Growing globe amaranth is one of the simplest jobs in any flower garden. These plants rank as some of the best easy annuals for new gardeners. They handle heat, drought, and poor soil with no fuss at all. In my experience, even kids can plant them and get blooms.
I have taught dozens of first-time growers how to plant globe amaranth. Every one of them got blooms by the end of summer. Even people with hard clay soil and full sun see fast results. You do not need a green thumb to make these plants thrive in your yard.
The plant is very drought tolerant once the roots take hold. You can skip watering for two weeks in summer and still get flowers. This makes it a top pick for busy folks who travel or forget to water. Try it if other annuals have failed for you in the past.
Plants need just three things to grow well. Full sun for six or more hours a day comes first. Well-drained soil ranks second. Light watering once a week or less rounds out the list. That is the whole care plan from start to finish.
Seeds sprout in 6 to 10 days if you soak them overnight first. Start them indoors six weeks before your last spring frost. Plants will bloom within 90 days of planting. You will see flower buds form by late June in most areas.
These are also some of the best heat tolerant flowers for hot zones. While petunias and pansies crisp up in July, globe amaranth keeps blooming through 100°F (38°C) days. Plants in my garden have shrugged off heat waves that killed half my other annuals.
For beginner gardening, this flower forgives most mistakes you might make. Forget to deadhead? No problem. Skip a watering? Still fine. Plant in average dirt with no compost? You will still get blooms by midsummer.
Most beginners make three common mistakes with these plants. They water too much, plant too early, and add too much fertilizer. Each one cuts your bloom count and weakens the plants. Fix these errors and you will get a wall of flowers.
Do not water unless the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Soggy roots cause rot fast in these plants. Wait to plant outdoors until nights stay above 55°F (13°C). Cold soil stunts young plants for weeks and delays your blooms.
Skip the rich fertilizer too. Too much nitrogen pushes leafy growth at the cost of flowers. A weak feed once a month gives you better results than weekly doses. I use a half-strength liquid feed on my potted plants and skip it for in-ground beds.
Pests rarely bother globe amaranth at all. Deer pass them by, rabbits skip them too, and most bugs leave them alone. You will not need sprays or covers all season long. This is rare in the flower world and worth every penny you spend on seeds.
Globe amaranth ranks high among low maintenance flowers for any sunny spot in your yard. Once you plant them, the work is basically done. Sit back and watch your garden fill with blooms from June through hard frost.
Start with a small pack of Buddy or QIS seeds your first year. Plant 10 to 12 plants in a sunny bed and see how they do. You will most likely come back for more seeds next spring after you see the results in your own garden. I started with one packet years ago and now plant a full row each spring.
Read the full article: Globe Amaranth: Grow, Dry, and Design
