Harvesting Wild Amaranth (amaranthus Palmeri)

Question

Could you maybe expand your article on harvesting amaranth (https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/grains/amaranth/harvesting-amaranth-plants.htm) to cover amaranth that grows as a weed? Are the seeds large enough to use for baking or porridge? We get loads of it every year in our garden, in the tomato beds, around the grapevines, crowding out the ornamental vinca, etc., and I’ve been wondering if it is worthwhile trying to make some use of the seed heads. Also, the article says things like harvesting “after a hard frost”, and most years it never frosts here in San Jose. It’s only mid-July, temps in the low nineties, and already some of the seed heads are drying up.

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Answer 1

These wild types will not produce a seed that is sizable enough to use. They are not going to be worth attempting to harvest for its seeds.

Many people use the young leaves as salad greens, however.