When to plant Amaranth in Temperate Australia
Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Sow amaranth direct from August to December for its main season, with a bonus late-summer window in January to March in milder temperate gardens. Sow shallowly at 5 mm into warm, weed-free soil, as the seed is tiny and needs light and warmth to strike; germination runs 5–20 days. Space plants around 50 cm apart with 50–80 cm between rows, giving each plant room to build its tall, plumed head. Grown for both edible leaves and grain, amaranth reaches usable maturity in a quick 50–60 days for leaf, longer for seed. It is frost tender, so keep the earliest and latest sowings clear of frost around Adelaide and Perth.
Sowing calendar — temperate zone
Green months are your sowing window: August to March.
Growing notes
Amaranth thrives in the warm half of the temperate year and shrugs off heat that makes other leafy crops bolt. You can cut young leaves as a spinach substitute within a couple of months, or let a few plants run up to their spectacular seed heads for grain and dramatic colour in the border.
The seed is fine and easily buried too deep, which is the single most common cause of failure. Sow no deeper than 5 mm, keep the surface consistently moist until the seedlings are up, and resist the urge to bury it. In dry Perth springs a light mulch between rows helps hold that surface moisture without smothering the emerging seedlings.
The other watch-point is over-crowding. Amaranth self-sows freely and germinates thickly, so thin ruthlessly to the full 50 cm spacing or plants stay spindly and prone to lodging in wind. Support the tallest grain types with a stake if your garden is exposed. Feed lightly rather than heavily, since rich nitrogen pushes soft leaf growth that flops. Watch for the odd aphid colony on new tips and hose them off or leave them to the ladybirds that amaranth attracts.
Amaranth at a glance
| Sowing depth | 5 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 50 cm |
| Row spacing | 50-80 cm |
| Germination | 5-20 days |
| Days to maturity | 50-60 days |
| Frost tolerance | Frost Tender |
| Method | Sow Direct |
Common questions
- can you eat amaranth leaves
- Yes, young amaranth leaves are eaten like spinach and are ready to pick from about 50–60 days after sowing. Cut the outer leaves and let the plant keep producing, or leave a few plants to run up to seed for grain.
- how far apart to plant amaranth
- Space amaranth plants around 50 cm apart, with 50–80 cm between rows. This looks generous for small seedlings, but mature plants are tall and bushy and will crowd badly if left thick.
- when to sow amaranth in temperate Australia
- Sow from August to December for the main warm-season crop, with a further window from January to March in milder temperate areas like Sydney. Avoid sowing into cold soil, as amaranth needs warmth to germinate and grow.
- why is my amaranth not coming up
- The most likely reason is sowing the fine seed too deep. Keep it at 5 mm or less, keep the surface moist, and give it warmth. Germination can take up to 20 days, so allow time before resowing.
Track amaranth in your garden — sow dates, harvest countdowns, reminders. Free.
Add to my garden