Amaranth or shchiritsa – many well-known annual plant. But not everyone knows that it is a rather ancient culture, having a long history of 8 thousand years. Initially amaranth came to us from South America, after some time having conquered all the continents.
In our country, amaranth is often grown as a decorative element of garden design. This is understandable – the plant has a very attractive appearance that will not leave anyone indifferent.
Let us examine how to grow amaranth on your own site.
Growing amaranth is now engaged in an increasing number of people. Such popularity is due to chic amaranth inflorescences, similar to bright maroon earrings. The height of the flower stalks reaches 140 centimeters.
Amaranth has taproot capable of growing literally in any soil. The only thing is that the land should be light, and the landing place should have good illumination. A big plus of amaranth is that it is quite drought-resistant and will not require any special care.
Not everyone knows that in addition to the beautiful appearance, shchiritsa boasts a mass of healing properties. For example, in ancient Chinese medicine, it was considered a means capable of slowing aging. And the ancient Aztecs made this plant the basis of their daily diet, because amaranth significantly surpasses all other cereals in the content of nutrients.
To date, schiritsa successfully used in the treatment of various inflammatory processes. Especially the high efficacy of schiritsa shown in the fight against diseases of the urinary system.
Moreover, this plant should enter the lives of those who suffer from hemorrhoids, diabetes, anemia, loss of strength, vitamin deficiency, all sorts of skin diseases, gastric and duodenal ulcers and atherosclerosis.
It is noteworthy that all the beauty of amaranth, full of healing properties, will delight the gardener’s eye until the frost!
Planting amaranth seeds
Schichitsa breeding occurs by seed. As a rule, gardeners begin planting in mid-May, without waiting for the onset of intense heat. The middle of May is an ideal period, because at this time the earth is already warm enough and you can not worry that the fragile seeds will freeze and grow.
It is best to sow the seeds in the beds that have previously been fertilized with mineral or organic substances. By the end of May, the gardener should notice the first very thin and weak plants. You need to be prepared for the fact that a couple of weeks it will seem that the stalks do not grow at all, but this is a mistaken impression. Already after 3 weeks the plant will rapidly begin to gain height and strength.
Care for seedlings is quite simple – do not forget to thin out them in a timely manner. The distance between seedlings should be no more than 20 centimeters. Another prerequisite for those who want to grow a beautiful amaranth is regular watering.
You can also reproduce the thyrist by cuttings, nibbling small twigs, 7-10 centimeters long, in autumn and rooting them. This can be done both in water and in a glass with a primer. With this approach, by the spring you will have strong and, most importantly, ready to plant seedlings on the windowsill.
Planting amaranth in pots
Gardeners often plant amaranth in pots. This option is best suited to those who live in a cool climate. First, you need to sow the seeds in pots, and then exactly 30 days later transplant them into the ground. Consider an important point: amaranth grows quite strongly, so even a small plant should be alone in a pot.
Before transplanting amaranth in the ground, check the status of its root system and stems. They must be strong and strong. Moreover, we can not allow the stretching of seedlings. To do this, conduct a special hardening: change the plant temperature.
Immediately before planting in the ground amaranth should be poured abundantly. This will make it easy to get it out of the pot without damaging either the stem or the roots.
It is best to replant the shchiritsu in overcast weather, or at the end of the day, when the sun has already hidden and will not burn still quite weak seedlings. Planted plants need to slope, deepening not less than before the first leaf.
To care for already planted plants should be exactly the same as for seedlings.
Want to increase branching? Then pinch the top of the amaranth. It is best to do this in late June or early July. This process is also useful in that it increases the ovary of the inflorescences of schiritsa.
Soil for growing amaranth
To grow a seedling out of seeds at home, you can use a universal primer. It is important that the selected soil mixture has a fairly loose structure, and also contains useful minerals and trace elements.
Ideal soil option: mixing in equal parts of humus, sod land and peat. Before sowing seeds, you can add wood ash, mineral, nitrogen or superphosphate fertilizers to the soil.
It is very important to disinfect the soil before sowing. To do this, use a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. This remedy perfectly kills soil-borne pathogens.
Varieties of decorative amaranth
The most popular types of decorative shchiritsy are:
Plant tricolor varieties can reach 150 centimeters in height. This type of amaranth received such a name because of the tricolor color: its leaves have a yellow-red-green color. And all this beauty will delight the eye until the frosts!
Care tricolor amaranth does not require much effort. You only need to regularly water the plant and weed from time to time.
Interesting: the tricolor look especially attractive looks at a young age.
The tail amaranth is considered to be the most common species. It is the same as tricolor can reach a height of about 1.5 places. This variety looks like a bush, standing on a straight powerful stem, and having sprawling greens. Small flowers of the caudate amaranth are collected in long inflorescences hanging down.
Care for the tailed amaranth is as easy as for any other.
Interestingly, this kind of Schyritsa is capable of producing just a huge amount of seeds that can be sown and next year plant new plants.
The most popular varieties of caudate amaranth include:
- Rothschwantz – a plant with red buds;
- Grunshvants – a plant with light green inflorescences.
Amaranth paniculata is an annual plant that can reach a height of 75 to 150 centimeters. It has red or brownish leaves. As a rule, planting of this variety of schiritsa takes place by itself: it gives a rather abundant self-seeding.
Amaranth paniculata has several varieties:
- Rother Dame;
- Eat a cake, which pleases the eye with dark purple buds, the color of which changes to dark brown over time;
- Grüne has a torch – he has bright green blossoms;
- Rother Paris, having dark red leaves and burgundy inflorescences;
- Tsverg torch with inflorescences of dark red color.
Dark Amaranth is an annual plant with upright brushes of flowers of various shades. Of these, the most common is purple.
The leaves of this variety amaranth look rather peculiar: pointed, greenish-purple lanceolate-oblong. The plant itself is distinguished by a blood-red color and drooping inflorescences.
Interestingly, planting and caring for dark amaranth is not at all different from growing any other type of shchiritsa.
If the gardener will carefully and carefully take care of the plant, amaranth will delight the whole season with its lush flowering and simply luxurious appearance.