed up the process.

After the air outside warms up to +4 degrees and does not fall below this mark, then a young smooth gauze should be planted in an open flower garden.

How to properly plant in open ground

You already know what amaranth is and how useful it is, now it's time to find out how to plant this shrub in your garden. Since it is undemanding in care, it can be planted in any part of the front garden.

But! To achieve more lush flowering and bright saturation of greenery, give preference to certain areas, build on the following tips:

The sapling plant useful properties of the photo, which proves all its beauty, should be located at a distance of at least 40 or 50 cm from each other. Prepare the holes in advance where the bushes will fit, and as soon as you lightly tamp the ground around them, do not forget to water them.

At first, the growth of the flower will be slow, so do not worry about this. Once every 7-10 days, monitor the cockscomb, removing weeds from the beds and thinning it out. After the shoot grows up to 20 cm, you don’t have to worry about weeds, as they will not harm the amaranth. Now you have to pay much less attention to care.

Amaranth after flowering: wintering

In its natural environment, smooth gauze is perennial, but due to too low temperatures in winter, as a rule, it dies.

• With the onset of autumn, as soon as all decorativeness is lost, dig up the bush and dispose of it.
• In the event that the cockscomb was not infected with any disease, then it can be sent to the compost.
• The above-ground part of the bush contains protein, carotene and vitamin C, which makes it possible to feed it to poultry or pigs.

Proper collection and storage of plant components

Amaranth food, which turns out to be quite tasty and nutritious, requires timely collection seeds or leaves.

Drying

How and when to collect amaranth seeds? The procedure is carried out at the time of flowering. To begin with, you should choose a few of the strongest bushes and do not remove foliage from them. After the foliage turns red, dries up and falls off, and the stem fades, you need to start collecting.

Store in a cardboard box or paper bag in a dark place. After harvesting, seedlings are able to sprout and grow into young sprouts for no more than five years.

Foliage and shoots of smooth mari should be prepared as soon as it has faded, unlike grains.

From dried leaves and flowers, delicious amaranth tea is obtained, lovers of unusual tastes will definitely appreciate it.

In addition to the usual drying of the plant for people, there is another good way to save the amoranth plant for later use after the cold comes.

Freezing for the winter

For freezing, you only need leaves that can retain their color. Greens are cut off from the shoot, washed, dried and laid out on a board or other flat surface, after which it is sent to freezer. After the leaves are completely frozen, transfer them to a special container and send them to be stored in the freezer.

Conclusion

Possessing incredible decorative effect, amaranth every year is becoming more and more popular not only among professional flower growers, but also among amateurs. In addition, this unusual shrub is also has useful properties and is used for food.

Thanks to the cockscomb, you can create an original background for other flowering plants, or give brightness to a green lawn.

But the biggest advantage is the unpretentiousness of the shrub and the ability to take root even in the most adverse conditions.

Amaranth oil useful properties video review:

Amaranth, or common bread

Amaranth: for beauty and health

Amaranth upturned, or common amaranth

Medicinal properties of amaranth

The indigenous population of South America began to cultivate amaranth 8 thousand years ago. Amaranth products have been part of the diet of the Aztecs and Incas for many centuries. Amaranth is a natural source of calcium. Use it fresh (summer) or dry (winter)- excellent prevention of osteoporosis (bone fragility). Amaranth significantly reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, coronary disease heart, regulates metabolic processes. The leaves contain a lot of protein, well balanced in amino acids, which has good solubility and is easy to extract. In addition, the leaves contain nutrients and medicinal substances for humans: starch, vitamins, pigments, pectins, trace elements. Amaranth grain contains up to 8% oil, in which up to 10% squalene is found. Squalene is the main component of human skin. Due to the fact that squalene is part of the cells of the skin, it is easily absorbed and penetrates into the body. Squalene is able to increase the strength of the immune system several times, thereby ensuring the body's resistance to various diseases.

plant description

Amaranth- It is an annual plant of the amaranth family. Plants reach 2-3 m in height, with a stem thickness of 8-10 cm, weighing from 3-5 to 30 kg. Inflorescence- lush panicle, up to 1.5 m long different shapes and density. Seeds are small, various colors. Germination is maintained up to 5 years. homeland of amaranth- Central and South America. There are 65 genera and about 900 species of amaranth in the world. In Russia, 17 species are known.

