Micro Farm LabMicrogreens
Amaranth
Amaranthus spp.
Amaranth is one of the most striking microgreens: red-purple-green cotyledons from its betalain content. It provides good protein and iron, and the color gets more vivid under strong light.
- Harvest
- Harvest: 8–12 days
- Temperature
- Temperature: 68–82 °F (20–28 °C)
- Difficulty
- Difficulty: Medium
- Mold risk
- Mold risk
Quick step-by-step
Mix the seed with fine sand
The seeds are tiny: mix them with fine sand to spread them evenly.
Prepare the tray
Use a 20×40 cm (8×16 in) tray with just 2 cm (0.8 in) of growing medium.
Sow on the surface
Scatter the mix on the surface without burying it.
Mist very lightly
Strong watering displaces the tiny seeds: use very light misting only.
Give it intense light
12 to 14 hours of intense light, which boosts the red-purple color, at 20–28 °C (68–82 °F).
Harvest once the color is even
Cut once the cotyledons are well colored.
Common mistakes
Spreading the seed unevenly
The tiny seeds are hard to spread by hand; without fine sand, the tray comes out patchy.
Burying the seed
Sow it on the surface, don't bury it.
Sowing at a low temperature
Below 18 °C (64 °F), germination gets irregular.
Videos
Guide in progress
We're working on the full guide for this crop. Leave your email and we'll let you know when it's ready.
