When life gives you lemons....

[lesa]

Well, it was just fine! Very similar to swiss chard and kale. Just a nice dark green veggie, that I stir fried with garlic, onion and a little bacon grease. Dh was determined to hate it- and he liked it! I will certainly use it again...
Very interesting Seedcorn- why was it planted to begin with, do you think?

 

[seedcorn]

No idea. Round up won't touch the stuff. So invasive in the south and now moved all the way to Northern Indiana. Sets a million seeds, keeps on giving!

 

[so lucky]

I have heard it is one of those ancient grains that are getting popular again. I wonder if it is as healthy as kale and chard.

 

[so lucky]

So I wonder if red root pigweed is edible. I have it growing around here now, in my garden and the edge of the yard next to the field. It is really obnoxious, and hard to pull up. It breaks off and branches out. Grrr!

 

[journey11]

There are several ornamental versions too.

People eat the seeds, as a grain, although the heavier producing varieties like Golden Giant are more useful.

I figure it is the wild amaranths that are so troublesome. I've had a lot of trouble with Red Root Pigweed, also an amaranth. If you cut it down or fail to get the root when pulling it, it rapidly sends out laterals horizontal to the ground and guarantees that it will reseed itself.

Lesa, when you do deadhead yours, have you noticed if it persists in making seed heads laterally? We might have to be very diligent to get it pulled out at the end of the season if we plant it then?

ETA: Yep, you can eat the red root pigweed like a green too.

 

[digitS']

So, Lesa, you know that I joined you in enjoying the amaranth dinner.

This was the redroot pigweed version. Amaranth sounds better than, "Oh yeah, we've been eating pigweed!" Well, we have and it might be the first time in 2014 but not the very first time .

I like it just fine. It was another stir-fry and I'd say - beet greens, without the purple. Beta vulgaris, chard, that perpetual spinach I'm always failing to plant, amaranth -- all in the family: Amarathaceae.

Steve

 

[lesa]

Nice, Steve! See we might as well eat what is growing!!

 

[britesea]

I have both the wild amaranth (pigweed) and wild quinoa (lambs quarters) growing in my garden, as well as purslane. I pull most of it, but leave a few plants for eating. I'd like to plant a domesticated quinoa (Cherry Vanilla it's called) but I'm not sure how I could weed it successfully- I'd be afraid of pulling the wrong plants, lol.

 

[thistlebloom]

I have both the wild amaranth (pigweed) and wild quinoa (lambs quarters) growing in my garden, as well as purslane. I pull most of it, but leave a few plants for eating. I'd like to plant a domesticated quinoa (Cherry Vanilla it's called) but I'm not sure how I could weed it successfully- I'd be afraid of pulling the wrong plants, lol.

How about growing it in a pot?

 

[britesea]

well, I could do that @thistlebloom , but since I'd like to harvest the grain it seems like I wouldn't get very much from such a small planting. Of course, I have no idea how much one or two plants would yield.