Black Pearl Anyone?

From our observation, leaf amaranth (Chinese Spinach) flowers attract many tiny critters, the bad and good garden companion.  There are still many big ladybirds around in our garden now which will be good to control aphids that is trying to stay on our brassicas. 

Growing and collecting Chinese Spinach (bayam) seeds is easy. The male and flower are on the same plant. Pollination is by wind. We are only growing one amaranth variety last warm season. So we hope the seeds that we have collected by open pollination will not be cross hybridised with other amaranth. However, walking at the reserve land at the back of our backyard fence less than 50 metre away, we saw that one of our backyard neighbours has green coloured amaranth bolting as well. So is our amaranth seeds a pure strain or not? I had to do some reasoning;

• Amaranth plant not tall and tall fence can perhaps act as physical barrier.
• Not only one amaranth are blooming but others as well in our garden, so the winds will carry the nearest pollen to the nearest available female which is around our garden.
• I won't know until I tested the seeds, but this mean have to wait until spring.
• Ours are red flowers, neighbours are green flowers which I am hoping that it is not closely related.

What do you think?

Chinese spinach does not required many space to grow which is very suitable for gardeners that have small space to grow. Also looks very ornamental leaving them bolt to collect seeds.

Bolting Chinese amaranth scattered in different containers in this winter month.

I would like to share some of our Chinese Spinach black pearl randomly to 3 person interested to have a go with this plant (just leave a comment). I can't promise that it will be true seeds. However, I think with all the reasoning, it is true Chinese Spinach seeds. So I will be sending different kind of black pearl along such as angled luffa and lemon basil just in case. One plume from Chinese Spinach plant does contain so many seeds.

Ruby Tuesday