by Thompson & Morgan | Sep 2, 2020 | Gardening Posts
Amaranthus caudatus ‘Love Lies Bleeding is one of the most popular varieties
Image: pjhpix/shutterstock
‘Love Lies Bleeding’, the name most commonly used for Amaranthus caudatus, is a bushy, 5ft tall, half-hardy annual with distinctive flowers that cascade to the ground in dramatic, crimson tassels. In each of these fascinating tassels is a colony of tiny, tightly packed flowers that last for many weeks.
From the Greek word ‘Amaranth’ meaning ‘the unfading flower’, the bright red blooms of Amaranthus generally retain their colour even after the flower has died. No surprise that they’re loved by gardeners and flower arrangers alike. Here’s how to grow Amaranthus in your garden.
Amazing amaranthus
In addition to the popular weeping panicles of ‘Love Lies Bleeding’, there are many other different types of amaranth to bring interest to your borders. Amaranthus tricolor ‘Joseph’s Coat’ is coveted for its stunning variegated leaves, while Amaranthus paniculatus is loved for its tall, feathery spikes.
Amaranthus is a warm weather annual that prefers a sunny position and slightly acidic soil. It belongs to a genus of over 60 amaranth species that have an established presence in nearly every continent. They’re easy to cultivate, able to tolerate poor soil and don’t require a lot of watering. Amaranth will also self-sow, bringing more flowers every year.
How to grow amaranthus
Sow amaranthus seeds outside in late spring or early summer after the last frosts. The minimum germination temperature is around 13°C, but best results are seen at 15-18 degrees.
You can direct sow seeds every 15cm (6 inches), thinning to 45 cm (18 inches) as the plants become established. Amaranth can grow to 1.8m (6 feet), so tall varieties like Amaranthus caudatus ‘Fat Spike’ will need approximately 60cm (24 inches) between plants. Don’t worry that the extra seedlings will be wasted. Rather than throwing away these tender shoots, add them to salads or stir-fries instead.
Many people prefer to start their amaranthus seeds off indoors, to give them an early start. If you want to get them going a little sooner, sow your seeds in pots or trays of moist seed compost in February to March, and cover with a very fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Keep them at a constant temperature of between 20-25C but allow the temperature to reduce at night. Keep the seeds somewhere bright, as light helps them to germinate. Germination usually takes 3-15 days. Transplant your seedlings into larger pots and harden them off for 10-15 days before planting out.
As amaranthus are generally large plants, they’re best grown at the back of a flower border where they make dramatic companion plants to other tall summer favourites such as sunflowers, Cleomes, Zinnias and Nicotiana. Smaller varieties, such as Amaranthus paniculatus ‘Marvel Bronze’, look fantastic grown en masse, providing a spectacular display!
Is amaranthus safe to eat?
Historically, amaranthus was revered by the Aztecs and Incas, who believed that it had supernatural powers as food and medicine, making it one of the world’s oldest crops. It’s also sometimes known as ‘Chinese spinach’ or ‘callaloo’ in Caribbean cooking.
Today Amarathus is gaining popularity as a superfood, and more and more people are choosing to grow it in the vegetable garden. The plant’s green leaves can be eaten raw in salads, added to soups and stir fries, or simmered in curries. Similar in taste to spinach, Amaranthus leaves contain almost twice the vitamin C and the same amount of iron, but unlike spinach, the plant doesn’t bolt.
Each Amaranthus plant also produces multiple seed heads, yielding up to 5,000 seeds that are a bit like quinoa. Mild and nutty, gluten-free and packed with protein and calcium, the mild peppery flavour is a great addition to breads and cereals.
How to harvest amaranthus seeds
While most people want to grow Amaranthus for its ornamental value, it’s worth knowing a little bit about harvesting the seeds. Perhaps also having some recipe ideas if you fancy growing amaranthus to add variety to your diet.
The seed heads mature from the bottom of the tassel and move upwards, so the simplest way to test if they’re ripe is to shake out the ripe seeds into a clean bucket. Alternatively cut the seed heads, cover them with a paper bag and hang them upside down in a well ventilated place to allow them to dry for a week or two.
