Cilantro

Light
  • Full Sun, Partial Shade
    • 4 - 6 hours of light
    • Shade in the afternoon in high temperature climates (+85 degrees F)

Hardiness

  • Zone 2 - 11

Water

  • Requires 1 inch or less of water per week. Water when 1” of topsoil is dry.
  • Make sure the watered area is not soggy or mushy from overwatering
  • Assure the soil is evenly watered
  • Don’t overwater but don’t let the soil become too dry between watering

Container

  • Perfect for a garden or a 2+ gallon pot

Transplanting

  • Plant in May 15th - June 25th
  • Dig a hole 8 inches deep and 6 inches wide. Plant seedling 1 inch deep and place soil loosely around it.

Spacing

  • Between Plants: 8 - 12 inches
  • Between Rows: 12 - 15 inches

Size

  • Height: 1.5 - 2 feet
  • Width: 10 - 14 inches

Harvest time

  • 60 - 90 days

Soil

  • Loosely packed, well-drained soil composition:
    • ¼ compost or humus
    • ¼ drainage and aeration material (perlite or vermiculite)
    • ½ loam (sand and silt. Small amount of clay)
  • Preferred pH: 6.2 - 6.8

Fertilizer

  • Fertilize soil before initially transplanting with 10-10-10 NPK, compost or fresh manure
  • Cilantro does not require a lot of nutrients and may not need fertilizer for the whole season
  • Heavily harvested cilantro can use a 2-1-1 NPK once per month

Use

  • Cilantro is popular among Asian and Mexican cuisines while coriander seeds are an essential ingredient for curry! Even though cilantro has a lot of flavor, dried leaves lose their flavor quickly and are best enjoyed fresh.

Friends

  • Plant next to anise, asparagus, basil, beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chives, cosmos, eggplant, ginger, lettuce, kale, mint, okra, peas, peppers, potatoes, spinach, sunflowers, tomatoes, turmeric, yarrow and zinnias

Foes

  • DO NOT plant next to carrots, dill, fennel, lavender, oregano, rosemary and thyme

Tips

  • Harvest cilantro when the plant has grown at least 6 inches by pinching back portions of the upper stem. This promotes new leaf growth and slows down the flowering process.
  • To harvest seeds (coriander), simply allow the plant to flower. Pinch off the flower heads and hang them inside of a sealed brown paper bag. When the flower has dried, the seeds will fall to the bottom of the bag. Allow the seeds to continue drying inside the bag for at least 1 week.
  • Overwatering or high temperatures can cause cilantro to “bolt”. This means cilantro will start producing seeds to ensure its survival.
  • Cilantro leaves are sensitive to direct sunlight, so finding a shady location to stay clear of the afternoon sun is recommended.