Scatter The Seeds and Stand Back!

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Sow amaranth seeds in the spring-about corn-planting time-in the kind of soil that weeds like best: rich, moist, and sunny. The seeds are tiny—approximately the size of pinheads—so don't bury them too deep . . 1/8" is about right. Then, since they'll be in the topmost layer of soil—which is quickly dried out by the sun—keep your amaranth plot moist (sprinkle it, or cover it with burlap, or do both) until the seeds have sprouted. (The almost-invisible shoots will peek out in about a week and, at first, you'll only be able to see them if you get down on your hands and knees. Later on, however, the amaranths will develop into miniature "trees" that tower overhead.)

As soon as the young' uns start crowding each other, thin them out to one plant every one or two feet. ( Organic Gardening says the thinnings are edible, but our family finds them too bitter. Our goats, on the other hand, love 'em.) Keep the weeds down (the OTHER weeds) until the amaranths are about 12" tall. After that, the competition won't stand a chance.

If your plants get plenty of water, they should grow a very noticeable inch a day until midsummer. Then they'll put forth large, feathery yellow and purple flower heads . . . and the neighbors will start to ask, "What in tarnation are those things?" (Full-grown amaranths are spectacular enough to serve as excellent backdrops for flower gardens.)

As the weeks go by, the heads of the amaranth plants will start to sag with the weight of their nutritious cargo. They'll be ready to pick in late summer or early fall and here's how to check them for ripeness: Go out on a dry afternoon and rub part of a seed head between your fingers. If some of the pellets fall into your hand, the plants are ready for harvest.

The best time to reap amaranth is early in the morning, when everything is soaked with dew and the wet seeds won't scatter. Wear gloves (to avoid the prickles), and chop off your giants' heads with a machete. If you gather only a few, cut them up and spread 'em out on newspapers to dry in the sun for three or four days. If you have a lot of heads, though, you'll do better to slice and dry them on a long plastic sheet inside a hot attic or shed (that way you won't panic whenever a cumulus cloud moves toward the homestead).

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