Are you excited by the possibilities of amaranthus growing? Tag us in your photos and share your interesting new amaranth recipes over on Facebook or Twitter. For more advice on growing different types of exotic plants, visit our hub page where you’ll find expert variety recommendations, care tips and much more.
The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.
by Thompson & Morgan | Sep 1, 2020 | Gardening Posts
Gardening is a healthy and inexpensive way for children to learn and have fun. It gets them out into the fresh air – and many will develop an interest in healthy eating if they grow their own fruit and veg. The key to making it a positive first experience is to choose the right varieties – things that are quick and easy to grow, such as our Mr Men and Little Miss range.
We partnered with ‘Mr Men and Little Miss’ in 2018, to create a range of child-friendly seeds that are easy and quick to grow. Each variety has been carefully selected and features a favourite character on the packet. Here are our tips to use ‘Mr Men and Little Miss’ seeds to inspire the budding gardeners in your family!
How to get kids out into the garden
Give children a taste of gardening success, with quick, easy-to-grow, plants.
Image source: Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock
Kids love growing brightly-coloured flowers and tasty, quick-growing veg. Here’s our advice to help make their first attempt a huge success:
- Find easy to grow flowers and veg: Flowers that are easy to grow from seed, with minimum preparation, fuss and care include nasturtiums, sunflowers and poppies. And lots of veg will grow quite happily without much attention, beyond a little watering.
- Choose seeds that produce quick results: Quick-sprouting seeds are great for impatient little ones, who can see their results without much waiting! Cress will be ready to harvest just a week or two after planting – and sunflowers grow super-fast!
- Instill a sense of independence: Give your kids their own small flower bed or veg patch so they can sow and grow their own. You can also start most of these seeds on window sills and grow them in containers.
- Invest in the right tools: Get a set of child-friendly mini-tools, such as a watering can, rake and trowel, that small children can hold and use by themselves. This helps build independence and fine motor skills.
- Help them find the right resources: Check out our Kids’ Grow guides – free, downloadable fact sheets with simple, child-friendly instructions to get them started.
Best flowers to grow with kids
Here are some of the best flowers for kids to grow. Encourage them to fill window boxes, hanging baskets, patio containers and borders. They’ll brighten up your home and keep pollinators happy too. You’ll find the following in the Mr Men and Little Miss range:
Best veg to grow with kids
Get your kids involved with cooking as well as gardening, by using the fruit and veg they’ve grown themselves. It’s a fun way to encourage fussy eaters to try new foods! Here are some popular crops to get them started:
Inspiring children to enjoy gardening gives them a healthy hobby for life. Start them off growing these quick and easy seeds, and you’ll soon have your own Mr Happy or Little Miss Sunshine! For more information, check out our free Kids’ Grow guides for child-friendly instructions on how to grow these plants and more.
The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.
by Thompson & Morgan | Aug 26, 2020 | Gardening Posts
Wildflowers deliver colour, scent, texture and interest to gardens large and small
Image: Shutterstock
Wildflowers are a colourful, low-maintenance and cost-effective way to make your garden buzz with life. Particularly attractive to pollinators, they provide important food and shelter for a wide range of bees, butterflies and insects. What’s more, perennial wildflowers usually prefer poor soil, and often perform well in tricky areas where other plants fail to thrive.
But how do you incorporate wildflowers into a modern manicured garden? What if you don’t have space for a lawn, let alone a meadow? We sent boxes of ‘Perfect for Pollinators’ wildflower mix to a dozen garden bloggers to try out. Here are 7 different ways to sow wildflower seeds in your garden, including what some of our favourite bloggers did with theirs…
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The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.
by Thompson & Morgan | Aug 20, 2020 | Gardening Posts
Think you can’t grow exotic fruit in the UK? Think again! Many people assume you need a heated greenhouse – but there are plenty of exotic fruit trees that will grow outdoors in our temperate climate. Bring a taste of the tropics to your garden with these easy-to-grow fruit trees. They’re self-fertile, hardy – and produce delicious fruits that can be harvested from September.