Amaranth: growing conditions

Growing amaranth is extremely simple. This plant is undemanding to living conditions. And if you plant it in fertile land, with enough moisture, you can grow a magnificent specimen. It must be remembered that amaranth- the plant is southern, therefore, with the threat of frost, it must be covered.

Amaranth breeding method

Amaranth grows very fast. Seeds are sown in May in open ground to a depth of 1 cm. After a week, seedlings appear, and at the end of June, amaranth inflorescences appear.

You can grow amaranth through seedlings. It tolerates picking and transplanting well. Amaranth often propagates by self-sowing. When growing amaranth, it must be remembered that it is a cross-pollination, it is highly cross-pollinated with other species, including wild ones. This must be kept in mind when seeding amaranth. At the same time, this property makes it possible for even amateurs to develop new varieties.

The main types and varieties of amaranth

In floriculture, amaranth is used quite widely. These plants are decorative until frost.

Breeders have bred many varieties of amaranth. There are varieties for fodder purposes, others are used as vegetable plants. The weight of such a plant can reach 30 kg. However, amaranth has not only medicinal value, but is also widely used for decorative purposes. Amaranth- a magnificent plant with bright red, purple or golden flowers, with various types of panicles, straight or drooping and variously colored foliage.

From low grades, you can form borders, ridges. From tall species, hedges are obtained. They also look good in the center of the flower bed. Low-growing varieties of amaranth are suitable for growing in containers. The most common types of amaranth used in ornamental gardening- paniculate amaranth, dark amaranth, tricolor amaranth, tailed amaranth and their numerous varieties. The most famous species is celosia.- cockscomb, the inflorescence of which is similar to the comb of a rooster and is represented by a large number of garden forms: white, yellow, pink, crimson, bright red, purple and even variegated. Amaranth inflorescences- lovely dry flower.

Pests and diseases of amaranth

Like many plants, amaranth leaves are often affected by aphids. Excessive moisture can cause various fungal diseases.

Collection and processing of raw materials

IN medicinal purposes young leaves of amaranth are consumed as a vegetable. Both cultivated and wild-growing varieties of amaranth, such as amaranth (a weed in our gardens), are suitable for food. Salads, mashed potatoes, soups, all kinds of additives to the first and second courses are prepared from young leaves. Young leaves can be harvested for future use by natural drying in the shade or in ovens at a temperature of 30...35°C. In mature plants, young shoots and leaves are cut repeatedly throughout the summer. The Japanese compare amaranth greens with squid meat and recommend its regular use.

Application

Currently, amaranth is successfully used in India, China and other countries for inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system in women and men, hemorrhoids, anemia, beriberi, loss of strength, diabetes, obesity, neurosis, skin diseases and burns, stomatitis, periodontitis, stomach diseases and others. Amaranth is able to compensate for the deficiency of protein, vitamins and microelements in the human diet. Amaranth oil was tested in St. Petersburg at the Research Institute of Oncology. Petrov, in Moscow in the Burdenko hospital, in the burn center at the Research Institute for Emergency Medicine. Sklifosovsky. The results are as follows: there is no better immunity activator yet.

Since amaranth is both decorative and medicinal plant, and a vegetable, there are many recipes for its preparation.

Soup dressing from amaranth leaves. Dry and chop young amaranth leaves. Use for dressing soups at the rate of: 1 tsp. dressings for 1 serving of soup.

Salad with fresh amaranth leaves. Rinse 200 g of young amaranth leaves, cut into strips, put in a salad bowl, add 30 g of finely chopped green onions and 20 g of chopped parsley. Fill 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.

Omelet with amaranth. Mix 2 eggs with finely chopped young amaranth leaves. Pour into skillet and bring to a boil.

