Growing Green Amaranth in my Terrace Garden in Germany
Growing an amaranth plant is quite easy and hassle-free. It is one of the easiest plants to grow and requires little effort. This year, after successfully harvesting green amaranth from my terrace garden in Germany, I decided to write about my experience and share it with my readers.
From mid-April, the weather starts getting mild in Germany. Although the night temperatures are still low, touching single digits, the day temperatures range between 18-20 degrees C. This is the best time to start gardening. Every year, in my terrace garden, I grow something or the other, ranging from fruits and vegetables to herbs and flowers.
In these years, I have learned that growing herbs is the easiest and requires the least effort. In this article, I shall share what I learned about growing Amaranth leaves in my terrace garden.
About Amaranth:
Amaranth is a gluten-free seed of a perennial plant.
Also, there are many species of the amaranth plant. While some varieties are preferred for their leaves, others are preferred for their seeds. And there are some varieties which are used as ornamental plants.
The leaves of the amaranth plant come in various colours, such as green and maroon. These leaves have a great mineral profile and are also rich in fibre. They can be cooked or eaten raw in salads.
The seeds of an amaranth plant appear like quinoa but are smaller. They taste slightly nutty and can be used in sweet and savoury dishes. These seeds are called pseudocereals (Like quinoa and buckwheat) and are used as a replacement for rice and wheat in various recipes. The seeds can also be sprouted and used in salads, sandwich toppings, etc. Of course, the seeds can be germinated and grown into plants, and their leaves can be used in various recipes.
Popped Amaranth seeds are also available in Germany. These can be used in various recipes. Popped amaranth is called gepuffter Amaranth in German. You can check cutlet recipes on my My Kitchen Page to see how puffed amaranth can be used to bring binding to the cutlets.
Availability of Amaranth Seeds in Germany:
Amaranth seeds are easily available in Germany. You can look for them in organic stores like Alnatura, DM, or similar shops. I generally use these seeds for cooking and planting (picture below). This one is from Alnatura. It gives green leaves. If you are looking for other varieties, you can look for the seeds in stores like Toom, Bauhaus, etc., or check amazon.de.
Best weather conditions to grow Amaranth:
Amaranth needs plenty of sun and warm temperatures to grow. You can sow the seeds around mid- or end-April. Around this time of year, the weather starts getting mild in Germany. Although the night temperatures are still low, touching single digits, the day temperatures range between 18-20 degrees C. This is the best time to sow seeds for your first batch. Subsequently, the conditions are ideal for growing amaranth throughout summer, when the temperature is above 25 degrees C.
Growing Amaranth in my terrace garden in Germany-My Experience
This can be split into four parts:
- Preparation i,e getting everything ready
- Sowing the seeds
- Taking care of the plant
- Harvesting
I shall go through each of them:
1. Preparation:
These are the three basic things needed to grow Amaranth:
- Seeds:Â I have already discussed about it.
- Soil: The most suitable soil for germinating and subsequently growing plants is Aussaat und Kräutererde. This soil is great for small seeds (like those of amaranth), contains fertilizers, and has good water absorption. You can buy this soil from garden stores like Bauhaus, Hornbach, Toom, etc. Sometimes, supermarkets like Aldi, Kaufland, etc. also stock it. You can even buy it from amazon.de.
If you already have soil from the previous year ( which may have lost some of its nutrients), combine it with Manure and Coco Peat in a 1:1:1 ratio and use it for growing your amaranth plant. Follow the instructions on the coco peat packaging. Typically, it needs to be combined with water so that it loosens. Then, it is ready to use.
-  Pot: To grow amaranth, you need a 9-10 inches deep pot. I usually use a rectangular pot. You can buy pots from garden shops, supermarkets, and discounted shops like Tedi, Aktion, Woolworth, or even Amazon.de. Drill holes at the bottom of the pot to ensure water drainage.
2. Sowing the Seeds:
Once you have the pot, seeds, and soil in place, fill the soil in the pot to about 3/4th its height. Scatter the seeds. Cover with soil. Sprinkle some water on the soil to make it wet and moisten the seeds. Place the pot outdoors, where you get plenty of sunlight. If you sow the seeds in your garden, sow them in rows and keep a minimum distance of 30 cm between the rows.
3. Taking care of your Amaranth Plant:
- Water your plant every day. Initially, when the saplings are small, be gentle while watering them. If you pour a jet of water, the saplings will get uprooted. Skip watering on the days when it rains.
- Check for weeds and remove them from time to time by uprooting them.
- Add liquid fertiliser and water solution once a week.
- Check for aphids. Check the back of the leaves from time to time. More about it further in the article.
Common Problems with Amaranth Plant:
Amaranth is a resilient plant. It grows easily and does not require too much attention, but there are still some problems you can face when growing it.
- Problems due to over watering and bad drainage: You might notice premature yellowing of the leaves, which typically happens if you give the plant more water than it needs or if the water is not being drained well. Make holes in the pots, use soil that that good water absorption and water the plant moderately.
- Aphids: Aphids, called Blattläuse in German, are small sap-sucking insects which stick themselves to the leaves of the plant and start eating it away. This leads to yellowing of leaves or stunted growth of your plant. Sometimes, they can attack an amaranth plant. To get rid of them, spray a strong stream of water on the leaves. If there are too many, spray Aphid Repellent from time to time. Neem oil also works against aphids. Later, when you harvest the leaves, wash the leaves thoroughly before consuming them.
- Ants: Black ants are also common on plants or on the terrace/balcony. You can use Ant Spray against them. Mix with water and spray it around the plant.
4. Harvesting the leaves:
If the weather conditions are right, the plant will be fully grown in about 4-5 weeks. At this point, you can harvest the leaves. Just pluck out the leaves and let the stems stay. New leaves will grow on them. Continue taking care of the plant and following the steps mentioned above.
Some Recipes that I have tried in my kitchen with Amaranth Greens:
I love making dishes at home with fresh harvests from my terrace garden. Recently, after a fresh harvest of Amaranth Greens, I made Amaranth Raita, which combines amaranth leaves, yoghurt, and a few spices, and Thotakura Pappu, a popular Andhra recipe that combines toor dal, amaranth leaves, and a few spices. I shall be posting many more recipes in the coming days, so you can check my MY KITCHEN page for many more interesting recipes.
I hope my readers have found this article useful. I have already shared tips for a successful harvest of beetroot and Fenugreek Leaves. You can check out the articles.
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