Cilantro or Coriander is widely used In Asian,Mexican, Spanish and Latin Cuisine.Its a popular herb that is catching up fast and gaining popularity in other countries as well.Its a herb that you can either love or hate due its distinctive flavor and aroma. The roots,leaves,stems and dry seeds are used in cooking.Its a fairly easy herb to grow and can be easily grown in small pots or containers,without taking up much space so its an ideal choice of herb to grow in a small balcony/ garden .So here's a pictorial step by step guide on growing your very own Cilantro/Coriander from seeds .
Begin by taking some dry Cilantro/Coriander seeds,then spread them out on a flat surface and gently crush them using a rolling pin,don't over do the crushing part or else you will end up turning the seeds into coriander powder and we don't want that,do we !! so be gentle and crush lightly applying just enough pressure to help split the seeds into two half's.If you prefer you can sow the seeds whole, but it will take more time to germinate in comparison if you split them.
To speed up the process of germination you can soak the crushed Cilantro/Coriander seeds in warm saline water overnight,or else you can just skip this step and get to sowing them directly.
Prepare the potting soil in which you will be growing your Cilantro/Coriander by mixing together,cocopeat,garden soil and compost in equal quantities,its important to give the Cilantro/Coriander good quality potting medium that is rich in organic matter and natural hummus and is well draning, as we will not add any additional fertilizer once the seeds sprout and begin to grow.
Fill a pot with the potting medium and lightly scatter and spread out the pre-soaked split Cilantro/Coriander seeds over the potting soil,then gently cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil,water lightly and set the pot in a spot that receives full to part sunlight. Root rot and dampening off are some common problems that one can face when growing Cilantro/Coriander,and one of the main causes is over watering, its highly recommended that you just sprinkle or spray the soil lightly with water just to keep it moist and not water logged,also pouring water directly displaces the seeds.
Depending on the temperature Cilantro/Coriander seeds can take anyway between 7 to 10 days to germinate.Cilantro/Coriander needs cool weather to grow.In India you can grow Cilantro/Coriander from October to February.
Once the first set of true leaves appear and the Cilantro/Coriander has established itself , water every alternate day keeping the soil damp but not soggy.
You can thin out the Cilantro/Coriander at this stage,simply pull out the smaller ones that are about 2 inches (you can use them in your cooking or as a garnish) and leave the rest,I do not thin out mines as i grow a Thai dwarf variety of Cilantro/Coriander called Pak Chi so i just let them grow and leave them as they are.
Cilantro/Coriander cannot tolerate heat or extremely warm climate,it just bolts or goes to seed in short.Hence its advisable to grow it only during the cooler season,this reduces the chances of the Cilantro/Coriander bolting or going to seed prematurely,Cilantro/Coriander also bolts due to other reasons such as over crowding,irregular watering,and due to poor soil that lacks organic matter.
To harvest the Cilantro/Coriander you can snip the top part away using a pair of sharp scissors,take as much as you want to use and leave the rest to grow back again.
Cilantro/Coriander plants get feathery and wispy when they bolt and they produce lovely lacey clusters of flowers that are called umbels these pretty looking flowers can range from white to pale pink in color.
Cilantro/Coriander flowers are useful in attracting important pollinators like bees,butterflies and birds in your garden.
There will come a point when the Cilantro/Coriander will eventually Bolt or Flower/Go To Seed,so if you intend to save seeds you can let the flowers stay, once the tiny flowers bloom and fall,tiny green round Cilantro/Coriander seeds will start forming.
To collect the seeds simply let these seeds get fully matured and dry on the stems then collect and store them in a ziplock or paper pouch in a cool and dry place for future use.
So that's it friends,i hope you like and find this post useful,so until next time.... Its Happy Gardening To All ☺
