Valuable decorative, food, medicinal and fodder crops amaranth: planting and care

Amaranth is known as an eternal, or unfading flower. In some ancient tribes of South America, he was even a cult plant, a symbol of immortality. In the people un-cultivated species of amaranth are called shirits. To date, amaranth, planting and caring for which are carried on many household plots, is a rather valuable culture, which has a wide scope of application: agriculture, cooking, landscape design, floristics. What is the secret of this plant and what you need to know about it to successfully grow on your site?

Amaranth: a general characteristic

Amaranth, planting and care of which is carried out on homestead plots of the Russian region, is an annual herb plant capable of reaching 2 m in height, with numerous egg-shaped leaves alternating on the trunk and luxurious metatelike inflorescences. Staining of trunks, leaves and inflorescences can be yellowish-green or rich-purple. Most amaranth varieties of panicles, in which small tatty flowers are collected, have a drooping appearance, but there are decorative species with erect inflorescences. Amaranth, caring for which is carried out properly, can give up to 6 million seeds from each bush. These seeds are very small, can have a purple or green color, depending on what color the mother plant was. Their germination lasts for several years. The root of the amaranth can penetrate into the soil for 2.5 m and reach the groundwater level, therefore, if the soil is moistened excessively in the area, the shiren can be used as an excellent soil dehumidifier.

Amaranth: planting and care

Amaranth - a plant unpretentious. He feels great on any soil, even saline, well tolerates droughts and temperature changes. Excellent amaranth rises, landing which is carried out as a self-sowing, and purposefully in the greenhouse or on open beds. In the spring of the seedlings of amaranth there can be very many, so they can be weeded out. In the first 2-3 weeks, the young shiite bush gives all the strength to the development of a powerful root system and only then builds up the above-ground part, so you need to ensure that the weeds and other plants growing around simply do not crush the amaranth. Very well, this culture responds to the introduction of organic and complex mineral fertilizers.

Application of amaranth in landscape design and floristics

In most cases, the amaranth, planting and care of which is carried out on the plot, is used for decoration. In this amaranth planted and massively, in the form of a hedge, and separately standing plants to give a complete look to the beds.

The fact that the amaranth is called the "eternal" flower is true because its cut and dried panicles retain their decorative properties for a long time, therefore they are widely used in making compositions from dried flowers.

Amaranth in cooking

Long since the seeds of amaranth flour was produced. Today it is sometimes added to the dough for biscuits, gingerbread, pies and cakes. Valuable properties also have amaranth oil, which is added to salads, taken before meals to strengthen immunity, rubbed into the skin of hands and face. Fresh leaves of amaranth are used to make salads, cold summer soups, and also when pickling vegetables.

Amaranth in agriculture

From the stems and leaves of amaranth is obtained excellent compost and silage for animals.

In short, amaranth is not only a beautiful ornamental plant, but also a valuable food, medicinal and fodder crop, the value of which is very often undeservedly understated.