How to Plant Amaranth Seeds: Easy, Reliable, and Weed-Smart

Amaranth is forgiving, fast, and generous. Whether you're after glossy greens or a plume of seed heads, you'll get better results with correct sowing depth, warm soil, and early weed discipline. Start with our Red Amaranth Seeds or Green Amaranth Seeds for a reliable warm-season harvest.

Context & common pitfalls

University guidance is refreshingly consistent: sow very shallow, wait for warm soil, and thin early so plants don't sulk in a crowded mat. Soil temperature threshold is near 60 °F for outdoor planting.

"Plant amaranth when soil temperatures exceed 60 °F and after the last expected frost." — UF/IFAS Extension

Useful stat: The invasive relative Palmer amaranth can shed up to 250,000 seeds per plant — always use clean, labeled seed like our Round Red Amaranth Rau Den Seeds.

Step-by-step planting guide

1) Choose your site

• Full sun (6+ hours daily) for best leaf production and color.
• Well-drained soil — amaranth dislikes waterlogged roots.
• Wait until soil temperature is consistently above 60–65 °F.

2) Prepare the bed

• Loosen the top 2–3 inches to a fine, firm texture.
• Remove weeds, clods, and debris.
• No need for heavy fertilizing — amaranth grows well in average soil.

3) Sow the seeds

• Scatter or drill seeds at 1/4 inch depth or barely covered.
• Space rows about 12–18 inches apart.
• Firm the soil gently after sowing for good seed-to-soil contact.
• Water gently with a fine rose to avoid washing seeds away.

4) Thin seedlings

• Thin to 6–12 inches apart once seedlings have 2–3 true leaves.
• Eat the thinnings as microgreens or baby salad greens!

5) Ongoing care

• Keep soil evenly moist until plants are established.
• Weed aggressively in the first 3–4 weeks.
• Once established, amaranth is drought-tolerant and low-maintenance.

Harvest tips

• Leaves: harvest outer leaves or cut plants at 6–8 inches. Our Red Amaranth (Rau Den) is especially popular for tender leaf harvests.
• Grain: let seed heads mature fully, then cut and dry before threshing.

Sources

• University of Minnesota Extension – amaranth guide
• UF/IFAS Extension – vegetable amaranth production