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Cilantro
Coriandrum sativum
Loved and hated — sow often, harvest young, save the seed.
Sun
Sun spring/fall, shade summer
Water
Regular
Soil
Well-drained, pH 6.2–6.8
Spacing
15 cm apart
Days to harvest
40–50 days for leaf; 90 for seed
Hardiness
Zones 3–11 (annual)
Seasonal Calendar
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Sow Harvest
The method
- 1
Sow direct
Cilantro hates transplanting. Sow in situ, 1 cm deep.
- 2
Sow every 3 weeks
Plants bolt fast in summer. A short row every 3 weeks keeps you in leaf.
- 3
Harvest whole plants
Cut at soil level when 15 cm tall — regrowth is sparse anyway.
- 4
Let some go to seed
Green seeds are wonderful in curries; dried seeds are coriander spice.
Common problems
Instant bolting
Sow in cool weather; try slow-bolt varieties like 'Calypso'.
Weak seedlings
Direct sow only — cilantro roots hate disturbance.
Good neighbors
SpinachBeanTomato
Field tips
- “Cilantro shoots (microgreens) crop in 2 weeks on the windowsill.”
- “The self-sown seedlings from a bolted plant often thrive.”