Cutlets from amaranth leaves. Boil 200 g of young amaranth leaves for 5 minutes, chop, add 2 eggs, 1 chopped onion, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 2 tbsp. l. grated cheese, 2 tbsp. l. wheat flour, 1 tbsp. l. fine wheat groats. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Form cutlets from the resulting mass, roll in breadcrumbs, fry in vegetable oil on both sides. Add 1 cup water or vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.

Amaranth leaf dumplings. Rub with one egg 3 tbsp. l. flour, adding a little water, knead an elastic dough. Mix finely chopped amaranth leaves, chopped green onions, dill and parsley into the dough for dumplings. Salt and black pepper- taste. Dip pieces of dough into the boiling broth using a wet teaspoon. After the dumplings float, they are brought to readiness.

Tea from leaves and seeds of amaranth. From fresh or dried leaves, you can brew tea in a thermos, like wild rose.

Seeds are used as follows: 1 tbsp. l. panicles with seeds are crushed and poured with a glass of boiling water, after 20 minutes they filter and drink a quarter of a glass 3 times a day for half an hour before meals and at bedtime.

amaranth seeds used in confectionery. Lightly toasted seeds are added to the baking dough.

If you add flour from amaranth grains to the wheat flour dough, then the muffin does not get stale for a long time.

T. Lybina

vegetable amaranth

The amaranth family is widely distributed throughout the world. But, unfortunately, amaranth is still not very well known in our country, although in many countries this culture is now experiencing a real boom.

Amaranth- annual herbaceous plant. Currently, more than 50 of its species are known, which are used mainly in ornamental horticulture or are weedy. But some types of amaranth are used as grain (tailed, paniculate) or vegetable (prickly) crops. There are also weeds (zhminda) among them.

The name of this plant comes from the Greek word "amaranthos"- i.e. unfading flower. Amaranth (popularly- amaranth, svekolnik, rubella)- an annual plant widely used as a chic decoration of any site and completely undeservedly and incomprehensibly forgotten by man as a universal food crop.

Amaranth- very powerful plant. Its stems, depending on species and varietal differences, are fleshy, up to 1.5 m high (in ornamental varieties it can be much higher). The root of amaranth is taproot, thick in the upper part, going into the ground to a depth of 2-3 m, from where it receives most of the nutrition and moisture. Among amaranths there are upright, rising, creeping plants with a great variety of leaves. According to some foreign experts, up to 40% of its above-ground mass consists of leaves.

The leaves are large, entire, elliptical, arranged alternately or oppositely, with entire edges, have long petioles. The leaves are colored green, yellowish or red in various shades, sometimes spotted. In vegetable varieties, the leaves are very tender and juicy.

Numerous amaranth flowers are small, orange or greenish. They are collected in dense, drooping, spicate, branched. panicles up to 60 cm long of different colors: brownish-red, raspberry or purple-red. In some forms of amaranth, the tailed inflorescence droops almost to the base of the stem.

It blooms from June until the first frost. At this time, amaranth is exclusively decorative. And its very numerous small seeds have various colors(yellow, cream, brown, black) and retain their germination capacity up to 4-5 years.

Unfortunately, vegetable amaranth is on our garden plots - is still a rarity. Yes and decorative varieties Amaranth is also not often seen in the garden.

At present, excellent domestic varieties of vegetable amaranth are available in specialized stores.

Valentine - the only vegetable variety of amaranth recommended for mass production. It is intended for use fresh, boiled, fried and dried. Plant height up to 150 cm or more. Numerous shoots are located throughout the stem. Leaves entire, red-violet, erect inflorescence, medium density, purple. The variety has a very high content of proteins, pectins, biologically active substances. Productivity up to 4 kg per 1 m2.

burly - an early ripening vegetable variety of amaranth, intended for the use of leaves, young shoots and inflorescences in fresh and dried form. Plants up to 130-140 cm high. Brown inflorescence with red spots.

In memory of Kvasov - versatile vegetable variety, suitable for all types of processing. The plant is 100-110 cm high. The inflorescences are red with a brown tint. The leaves are dark green and very delicate.

white leaf (White list)- dwarf variety amaranth. The plant has light leaves and stems, very juicy, tender and tasty. They are cut at a plant height of only 18-20 cm. It grows well in winter in a box on the windowsill.

