How To Grow Thotakura In Pots (Amaranth)
Today, we learn the topic of “How To Grow Thotakura (Amaranth) In Pots/Containers. How to grow Thotakura in pots is a question for many people. Edible Amaranth is one of the leafy vegetables which belongs to Asia and has a lot of nutrients which are essential to the human body. This leafy vegetable is also called as “Chinese Spinach” and “Yin Chai”. It is mostly used in the recipes of China and Southeast Asia for soups and fries. Amaranth recipes are popular across Asia. Amaranth in Telugu is called as Thotakura. The Amaranth leaves will look similar to the normal Spinach in terms of texture and appearance and are frequently used as an alternative to spinach. Amaranth will survive well in temperatures which are warm.
The leaves, grains, and stem of Amaranth can be used for the purpose of cooking. The plant is so much versatile that each and every part of the amaranth can be consumed. The flowers of amaranth plant are bright in color and in a few cases, they will grow straight or they will trail down. The Amaranth flowers will produce seeds which are called as amaranth grain. The amaranth greens are used as leaves. Few amaranth varieties will be used for amaranth grain and few of them will be used for amaranth leaves.
There are many varieties of amaranth and each of them will have a varied color of leaves. Amaranth color will be starting from striped red to dark green. Few varieties are harvested for the sake of their seeds which are very nutritious just like the leaves whereas the other varieties are used for the ornamental purposes. Amaranthus tricolor is an ornamental plant which looks striking. The following amaranthus plants are used for the purpose of grains:
- Amaranthus cruentus
- Amaranthus retroflexus
- Amaranthus caudatus
- Amaranthus hypochondriacus.
If you want amaranth plant to be grown for the purpose of leaves, then the below varieties of amaranth can be considered.
- Amaranthus Tricolor
- Amaranthus dubius
- Amaranthus blitum
- Amaranthus cruentus
- Amaranthus viridis.
Most of the varieties of edible amaranth will grow quick. The plants will take up to 5 weeks to come to a height of 12 inches. The leaves must be harvested in two ways. The complete plant can be cut at the root base or you can only cut the leaves which are at the top by leaving a minimum of two leaf nodes from the roots. You can see new leaf growth from these nodes which will be prepared for another harvest within just three weeks from the first one. Below steps describe growing amaranth for food. One must be aware of “How To Grow Thotakura (Amaranth) In Pots” for growing this wonderful leafy vegetable.
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How To Grow Thotakura/Amaranth – Seed sowing:
In order to sow the seeds, you will need to sprinkle them in a thin way on a pot with medium size and is filled with potting soil which is loose. The soil has to be topped with a thin layer of compost or you can also use potting soil for that. After that, the soil has to be watered slightly. Monitor the pot occasionally in order to make sure that the soil remains moist, But take care that you are not making the soil soggy.
After a few days, the seeds will start the process of germination. After 7 days, you can start exposing the seedlings to the outdoor sunlight and this has to done slowly. The plants will survive very well even in the partial sun, but the thing is that they will grow rapidly if they receive sunlight for a minimum of 4 hours a day.
Amaranth Harvest:
How To Grow Thotakura/Amaranth for leaves:
When you are trying to harvest amaranth, you can do it in two parts. When the amaranth is grown for the purpose of its leaves, the harvesting can be done after 20 days from the time of sowing. The leaves are tender and are much tastier and creamier. The plants will be allowed to grow up to 8 feet. The plants of amaranth will have a thick stem which can also be consumed.
How To Grow Thotakura/Amaranth for grains:
The grains are amaranth are the seeds which develop after the flowers of the amaranth plant. Harvest of the seeds of amaranth will take much time than the harvest of amaranth leaves. The stalks of amaranth flower will start to dry out when the grains of amaranth are prepared for the harvest. When you rub the amaranth flower in a gentle manner, you can see the grains dropping. Here, the flowers can cut and also dried. Amaranth can be beaten by putting it in a bag for releasing all the grains and it can be winnowed for getting seeds for the purpose of separation from the chaff.
Care and Maintenance:
The plants need to be watered when you feel that the soil is dry. This can be done by touching the soil before watering. The amaranth plants will be sturdy and they have the capability to withstand a little amount of drought even at the time of peak summer. Anyways, the leaves of Amaranth will get scorched when they are exposed to a large amount of sunlight or for longer durations of sunlight. In this case, you will need to move the amaranth plants to a partially shaded area by exposing them to sunlight only in the mornings at the time of summer.
Generally, amaranth is not that prone to pests and diseases. If required, you can spray pesticides which are organic in order to control the pests. The fertilization can be done by making use of fresh compost after 30 days in order to help in the leaf growth.
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Amaranth/Thotakura benefits:
Good source of protein:
Amaranth nutrition is of high quality. The protein which is present in amaranth is of very good quality. It provides 10 grams of protein with one cup of cooked amaranth grain. Protein is generally used by each and every cell of our body and is very essential for building the mass of muscles, improving the neurological functions, digestion, balancing hormones and keeping a decent mood. Amaranth flour consists of proteins and the fhe foods which involve proteins are very advantageous for the prevention of weight gain. They will make us feel full and will need more work for the body for digestion than the carbohydrates which are refined.
