Can Cilantro Survive Winter?

When you think of gardening, you often think about winter or the colder temperatures. However, gardening tends to be more of a spring and summer activity. But did you know that some plants prefer the cold? Is cilantro one of them?In this article, we’ll answer that question and more. But first, we’ll discuss plant hardiness zones and where cilantro fits on that scale. Then, we’ll dive deeper into whether cilantro can survive the winter or not.

After, we’ll go more in-depth about the cilantro winter needs from the lowest temperatures it can withstand, protecting cilantro in the winter, and how to prepare the plant for colder temperatures.  Finally, we’ll explain if you should bring cilantro inside for the winter and whether it’ll grow well in winter or not.

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Understanding USA Plant Hardiness Zones

What is a plant hardiness zone? It’s a map of the average temperatures within various parts of the United States.

Zone 1, for example, includes the coldest areas. Whereas zone 13 consists of the hottest spots.

The hardiness zones determine the best places to grow a specific plant, depending on the temperatures it needs to thrive.

Since cilantro prefers cooler weather, the best zones to plant cilantro are between two and 11.

Can Cilantro Survive Winter?

The short answer is yes. Cilantro can survive the winter. This plant enjoys cooler temperatures and is a cold-hardy plant.

So, growing cilantro in the winter is suitable for the plant.

However, you’ll still want to protect it from harsh, freezing temperatures.

What Is The Lowest Temperature That Cilantro Can Survive?

Cilantro prefers to live in temperatures between 50 degrees F and 80 degrees F.

Anything warmer than 85 degrees F, then your cilantro will begin to bolt early.

The cooler the temperature, the better.

However, did you know that cilantro can survive in temperatures as low as 10 degrees F? Although, the plant doesn’t survive these temperatures on its own.

In fact, temperatures between 20 and 10 degrees F could harm your cilantro plant. The cold can be too harsh, depending on the climate they’re in.

For example, the frost may become too much with these low temperatures. The ground could freeze over, making it so your cilantro plant can’t grow well. Thus, the plant will die.

Should You Bring Cilantro Inside In Winter?

If it’s your first time growing cilantro and you’re nervous about how it might survive in the winter, then you can certainly bring it inside.

Also, if you live in an area that gets harsh weather conditions in the winter (such as blizzards or freezing rain), then it’s also a good idea to bring the cilantro plant indoors.

Otherwise, the colder temperatures will be ideal for your cilantro plant to grow. So, you can leave it outside in the garden and take protective measures to ensure it’ll grow well and survive the season.

How To Protect Cilantro In Winter

You can protect cilantro from harsh weather conditions in the winter using several methods.

The first is simple. If your cilantro is growing outside in a pot, you can bring the pot inside for the winter. That way, you won’t need to worry about the weather, and you can provide the right temperatures for it to grow.

Another way to protect your cilantro is to grow it in a greenhouse if you have one. The greenhouse will protect the plant from any harsh weather conditions. Also, it’ll keep the temperature steady. However, it won’t be too warm for your cilantro during the winter, so it can still take in the cold.

On the other hand, you can leave your cilantro in the garden and protect it with a cold frame. Using a cold frame is probably one of the best ways to protect your cilantro in the winter.

Cilantro needs full sun to grow. A cold frame is a transparent frame that protects your plants from the cold and the weather while still letting natural sunlight in.

Depending on your plants ‘ needs, you can buy a cold frame or make your own. 

How To Prepare Cilantro For Winter

Preparing cilantro for winter is similar to preparing other plants for winter. The difference is that cilantro prefers cooler temperatures.

Depending on where you live and the typical winter climate and weather conditions, you might not need to prepare your cilantro much at all.

It could be a matter of placing a cold frame over it and letting it get through the winter with you checking on it, of course.

Using A Cold Frame to Protect Cilantro in Winter

As mentioned above, you can use a cold frame to help prepare your cilantro for winter. The cold frame will cover it from harsh windy chills and allow the plant to get the ample sunlight it needs.

Also, the cold frame will keep the ground around it warm enough that your cilantro plant can continue to grow.

If you have your cilantro planted in the garden, this is a great option if you don’t want to move it.

Using A Greenhouse to Protect Cilantro in Winter

A greenhouse will have a similar effect, but you’ll need to move it from the garden unless it was already in the greenhouse before.

If it’s in the garden, you can move your cilantro to a pot and place it in a greenhouse. Then, similar to the cold frame, your plant can still get the full, natural sunlight it needs to grow.

However, you won’t need to worry about the weather conditions or becoming too cold inside the greenhouse.

Repot Your Cilantro And Bring It Inside The House

Growing cilantro indoors in winter is a good alternative.

In some cases, it’s easier to move your cilantro inside for the winter. For example, if you’re expecting a harsh winter or nervous about the plant, you can be on the safe side and bring it inside.

So, you can repot the plant from your garden and bring it inside the house. You can use sun lamps to keep the temperature steady and allow your cilantro to get the sunlight it needs.

Know When To Plant Your Cilantro

If your cilantro hasn’t yet been planted, you can do so before the winter begins.

For example, you can plant it in the late summer or the early fall, just as the temperature cools down.

By the time winter sets in, your cilantro plant will be grown enough to withstand the winter with a bit of help from you.

On the other hand, you can plant it after the last frost in early spring. Then your cilantro will have a few seasons before it makes it to winter.

Depending on where you live and the average temperatures, it might be easier to plant your cilantro in the early spring versus early fall. 

Does Cilantro Grow In Winter?

Believe it or not, cilantro will grow in winter. In fact, it’ll grow best in winter instead of the summer months.

However, this doesn’t mean you can plant your cilantro in the middle of the winter and hope it grows.

Cilantro can survive the cold temperatures, but only if the climate is mild.

For example, if the frost is too much, the temperatures are freezing, or there are blizzards and too much snow, the cilantro plant won’t grow well. Then, unfortunately, it’ll die.

So, it can grow well in the winter as long as you protect it. Or, you can bring it inside the house. 

Final Words on Whether Cilantro can Survive Winter

Overall, cilantro is a cold-hardy plant that enjoys the cooler temperatures of winter. It can survive the winter with some help from you and the right protection. Depending on the climate, cilantro can do well in the colder temperatures, but you’ll need to be careful about the weather conditions.

Want to learn more? Click here to learn how much sun cilantro needs and here for all my cilantro-growing guides.

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