You may enjoy cilantro when mixing up a batch of guacamole or tacos. You will find it adds unique flavor to many southwest dishes, and can be a wonderful addition to marinades and dressings as well. If you are curious about growing cilantro in your own garden, take a look below at some helpful growing tips. You will find that cilantro is an easy herb to add to your collection. Here is how to get started.
How to Grow Cilantro
How to plant cilantro seedlings:
It is advised that you start your cilantro plants as seedlings as opposed to seeds. They will take off quickly, and you will be enjoying your cilantro a lot sooner. When planting cilantro seedlings, you want to plant them at 12-18 inches apart. Cilantro is fairly easy going, and doesn’t seem to mind partial sun or less than warm conditions. It is ideal for growing in cooler areas and can even be planted in early spring or mid fall and do well.
When planting your cilantro seedlings, be sure you use well drained and nutrient rich soil. You also want to give the roots room to stretch so avoid soil that is full of clay or clumps.
How to plant cilantro in containers:
If space is an issue for you, cilantro does well in containers. Use a 12 inch container per plant, so the cilantro has plenty of room. Be sure your flower pot drains properly, and fill it only with nutrient rich soil. Once planted, you can move your plant as needed to find the appropriate sun. If you wish, you can even add small flowering plants such as pansies around the cilantro for a container garden look.
How to care for cilantro plants:
You will be happy to hear that cilantro plants are rather low maintenance. Once planted, just provide it a minimum of 1 inch of water per week. You can use a food safe fertilizer if you wish, although cilantro tends to do just fine without it. Around the base of the plant you can add an inch of mulch, to help protect the plant as well as retain moisture in the roots.
While most pests will leave cilantro alone, you may notice aphids on it. A light spray of a water/dish soap mixture can help. You can also use a food safe pesticide or pick the pests off by hand. Try to avoid allowing the foliage to get damp, as this can attract pests and promote rot and mildew.
How to harvest cilantro:
Cilantro is ready to be harvested when the stems measure about 8-12 inches long. To harvest, simply snip from the base of the plant. Be careful not to remove more than 1/3 of the plant at one time, as it will weaken the plant and can halt the growth.
To harvest cilantro seeds for next season, remove the flowering heads of the cilantro plant and place them in a dark, dry spot. A paper bag is the perfect option. When the head dries, the seeds will fall out. Remember that cilantro is a perennial, so once you plant it continue to care for it and it will return in full force the next season.
Growing your own cilantro can be easy as well as beneficial! Give these tips a try and you can enjoy a prosperous cilantro plant for years to come.
More Herb Gardening Tips:
- How to Grow Sage
- How to Grow Mint
- How to Grow Lavender
- How to Grow Marjoram
- How to Start an Herb Garden
- Tips for Growing an Indoor Herb Garden
Would you like to save this article?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Leave a Reply