Shuntuk - universal variety of amaranth, suitable as a vegetable crop, for grain production and for fodder purposes.

Varieties intended for fodder purposes Kizlyarets, Podmoskovny, Sterkh. But the young greens of these varieties are suitable for use as vegetables.

GROWING AMARANTH

Amaranth is demanding on heat, grows well and gives abundant greenery in the hottest summer. Autumn short-term temperature drops to zero degrees endure without much damage. This plant is very resistant to lack of moisture in the soil, and at the same time it is very responsive to abundant moisture, but does not tolerate stagnant water. Amaranth is exceptionally photophilous. Its leaf blades, like sunflower flower baskets, turn towards the sun throughout the day. But he- a plant with short daylight hours and under conditions of long daylight hours may not produce seeds.

Amaranth is a plant that is very demanding on the structure and fertility of the soil, but will grow well on acidic, sandy and even stony soils. Soil preparation for growing amaranth should begin in the fall immediately after harvesting the predecessor, introducing 1 bucket of well-rotted manure or compost for deep digging and, if necessary, superphosphate and potash fertilizers, as well as wood ash.

During spring shallow digging, nitrogen fertilizers should not be abused, since with their excess in the soil, amaranth can accumulate nitrogen in the leaves and stems in the form of nitrates. This property must be taken into account when growing it. At the same time, one should not forget that similar property possess many vegetables that we constantly grow in our garden, but we simply do not suspect this feature of them.

Amaranth is propagated by seeds and seedlings (in amateur gardens- more often). The germination of its seeds begins already at a temperature of 1...4°C, but optimum temperature 20...25°C .

The best time for sowing amaranth seeds in the ground- when the danger of frost has passed. Therefore, it is better to sow seeds in a sunny place in warm soil 1.5 weeks after sowing beets, when the soil warms up to 15 ... 16 ° C, placing rows from north to south. To extend the period of receipt of young greens, it is necessary to carry out repeated crops with an interval of 12-15 days.

Before sowing in the garden, all weed shoots should be carefully removed. Seeds are buried in the soil only 1-2 cm, because they are very small. To facilitate sowing, it is advisable to pre-mix the seeds with sifted fine river sand or wood ash in a ratio of 1:15. After sowing, the soil must be slightly rolled.

To obtain good seedlings, amaranth seeds are scattered in bulk in a sowing box filled with a loose nutrient mixture and sprinkled with moist soil. Then this box must be put in a plastic bag and put in a warm place. Shoots under favorable conditions will appear in 10-12 days. In the phase of the first true leaf, amaranth seedlings dive.

At the end of May- in early June, seedlings are planted in open ground after 10-12 cm in a row, followed by thinning in rows through the plant and 45-50 cm between rows, and when grown only on young greens according to the 15x15 cm scheme. At first, young plants develop slowly and need protection from weeds so that they do not drown them out. In the future, amaranth begins to grow rapidly (up to 5-7 cm per day) and itself drowns out all the weeds in the garden, including sow thistle with wheatgrass. As they grow, excess amaranth plants are removed and eaten.

Amaranth tolerates thickening in rows well. At the same time, plants have thinner and more delicate stems.

Amaranth crops in the first 3 weeks require weeding twice a day until the root is formed and the plant is gaining strength. Further care for amaranth consists in thinning plants, loosening row spacing, regular watering and fertilizing mineral fertilizers and mullein solution. On a bed with amaranth, the soil should not be deeply loosened, since its lateral roots are located close to the surface.

The growing season of amaranth for growing greens is up to 70 days, for growing seeds- twice as much. Amaranth leaves begin to cut from the bottom as needed. So that the amaranth stem does not lose its juiciness, it is better to cut the plant when it reaches a size of 20-25 cm, since giants do not need to be grown for these purposes. Plants grow well after cutting from buds located at the bottom of the stem. In larger and mature plants, the upper leafy part of the stem is cut off no more than 40 cm long.

The green mass of amaranth is obtained in 2-3 cuttings. the greatest nutritional value gives the first cut before flowering. With normal care, the yield of green mass reaches 4-5 kg ​​per 1 m2 or more. To obtain seeds, plants are left in a row at a distance of at least 25-30 cm from each other.