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The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.
by Thompson & Morgan | Aug 19, 2020 | Gardening Posts, Vegetables
Courgettes are one of the easiest to grow vegetables
Image source: vaivirga
Growing your own fruit and veg has many health benefits, but there are practical benefits too, particularly if there’s a sudden shortage of fresh, organic produce in your local shops. Whether supply is affected by adverse weather, transport issues or a global pandemic – growing your own means you’ll always have access to fresh, healthy vegetables to feed your family.
What could be better than growing courgettes from seed in your own garden? Not only do they taste better, they require fewer pesticides, no plastic packaging and generate zero food miles. Here’s everything you need to know to avert a courgette shortage and grow your own at home…
Less is more…
Courgettes, also called zucchini, belong to the same family as pumpkins and squashes, and are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. If picked regularly, each plant will continue to produce vast quantities of delicious, nutty and flavoursome fruits, right through to October. Added to which, the large yellow flowers are also edible, with a slightly sweet ‘nectar’ taste.
You don’t need an allotment garden or veg patch to grow fresh produce. Courgettes can be grown in large pots and containers on your patio. On average, each courgette plant produces 4-5 fruits per week so you’ll only need two or three plants to feed a family – any more and you’re likely to end up with a glut!
How to sow, grow and max your courgette harvest
- Sow courgette seeds into individual 10cm pots of general purpose potting compost. Courgettes have a very high germination rate, but sow a couple more than you need, just in case. Water the pot until the compost is moist.
- Place the pots in a warm place like a windowsill, but out of direct sunlight. Continue to grow indoors until they’re ready to harden off and plant out. Wait until after all chance of frost has passed.
- For planting out, courgettes prefer a sheltered position in full sun. They’re reasonably large plants, so space them at least 60cm apart. Alternatively they can be grown in large containers on a patio. Protect young plants from slugs and snails in their early stages.
- Give them a mulch of 5cm of compost to help the soil hold moisture. In times gone by, courgettes were planted on the top of compost heaps because they enjoyed the high level of nutrients this gave them.
- Water your courgettes every day. Keep the soil just moist but water at the base of the plant only or they’ll rot.
- Try to give your plants a weekly liquid feed once they start flowering, and pick the courgettes regularly when they reach about 10cm long. This will ensure a delicious crop right through to October.
Growing problems and remedies
Harvest your courgettes regularly or the plant will stop producing fruits
Image source: Axel Mel
In good conditions and normal weather you’re unlikely to encounter any problems growing courgettes. But here are some of the most common problems, with tips on how to remedy them.
- Powdery Mildew is a white powdery deposit over the leaf surface caused by too much humidity and insufficient air circulation. To prevent, don’t plant your courgettes too close together, water the base of the plant, and keep the soil moist.
- Grey mould (botrytis) is a common disease, especially in damp or humid conditions like a greenhouse, and appears as a grey, fuzzy fungal growth that starts as pale patches. The best way to deal with this is to cut out and remove any damaged plant parts. Reduce the humidity in your greenhouse through ventilation and don’t overcrowd young plants and seedlings.
- Reduced fruiting: A lack of fruit is usually caused by the growing conditions and not by a pest or disease. Cool weather in early summer can sometimes cause inadequate pollination, and if you start your courgettes in a greenhouse, remember to open the doors often to let pollinators in. Water your plants every day and pick the fruits regularly to make sure they keep producing.
Courgettes are never dull
Growing your own courgettes allows you to experiment with varieties that you can’t buy in the supermarket, including those with interesting round, striped or yellow fruits. Popular varieties to try include:
In the right conditions, your courgettes will grow rapidly, maturing into large marrows and squashes in just a matter of days if not picked quickly enough. Plan plenty of recipe ideas in advance so you’re ready when it’s time to harvest – salads, soups, pasta dishes and even cake recipes will keep this easy-to-grow vegetable from ever becoming boring! For more courgette advice & harvesting tips, check our our helpful courgette hub page.
The Thompson & Morgan horticultural team produces a wealth of content around gardening and food production. Since the first seed catalogue was published in 1855, Thompson & Morgan has grown to become one of the UK’s largest Mail Order Seed and Plant companies. Through the publication of our catalogues and the operation of our award-winning website, Thompson & Morgan is able to provide home gardeners with the very best quality products money can buy.