Decrease inflammation:
Amaranth is capable of reducing inflammation which is a common problem for every human being. When the toxins of dier and environment raise in the body, the immune system will become overactive and will stimulate defence cells and hormones which cause damage to the tissues. When the immune system starts to attack healthy tissues of the body, it means that you are suffering from an autoimmune disorder like inflammation. As the foods which are rich in proteins like grains will help human beings to fight inflammation, amaranth is perfect for your body. A major advantage of foods which are anti-inflammatory is that they will relieve pain which is in arthritis and gout.
Improves the health of bones:
The calcium which is present in the grains of amaranth will allow the human body to make use of the mineral for repairing bones and strengthening them. Including the foods which are rich in calcium in your diet is very much essential as it will help the broken heals or bones which are weak. Deficiency of calcium will raise the risk of a fracture and the osteoporosis which is getting developed, which is when the areas which are weakened had their formation in the bone which will lead to the fractures and pain.
Studies have proved that the consumption of amaranth is an effective and interesting way to raise the value of nutrition of calcium, iron, and zinc. Calcium is very much essential as if we do not have sufficient calcium in the body, bones will be prone to become pliable and weak by making them more prone to breaks and fractures.
Lowers cholesterol:
Amaranth grain is food which plays a vital role in lowering the cholesterol of the body. Amaranth also helps in the process of digestion by raising the faecal excretion. This is because of the content of fiber present in amaranth. This fiber will combine the cholesterol in the digestive system and will make it get excreted from the body. Consuming the foods which have a high content of fiber will help the body to lower the cholesterol in a natural way. The fiber will act in the bile which will be made from cholesterol, by taking it out of the body with the help of a stool. Because of this, the liver is needed to prepare more bile, which will use the stored cholesterol of the body by reducing the cholesterol totally.
Improves digestive system:
As Amaranth is very rich in the content of fiber, it will lead to the stimulation of the digestive system and will help in the regulation of excretion of waste from the body. Because of the structure and its inability to absorb it, the fiber will pass through the digestive system without getting absorbed by the enzymes of digestion within the stomach, taking the toxins, fat, waste and the particles of cholesterol out of the gut. Fiber which is soluble is very important for proper digestion as it will dissolve into a gluey mass and will trap bacteria, fats, toxins, and sugars. Besides digestion, amaranth also has the capability of preventing other conditions of health like leaky gut syndrome.
Helps in fighting diabetes:
In order to decrease the high levels of blood sugar, you can have one cup of amaranth as a part of the diabetic diet as it will provide a good amount of manganese. Manganese is required for proper production of digestive enzymes which are responsible for gluconeogenesis. This process will involve in the conversion of amino acids of proteins into sugar and the sugar balance in the bloodstream.
Amaranth Gluten free:
Amaranth is free of gluten, so the people who are sensitive to gluten are free to have this grain which is very advantageous. The sensitivity of gluten is a group of symptoms which have a relation with the reaction to protein which is found in gluten. The severity of sensitivity to gluten is a disease of celiac, but the studies found that the gluten sensitivity which is non-celiac which will cause symptoms which are less severe, like headache, joint pains, fatigue. Symptoms of intolerance to gluten will consist of fatigue, joint pains, depression, miscarriage. The diet for sensitivity towards gluten will consist of amaranth.
Helps pregnant women:
The folate which is present in amaranth will help the body to make new cells, especially by playing a role in synthesizing DNA. For the women who are pregnant, deficiency of folate will lead to the defects in the neural tubes, like spina bifida. This deficiency will lead to defects like malformation of heart and limb. The intake of folate foods in an adequate manner is required for the replication of DNA. So without having folate, the cells of the fetus will not be able to grow in a proper way. That is why folate is known as the most essential vitamin for a pregnancy which is healthy.
It is very essential to have very good levels of blood folate before being pregnant as the replication of the fastest cell happens in the very early stages.
Helps in loss of weight:
There are several reasons for the consumption of amaranth which will help in the maintenance of weight which is desired and also healthy. Amaranth is a complete fiber and will regulate your digestive system and also decreases inflammation. Amaranth will strengthen the bones by letting you be active physically and decreases the risk of bone fractures. It is also a major protein source which will keep you full for longer duration and raises the levels of endurance. The grain of amaranth will be especially high in lysine which is an amino acid found in fewer quantities in other types of grains. Lysine is very much essential for proper growth and it will also play an important role in the carnitine production which is a nutrient responsible for the conversion of fatty acids into energy and also helps in lowering the cholesterol. Athletes will use lysine sometimes as a supplement for protein as it will raise the energy and helps in the stimulation of growth of muscles.
That’s all folks about How To Grow Thotakura In Pots.
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