Amaranthus Fat Spike

Highly attractive erect fat spikes in deep purplish red, from 3inch thick tapering to 1inch, as if standing guard. Ideal as a border filler, and for flower arranging.

Height: 48 inches; Type/hardiness: Half-hardy Annual; Prefers full sun; Flowers: Summer

Sowing:

Sow February to March in pots or trays of moist seed compost and cover with a very fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Keep at a constant temperature of between 68-77F. During germination, allow the temperature to reduce at night. This will occur naturally if using a heated propagator is avoided. After sowing, do not exclude light as this helps germination. Keep the surface of the compost moist but not waterlogged; germination will usually take 3-15 days.

Growing:

When large enough to handle, transplant seedlings into 3 inch pots or trays. Gradually acclimatize to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 12 inches apart. For best results, provide any ordinary, well-drained soil in full sun.

Aftercare:

The cut flowers last well in water and can also be dried. If this is done carefully the flowers keep their colour for some time. For pot plants provide a humid atmosphere.

This is the archived version of this product. It is no longer available for sale. You can use this page to print out sowing and growing instructions.

For the fulll list of all archived products, click here.