How to Grow Coriander/Cilantro

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Grow Coriander/Cilantro

Rate: (30 Ratings)

You can grow this Mediterranean native for its leaves, which are known as cilantro, or for its dried seeds, called coriander. It's an annual herb that will grow in USDA zone 3 and warmer, but it thrives in damp, cool springs and hot, dry summers.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Bypass Pruners
Compost Makers
Fertilizers
Garden Spades
Garden Trowels
Mulch
Planting Containers
Potting Soil
Seeds

Step1

Choose a site that gets full sun. Like most herbs, coriander isn't fussy about pH, but it needs soil that's well-drained and amended with plenty of compost.

Step2

Plant coriander where you want it to grow; it quickly develops a deep taproot that doesn't respond well to transplanting.

Step3

Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep after all danger of frost has passed. When plants emerge, thin them to 4 inches apart and mulch to conserve moisture and deter weeds. Keep a close eye on young plants to make sure they don't dry out, but once established, coriander (Mediterranean native that it is) needs little water.

Step4

Ensure a steady supply of leaves by sowing succession crops every three weeks until late summer.

Step5

Harvest entire plants when they're about 6 inches high if you want only the leaves.

Step6

Wait until the seeds start to ripen, in late summer or early autumn, if they're your prime target. Cut plants off at the base and hang them upside down in paper bags to finish drying.

Tips & Warnings

Cilantro, also known as Chinese parsley, finds its way into myriad Asian and Mexican recipes; coriander has long been a favorite on British and European spice racks.
Like most herbs, coriander performs well in containers, but choose pots that are at least 12 inches deep to accommodate the plant's taproot. Use potting soil enriched with compost and water regularly.
In containers, as in the ground, direct seeding is best. If you must have the instant impact of started plants from the nursery, be sure they're growing in peat pots that can go into the soil, leaving the roots undisturbed.