Amaranth seeds usually ripen in early September; when panicles turn orange. At the same time, the lower leaves on the plants dry out and fall off, the stems change color from green to very light, and when the panicles are shaken, the seeds begin to crumble. Plants are cut at the base, mature panicles are laid out thin layer and dried under a canopy in a draft for 5--7 days. Then the seeds are threshed and dried up to 12-15 days, scattering them in a thin layer.

Attention! Amaranth- cross-pollinating plant. Not only cultivated varieties interbreed with each other, but also varietal amaranth can dust with wild and weed species. Therefore, amaranth seeds for sowing must be purchased at a specialized seed store.

Many Western scientists dealing with amaranth believe that this- wonder plant. Experts of the UN Food Commission recognized amaranth as the most important food crop of the 21st century. This is what he foresaw in the first half of the 20th century. academician N. I. Vavilov, who believed that it was amaranth that was destined to feed humanity in the future.

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS AMARANTH FEEDS AND HEALS

The experience of ancient healers, as well as today's phytotherapists, shows that amaranth greens and grains have a very high medicinal, dietary and nutritional value.

Amaranth is valued in many countries because of its exceptionally high protein content of the highest quality, which includes almost all essential amino acids. Amaranth seeds contain up to 20% protein, a lot of it in the green mass. Amaranth protein contains the most important amino acid for humans- lysine, as much as in soybeans. Moreover, amaranth protein is absorbed by the human body better than wheat, corn or soy protein.

Amaranth leaves, in addition to high protein content, are the richest source of vitamin C (up to 110 mg per 100 g of leaves), carotene (up to 10 mg /%), vitamin P (up to 20 mg /%), etc. They contain a significant the amount of biogenic forms of silicon, which plays an important role in metabolism and is especially necessary for elderly and elderly people.

According to the content of nutrients in the leaves, vegetable forms of amaranth are similar to the "king of vegetables" spinach, but significantly exceed it in protein content. The Japanese compare amaranth greens with squid meat.

Amaranth oil contains a lot of protein and valuable biochemical compounds. It reduces the content of radionuclides in the body, inhibits the development of malignant tumors, removes heavy metals from the body, and is very effective in the treatment of burns. Some experts believe that its properties are superior to sea buckthorn oil.

Sprouted amaranth seeds are equivalent to mother's milk in terms of the content of nutrients. According to some nutritionists, the nutritional value of amaranth is higher than that of buckwheat. The meat of animals grown on feed containing amaranth has a special taste and is valued much more expensive abroad. And amaranth inflorescences contain a very large amount of organic silicon. Amaranth tea- the best medicine for the initial stage of diabetes, it helps with obesity, atherosclerosis, neurosis, strengthens the immune system, is indicated for dysbacteriosis. That is why it is very useful to enrich green and black teas with amaranth leaves.

The use of greens and grains of amaranth contributes. effective healing of the kidneys and liver, treatment of adenoma and cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory processes of the urinary system, cures bedwetting in children.

It is believed that regular consumption of amaranth helps restore vitality and rejuvenates the body, protects a person from diseases, helps fight tumors, treats impotence, etc.

The stems, leaves and flowers of amaranth are used in folk medicine as a strong hemostatic agent for internal bleeding, water infusions are taken for stomach pain and headaches.

Amaranth is widely used as a food product. It is fried, boiled, dried, baked, added to soups. The stem and young leaves, plucked before flowering, are used like spinach or raw lettuce to make high-protein salads. To make the leaves tender, you can pre-soak them for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, and then cook soup on this water. Since amaranth leaves do not have a special taste, it is advisable to use them along with other vegetables. It can also be prepared for the winter by freezing, drying and canning.

If, when preserving cucumbers, one amaranth leaf is added to a 3-liter jar, then the cucumbers will be fresh and elastic until spring. Amaranth seed flour can be mixed with wheat flour in a ratio of 1:2 and used for baking.

From fresh and dried amaranth leaves, a fragrant drink is obtained. If you add lemon balm and oregano to it, then the tea will not yield to the best Indian varieties in aroma. Toasted amaranth seeds taste like nuts and are especially good in baked goods. By the way, many food products with amaranth additives have been produced in the USA for a long time.

