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Linden, Mi.,

OK OK OK, Iam done, I have been all over looking for seeds
for this thing. After seeing these in one of the sites, I feel I just have to grow one, or at least try.
Can any one tell me where I can go for help in finding seeds. I want the giant type.

3/20/2011 8:30:58 PM

Hamburg, NY

http://www.pandpseed.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=pandpseed&Product_Code=GAMAR&Category_Code=GiantAmaranth

3/20/2011 9:20:47 PM

South Hero, VT

Contact me. I have seeds two years old. I have no place to grow them.

[email protected]

3/20/2011 9:21:32 PM

South Hero, VT

Also, post your request in "Other Gardening General Discussion" and "Seed Exchange"

3/20/2011 9:24:30 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

You might want to think twice... Well, I was thinking of growing it. In the meantime, the biggest weed problem I have is something we call pigweed. It has pink roots, and grows crazy up to three feet tall. Each plant produces and drops thousands of seeds.

It turns out that this weed we call pigweed is actually amaranth. It's exactly the same plant! No, it's not giant amaranth... but be aware... if you grow it once, you'll be growing for the rest of your life.

3/21/2011 10:02:57 AM

Navarre,OH

Giant amaranth doesn't drop any seeds though. If you only grow one or two plants neither may not even produce any seeds.

3/21/2011 2:13:05 PM

Deer Park, WI

Cliff is spot on. Thanks for bringing this up!

Read the Wiki link for more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranthus_retroflexus

This family of plants has mastered the art of obnoxious seed production and persistence.

Not only is this the scourge of the patch, the seed tassle hurts like a bastard when mature. And signs of round-up resistance to boot! The ultimate weed!

3/21/2011 2:20:08 PM

Linden, Mi.,

Gentlemen, I am getting the idea, as much as I (think) I would like to grow, I am looking more at just looking at the pictures.
But keep the post coming, the more this old boy learns, the more I can teach.

Thanks for all the posts!!!!!!

3/21/2011 3:26:32 PM

Deer Park, WI

apologies for the thread hijack, your intent was to discuss A. australis vs the noxious retroflexus species.

Anyone read the "Ender's Game" series of Sci-Fi? In one of the later novels, the author describes how an otherworldly colony utilizes Amaranth as a grain source partially due to its penchant for vigorous reproduction. Not quite a coincidence, I see.

3/21/2011 3:44:25 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I am almost certain it does not mature to seed in our climate.

3/21/2011 4:08:16 PM

Navarre,OH

So how is vigorous reproduction going to take place with giant amaranth if you plant a few plants and they are all male or there is all females and no male plants to pollinate the females? Your not going to get an outta control crop of giant amaranth every year by growing a few plants.

3/21/2011 4:12:46 PM

Marshfield, Ma, USA

I grew giant amamranth for the first time last season. I had one plant on the edge of my patch, and I gave another to a friend for a little competition. This hardly qualifies me as any kind of authority on these plants, but being a gardener like all of you, I observed a few things as the growing season progressed:

The seeds are some of smallest I've ever seen. Hard to believe what they will produce. I planted amaranth seeds for three years before I got them to sprout. The trick is not to cover them with soil.

My plant was grown in full sunlight, the competions was in shade for three or more hours per day than mine. Soil conditions were probably close enough not to matter. The plant with more shade was taller, greener and had broader leaves than mine.

The stalks and branches will stay upright long after the season has ended. My buddy decorated his with lights for Christamas and hung ornaments.

Neither plant produced seed.

Tall corn, if you decide that you want to try gowing them, I recently recieved a bubble from Peace Wayne Moore that had enough amaranth seeds in it to share with you and anyone else that would like to try. Thanks Wayne!

Ed [email protected]

3/21/2011 5:16:27 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Ed, glad to hear they arrived!!! Grow em Tawl!!! LOL Peace, Wayne

3/22/2011 3:46:34 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

I can't speak to giant amaranth. But I can tell you that amaranth produces thousands of seeds, and it's likely I won't be able to eradicate them completely from my soil.

3/22/2011 10:25:41 AM

Hamburg, NY

This is a great plant to grow. Hard to mature seed. Give it a shot.

3/22/2011 10:50:40 PM