A good thing to grow on sunny dry warmer climates

The Grand Amaranth Experiment

Of all the grain crops, amaranth has to be the easiest to turn into something that you can eat.  If you have ever wondered how to add a cereal crop to your garden, consider amaranth.  This versatile, beautiful, and easy to grow plant can add another dimension to gardening.  Unlike wheat or oats, where you need to cut the stalks, thresh the grain and then grind it into flour, amaranth literally falls from the seed heads ready to eat.

I started this experiment last year with a small test crop just to get an idea of what to expect.  Andrew Still of the Seed Ambassadors spoke highly of amaranth and gave me a few seeds of Copperhead, an ornamental yet grain producing variety.  There are two or three species of grain amaranth, Amaranthus caudatus, and Amaranthus cruentus (Copperhead is this species) being the most important, each of which encompasses many varieties.  Most of the amaranth varieties have purple or red hues in the plant stalks and leaves as well as brilliantly colored flowers.  Copperhead is an exception with rust and copper tones in the stems and flowers.  The common commercial variety called Plainsman is a hybrid of two other species,  Amaranthus hypochondriacus, from Mexico and Amaranthus hybridus, from Pakistan.

Incredible Edibles! – Great “Grains”

Republished from http://blogs.extension.org/mastergardener/2013/02/25/incredible-edibles-great-grains/

Incredible Edibles! – Great “Grains” 

Looking for something interesting and tasty to try in the vegetable garden or landscape this year?  Are you looking to add delicious fresh ingredients to your meals?  It’s time to take a look at some uncommon plants that can have a big impact in the garden and on your dinner plate.  There’s a whole world of fantastic fruits, glorious grains, verdant vegetables, and more that can bring excitement to the garden.

Think about experimenting this year and grow something new and unexpected.  This week, we’ll be taking a look at specialty “grains” that can find themselves a home right in your own home flower or vegetable garden.  These plants are used much like our cereal grains (corn, rice, oats, wheat, etc.), but are, in fact, broad leaved plants.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.)

We’ll talk about the first two together since they are closely related and have similar care characteristics.  Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) has been consumed as a staple in parts of South America for nearly 5,000 years and is just now becoming popular in the US.  Some reports indicate that the growing demand in developed countries is increasing the price of the staple in its native regions.

The seeds, when cooked, have a creamy consistency and nutty flavor and are often used in salads or cooked pasta/rice dishes.  It is also ground into a gluten-free flour.   It is popular because its tasty flavor pairs with its impressively high protein content.  It is a wonderful addition to the garden because the seeds come from impressively showy flower heads that make a striking addition to the flower garden.