For livestock amaranth- wonderful food, besides, it gives 2-3 cuttings of greenery over the summer. Being a very tall plant, it is excellent for flower decoration in the form of groups and single plants on the background of the lawn. It is suitable for cutting, which is best used in independent bouquets without adding other flowers.

By the way, amaranth inflorescences have the property not to change their shape or color when dried. In this form, they can be used to arrange dry bouquets.

DISHES FROM AMARANTH

Salad with fresh amaranth leaves

For 200 g of amaranth leaves- 30 g green onions, 20 g parsley, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, salt- taste.

Cut young amaranth leaves into strips, put in a salad bowl, add finely chopped green onions and parsley, season with vegetable oil.

Cutlets from amaranth leaves

For 200 g of boiled finely crushed amaranth - 2 eggs, 1 chopped onion, 2 tbsp. l. grated cheese, 2 tbsp. l. chopped bread, 2 tbsp. l. wheat flour, black pepper, vegetable oil, salt- taste.

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients, if the resulting mass is very thick, then you need to add a little milk. Form cutlets, roll in breadcrumbs and fry. Serve with lemon juice.

Amaranth seed meatballs

For 200 g of roasted amaranth seeds or flour and amaranth - 150 g of finely chopped meat, 4 eggs, salt.

Mix all ingredients until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Form meatballs with a diameter of about 4 cm. Cook like meatballs. Serve with mild tomato sauce.

Soup dressing from amaranth leaves

Dry the young leaves of amaranth and chop. Use for dressing soups at the rate of 1 tsp, dressings per serving of soup.

D. Chernyaeva

Amaranth will feed all mankind

The name of this plant comes from the Greek word "amaranthos", i.e. unfading flower. Amaranth (popularly - bread, candlestick, rubella) is an ancient annual plant widely used as a chic decoration for any site and completely undeservedly and incomprehensibly forgotten by man as a universal food plant.

Amaranth is native to Central America, where it has been grown for eight millennia as a cereal crop along with corn. In Europe, amaranth seeds have been found in excavations dating back to the time of piled buildings. But after the conquest of Central America by the Spaniards, amaranth was forgotten for almost 500 years.

And only in the last decades of the 20th century, it was again “discovered” by scientists and began to spread around the world as an outstanding grain, vegetable, fodder, green manure and flower crop.

Amaranth is a very powerful plant. Its stems, depending on species and varietal differences, are fleshy, 0.5 to 1.5 m high (in ornamental varieties it can be much higher). The root of amaranth is taproot, thick in the upper part, going into the ground to a depth of 2-3 meters, from where it "receives" most of the nutrition and moisture.

Among amaranths there are upright, rising and creeping plants. Plants have a great variety of leaves. According to some foreign experts, up to 40% of its above-ground mass consists of leaves.

The leaves are large, entire, elliptical, have long petioles. They are colored green, yellowish or red in various shades, sometimes spotted. In vegetable varieties, the leaves are very tender and juicy.

Numerous flowers are small, orange or greenish. They are collected in dense, drooping, spike-shaped, branched panicles up to 60 cm long of different colors: brownish-red, raspberry or purple-red. In some forms of amaranth, the tailed inflorescence droops almost to the base of the stem and is extremely decorative.

It blooms from June until the first frost. At this time, amaranth is exclusively decorative. And its very numerous small seeds have different colors - yellow, cream, brown, black - and retain their germination capacity up to 4-5 years.

Unfortunately, vegetable amaranth in our garden plots is the biggest rarity. Yes, and decorative varieties are also not often seen in the garden.

Currently, excellent domestic varieties of vegetable amaranth are available in stores:

Valentine- This is a vegetable variety, recommended for mass production. It is intended for use fresh, boiled, fried and dried. Plant height up to 150 cm or more. Numerous shoots are located throughout the stem. The leaves are whole, red-violet, erect inflorescence, medium density, purple.

burly- an early ripening vegetable variety, intended for the use of leaves, young shoots and inflorescences in fresh and dried form. Plants up to 130-140 cm high. Brown inflorescence with red spots.

