Coriander and Cilantro: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Coriander and Cilantro

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Planting

Plant the seeds in light, well-drained soil and space them 1 to 2 inches apart. Sow the seeds at intervals starting after the last spring frost date; the best time to plant is between March and May.
Plant the seeds on raised beds. Be sure to space the rows about 12 inches apart.
You can grow the plants in partial shade, but the seeds do well in full sun.
It is important to keep the seeds moist during their germination, so remember to water the plants regularly.
Be sure to avoid planting the seeds during the hot summer because this will make the plants bolt. The leaves that grow on bolted plants tend to be bitter in flavor.

Care

It is important to water the seedlings regularly throughout the growing season. They require about 1 inch of water per week for best growth.
Space the seedlings about 6 inches apart so that they have room to develop healthy leaves.
Once the plants are established, they do not need as much water per week. Keep them moist, but be careful not to overwater them.
Fertilize once or twice during the growing season with nitrogen fertilizer. Apply 1/4 cup of fertilizer per 25 feet of row. Be sure not to over-fertilizer the plants.
To help prevent weeds, mulch around the plants as soon as they are visible above the soil. You can also till shallowly to help prevent root damage from weeds.

Pests

Fungal wilt
Leaf hoppers

Harvest/Storage

The large leaves can be cut individually from the plants. For the smaller leaves, cut them off 1-1/2 to 2 inches above the crown.
You can also remove the entire plant at once; however, this means that you will not be able to continue harvesting for the rest of the growing season.
To store coriander seeds, cut off the seed heads when the plant begins to turn brown and put them in a paper bag. Hang the bag until the plant dries and the seeds fall off. You can then store the seeds in sealed containers.
To store cilantro leaves, you can either freeze or dry them. To freeze, put the leaves in a resealable freezer bag and store them in your freezer. To dry them, hang the plant in a warm place until fully dried, then store the leaves in a resealable bag or container.

Recommended Varieties

Slow-bolting varieties, such as 'Costa Rica', 'Leisure', and 'Long Standing' are the best choices for harvesting the leaves.

Recipes

Comments

Cilantro

reply

By Anonymous

It is very cold in Alabama but I still have a large pot of cilantro outside in a somewhat covered area. The leaves are very large. Is it still edible? Even if the leaves are really large?