Growing Amaranth in Australia: The Complete Guide
Amaranth is an easy grain & staple to grow, needing full sun with low–moderate, drought-tolerant watering.
Amaranth is one of the easy additions to a home garden, and this article walks through everything behind our one-page printable guide in a bit more depth.
Grain and leafy green in one plant
Amaranth is unusual in offering two harvests from one planting — pick young leaves as a nutritious green through the season, then let some plants mature fully for a grain harvest.
Planting Amaranth
Method — direct sow, surface sown, needs light to germinate. Soil — tolerant of poor soil; free-draining preferred. Timing — sow after frost risk passes.
Keeping It Growing Well
A few things matter most here:
- Thin as seedlings establish if grown densely for leaf.
- Water while establishing, then rely mostly on rainfall — quite drought-tolerant.
- Harvest leaves regularly from a portion of the crop.
- Let remaining plants mature fully for a grain harvest.
What Can Go Wrong
The key things to get right:
- Very few pests — a hardy, easy crop.
- Bird competition for grain — net maturing seed heads if harvesting for yourself.
- Self-seeding beyond bounds — harvest before full seed drop if containment matters.
- Waterlogging — ensure reasonable drainage.
Harvest and Storage
Signs — for grain: seed heads dry and seeds fall easily when rubbed. For leaf: pick young, tender leaves anytime. Method — for grain: bend heads over a container and rub to release seed. Curing — dry seed thoroughly before storing. Storage — grain: airtight, cool, dark, many months. Leaves: fridge a few days.
That's the full picture behind amaranth. The printable A4 version of this guide — with the quick-reference gauges and diagram in one page — is available on the main guide page below.