quinoa and amaranth???

[MuranoFarms]

I am growing amaranth this year too. There are 2 types. One is grown for greens. One is grown for the seeds. I got some of each.

Quinoa is supposed to be easy to grown, but you have to process the seeds a bit before they are edible.

"Quinoa seeds have a soapy coating of saponins that needs to be washed off before cooking, but this stops birds from eating your crop, making it suitable for cultivation in small gardens where small scale cereal growing normally attracts an immovable flock of pigeons."

Read more at Suite101: Growing Quinoa from Seed: How to Grow Quinoa in Small Gardens and Allotments http://www.suite101.com/content/grow-your-own-quinoa-a58823#ixzz1CaO5zhlB"

I'm going to try amaranth also, but I didn't know that about quinoa! That would make it ideal to grow in some of the clearing we have in our woods. The main problem I have is wild birds, but it sounds like they can't eat the quinoa!
Thanks for the info!

 

[wifezilla]

Yes, the natural soap on the seeds should slow those little scavengers down I think I am going to plant the quinoa first so its seedheads develop BEFORE the amaranth. Maybe it will trick them for a little bit. At least long enough for me to slip some netting over the amaranth seedheads.