In memory of Kvasov- universal vegetable variety, suitable for all types of processing. The plant is 100-110 cm tall. The inflorescences are red with a brown tint. The leaves are dark green and very delicate.

White Leaf (White Leaf)- dwarf variety of amaranth. The plant has light leaves and stems, very juicy, tender and tasty. They are cut at a plant height of only 18-20 cm. It grows well in winter in a box on the windowsill.

Shuntuk- a universal variety suitable as a vegetable crop, for grain production and for fodder purposes.

For fodder purposes, the varieties Kizlyarets, Podmoskovny, Sterkh are intended. But their young greens are suitable for use as vegetables.

Growing amaranth

Amaranth is an unpretentious plant according to its requirements for natural growing conditions. It is demanding on heat, grows well and gives abundant greenery in the hottest summer. It is resistant to lack of moisture in the soil and at the same time very responsive to abundant moisture, but does not tolerate stagnant water.

Autumn short-term temperature drops to zero degrees endure without much damage. However, seedlings and young plants die when spring frosts, and adult plants are damaged by the first autumn frosts.

Amaranth is exceptionally photophilous. Its leaf blades, like sunflower flower baskets, turn towards the sun throughout the day. But he is a plant of short daylight hours and in conditions of long daylight hours may not produce seeds.

However, when grown as a vegetable plant, in order to get abundant and tender greens, it must be diverted to fertile, well-moistened soils, but it will grow well on acidic, sandy and even stony soils.

Soil preparation for its cultivation should begin in the fall, introducing 1 bucket of rotted manure or compost and, if necessary, superphosphate and potash fertilizers, as well as wood ash, for deep digging.

During spring shallow digging, one should not abuse nitrogen fertilizers very much, since if they are in excess in the soil, it can accumulate nitrogen in the leaves and stems in the form of nitrates. This property of amaranth must be taken into account when growing it. At the same time, one should not forget that many vegetables that we constantly grow in our garden have the same property, but we simply do not suspect this feature.

Amaranth is propagated by seeds and seedlings. Germination of its seeds begins already at a temperature of 3-4°C, but the optimum temperature is 20-25°C.

The best time to sow seeds in the ground is when the threat of frost has passed. Therefore, it is better to sow seeds in a sunny place in warm soil 1.5 weeks after sowing beets, when the soil warms up to 18-20 ° C, placing rows from north to south. To extend the period of receipt of young greens, it is necessary to carry out repeated crops with an interval of 12-15 days.

Before sowing in the garden, it is necessary to carefully remove all shoots of weeds. Seeds are buried in the soil only 1-2 cm, because they are very small. To facilitate sowing, it is advisable to pre-mix the seeds with sifted fine river sand or wood ash in a ratio of 1:15. After sowing, the soil must be slightly rolled.

To obtain good seedlings, amaranth seeds are scattered in bulk in a sowing box filled with a loose nutrient mixture and sprinkled with moist soil. Then this box should be put in a plastic bag and placed in warm place. Shoots under favorable conditions will appear in 10-12 days. In the phase of the first true leaf, amaranth seedlings dive.

In late May - early June, seedlings are planted in open ground every 10-12 cm in a row, followed by thinning in rows through the plant and 45-50 cm between rows, and when grown only on young greens - according to the scheme 15x15 cm.

Young plants develop slowly at first and need protection from weeds to keep them from drowning them out. In the future, amaranth begins to grow rapidly (up to 5-7 cm per day) and itself drowns out all the weeds in the garden, including sow thistle with wheatgrass. As they grow, excess amaranth plants are removed and eaten.

Remember!!! Amaranth tolerates thickening in rows well. At the same time, plants have thinner and more delicate stems.

Amaranth crops in the first three weeks require weeding twice a day, while the root is forming and the plant is gaining strength. Further care for amaranth consists in thinning plants, loosening row spacing, regular watering and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers and mullein solution.

On a bed with amaranth, the soil should not be deeply loosened, since its lateral roots are located close to the surface ...

V. G. Shafransky

***

Amaranth seeds in section