Grow Your Own Cilantro

Either you’re keen on it otherwise you hate it. Cilantro is named pungent and flavorful by some, but soapy and distasteful by others. The distinct flavor of cilantro enhances the spicy cuisines of Latin America, Southeast Asia, India, the center East, and North Africa. it’s a reputation as being hard to grow, but you’ll grow cilantro successfully in containers or within the garden if you heed the following recommendations.

CILANTRO and therefore the PROBLEM OF BOLTING

Cilantro flowers and goes to seed—bolts—very quickly, especially in weather. Once cilantro bolts the flavor of the leaves becomes too strong, even for cilantro lovers. the answer is to plant a replacement crop every three or four weeks. That way you’ll always have fresh, young cilantro leaves to select. Slow-bolt varieties take longer to bolt and are worth a try.

If you let a number of your cilantro from seeds you’ll get the herb called coriander, which features a very different flavor. you’ll harvest the coriander, or let the seeds mature and re-sow themselves back to your garden. you’ll also collect the seeds and sow them next year.

WHERE TO PLANT CILANTRO

An ideal location for cilantro gets morning sun and afternoon shade. you’ll arrange shade in your garden by growing cilantro near taller plants which will block the complete sun for a part of the day. Cilantro is additionally a superb container plant; you’ll even grow it indoors on a sunny windowsill.

HOW TO SOW CILANTRO

Because it bolts in weather, cilantro grows best in spring and summer. Sow seeds after the danger of frost have passed in loose, well-drained soil with added compost. Sow the seeds approximate about one-quarter of an in. deep.

When they are two or three inches tall, thin them in order that they stand about three-to-four inches apart, although some people grow them closer together in order that they shade one another and keep the soil cool. Make new sowings every few weeks for a continuing supply.

HOW TO GROW CILANTRO

If you retain the soil evenly moist and supply shade from the hot midday sun, cilantro may be a trouble-free plant. Mulching around the plants will help keep the soil cool. Cilantro rarely has insect or disease problems.

HOW TO HARVEST

You can harvest cilantro leaves at any time, but they’re at their prime when the plants are six inches tall. Using small, sharp scissors, cut the outer leaves first, allowing the smaller, inner leaves to still grow. Harvest early within the morning. you’ll also harvest cilantro by pulling up the whole plant once it matures.

Because cilantro leaves lose their flavor if they’re stored or dried, it’s best to use them right from the garden. Don’t wash the leaves otherwise, you will lose a number of the aromatic oils that give cilantro its distinctive flavor.

Grow Your Own Cilantro

Leave a Reply

Scroll to top

Discover more from DIY Gardens

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading