Finally, we’ll discuss the best ways to keep your cilantro thriving so that it can grow as big as possible. On the other hand, if you need it to stay small but still grow well, we also have some tips for that.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Why Grow Cilantro?

There are many reasons to grow cilantro in your garden or inside your home.

First, cilantro is an excellent herb that goes well in many different dishes. For example, you can add cilantro’s unique flavor to Indian, Thai, Mexican, and South American recipes.

Cilantro has a “soapy” flavor that tastes like lemon and pepper. You can add fresh cilantro leaves to your meal for a pungent taste. Otherwise, if you prefer a more subtle taste, you can dry out the fresh leaves and add dried cilantro to your recipes.

In addition, cilantro is a cold-hardy plant. So, you can plant it in the late summer or early spring to allow it to grow well during the cooler weather. Alternatively, it’ll grow well all year inside your house.

However, cilantro is an annual plant so it won’t grow back each year. So, it has a short lifespan, but if properly taken care of, you can replant cilantro seeds for the following year.

How Big Does Cilantro Grow?

So, how big does a cilantro plant get? Cilantro is a decent-sized plant. However, it’ll take up some room in your garden, so you want to provide it with enough space.

When given enough room to grow, your cilantro will be able to thrive. In addition, your other plants will be able to grow to their best potential.

For example, cilantro can grow about one to one and a half feet wide. So, it certainly likes having elbow room.

How Tall Does Cilantro Grow?

On the other hand, cilantro can grow to be relatively tall. For instance, it can grow from as little as one foot tall to as high as two feet tall.

Tips To Help Cilantro Grow As Big As Possible

Of course, the best way to help your cilantro grow as big as possible is to take great care of it. So before you begin planting cilantro, research what the plant likes and needs to thrive.

Do you have the space in your garden? Do you have suitable soil and provide it with enough sun?

If you can adequately care for the plant, it will surely grow to its full size.

When And Where To Plant Cilantro

Since cilantro likes cooler weather, the best time to plant this herb is in early spring, when the final frost has passed. Alternatively, you can plant it in late summer or early fall, just for winter.

However, cilantro needs some protection during the winter, depending on how harsh the temperatures are.

You can learn more about cilantro surviving the winter here.

When it comes to deciding where to plant your cilantro, it’ll depend on its needs once again.

Choose a spot near other plants that have similar needs. For example, cilantro thrives on full sun.

So, you don’t want your cilantro plant to be blocked by another plant. Instead, you can put the cilantro in front of a plant that doesn’t like as much, shading the other plant when your cilantro grows tall.

When growing cilantro near other plants (or other cilantro plants), you’ll want to space them all out evenly. At least one foot should be in between each plant from all sides.

However, two feet is ideal since cilantro can grow up to 1.5 feet wide.

Spacing them out will allow them ample room to grow and thrive.

Temperature And Lighting Requirements for Growing Cilantro

Now that we know cilantro is a cold-hardy plant, you’ll want to make sure that it’s planted in weather that’s between 50 and 70 degrees F.

Cilantro can withstand temperatures as low as 10 degrees F, but you’ll still want to protect it in the winter.

In addition, cilantro loves full, direct sunlight. So, you’ll need to provide it with at least six hours of sun per day.

You can plant it in a sunny spot in the garden or if you choose to grow it inside the house, place it in a sunny room.

You can learn more about cilantro, and its sun needs here.

Watering Your Cilantro Plant

Even though cilantro loves the sun but can easily burn if it gets too hot, this herb doesn’t need too much water.

In fact, it’s easy to overwater this plant. On the other hand, it’s easy to underwater the plant, too.

Cilantro only needs to be watered about once a week. However, during its early stages, like when the seeds are germinating, you can water it daily.

However, it only needs about an inch of water, just enough to get the soil damp.

Read more about watering your cilantro plant here.

Soil And Fertilizer Needs for Growing Cilantro

In addition to watering, you want to make sure that you have the correct soil for your cilantro plant.

For example, cilantro needs soil that drains water well. This will ensure that your herb plant will only drink what it needs to, allowing the rest of the water to seep into the ground.

Also, cilantro does not need fertilizer to grow. However, if you want it to grow as big as it can get, you can add high-quality fertilizer to it about once a month. 

When To Harvest Cilantro

When your cilantro plant is about six inches tall, then you can harvest it for the first time. This will only take about 22 days.

After the first harvest, you’ll be able to gather cilantro leaves often. However, if you harvest a lot at once, be sure to give it a good week before harvesting again.

Waiting a week will allow the plant to regrow more leaves and stay healthy.

How To Harvest Cilantro

When harvesting this plant, you can cut about one-third of the way down from the stem. Then, leave two-thirds of the stem in the ground.

This will promote new growth so that you can harvest more later.

How To Best Keep Your Cilantro Plant Small

In some cases, you might not want your cilantro plant to grow that big. For example, maybe you don’t use cilantro as much as the harvest will give you, or maybe you have too many other plants in your garden.

The best way to keep your cilantro plant small is to prune it often. You can do this when you harvest your cilantro leaves.

For instance, snip off any flower stalks that are beginning to sprout. Also, you can cut back on some of the stems. The plant will continue to grow, and you can use what you take off of it without harming the plant at all.

On the other hand, if you don’t want your cilantro to take up too much room, you can plant it in a pot.

But how big of a pot does cilantro need? A pot that’s at least 18 inches wide and eight to ten feet deep should do the trick. 

You’ll want to use a pot that’s big enough to hold your cilantro so that it won’t stunt its growth. However, not allow for the extra room to ensure your cilantro doesn’t grow nearly as tall or wide.

Final Words on How Big does Cilantro Grow

So, how big can cilantro grow? Overall, cilantro can stretch out quite a bit in your garden. There are many ways to help it reach its full potential when growing. But, on the other hand, you can also do your best to keep it small without stunting its growth if you need to.

I hope you have enjoyed this guide answering how big does cilantro plant get. If you want to learn more, find out how fast cilantro grows here or click here to find out what to do when cilantro flowers. You can also find all my guides to growing cilantro here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post How Big Does Cilantro Grow? [Full Care Guide] appeared first on Gardening Chief.

First, we’ll answer how often you should water your cilantro plant and how much water it needs in various stages of its growth. Then, we’ll discuss signs of overwatering and underwatering your cilantro plant. In addition, we’ll share some tips about fertilizing your cilantro plant, how much sun it needs, and other maintenance tips. 

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Why Grow Cilantro?

Cilantro is a great herb that can be added to many different dishes. For example, cilantro is popular in Mexican, Indian, Thai, and Latin American foods.

This herb has a unique taste that’s often described as “soapy.” In addition, it has a lemon and pepper flavor to it.

In addition, you can use the fresh leaves of the cilantro plant in recipes or dry the leaves out. The dried leaves will keep longer and will have a more subtle taste. On the other hand, if you enjoy its strong taste, you can use the fresh leaves in your dish.

Also, cilantro is great to grow all year round. It has a shorter lifespan than some other herb plants, but it’s a cold-hardy plant. You can also grow it inside your house or outdoors in your garden, among other plants.

Overall, there’s a lot to love about this herb plant. But how do you care for it in terms of watering?

How Often To Water Cilantro Plant?

Believe it or not, cilantro doesn’t require a lot of water. However, its watering needs will vary, depending on which stage of growth it’s in.

For example, how often to water cilantro seeds varies from the answer to how often do I water cilantro plants? 

How Often Do You Water Cilantro Seeds?

Sometimes, you might wonder, “how often should I water cilantro seeds?”

Well, when it’s first starting, you’ll want to water your cilantro seeds at least once a day. This will help your plant get a head start on growth.

Once the seeds germinate and the plant begins growing, you won’t have to water it as much. 

How Often To Water Cilantro Indoors?

If you have your cilantro plant inside the house, then you’ll still want to provide it with as much water as it needs.

At the beginning of planting, give it some water once a day. Then, as it begins to grow, you can water it less.

How Often To Water Cilantro Outdoors?

When your cilantro plant is outside the garden, watering needs may vary. You’ll want to water it once a day when you first plant it. Then, you can water it once a week as it grows bigger.

However, you’ll want to be careful on rainy days. If there’s a drizzle, your plant should be fine. But if you get a huge rainstorm, then you’ll want to protect your plant somehow.

Protecting it might include covering it with a tarp or bringing the plant inside the house.

How Much Water Does Cilantro Need?

Luckily, cilantro does not need a lot of water to thrive. However, the amount of water you give will depend on its current growth stage.

For example, in the beginning, you’ll want to provide more water for your cilantro plant while it’s beginning to grow. Then, as it grows bigger, you’ll be able to water it less.

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to provide your cilantro plant with about one inch of water per day when it’s first beginning to grow.

This early stage of growth includes the seeds germinating and beginning to sprout.

As your plant grows bigger and older, then you’ll only need to provide about one inch of water per week.

Giving your cilantro that amount of water continuously will allow it to grow well consistently.

Of course, some days or weeks might be different than others. For example, if it’s hot, it might drink more water than usual. So you want to keep an eye on your plant to ensure it’s drinking enough and getting enough water.

On the other hand, it’s easy to overwater or underwater if you’re not careful.

Signs Of Overwatering in Cilantro Plants

Overwatering your cilantro plant means that you provide it with more water than it needs. Unfortunately, this is easy to do if you’re not careful enough since cilantro doesn’t need a lot of water, to begin with.

If you’re unsure whether to water your plant or not, then feel the soil. If it’s bone dry, then you should certainly give it a drink.

However, if you provide water to your plant every day after its early stages of growth, then you’ll be giving it too much water.

Also, overwatering can occur if you’re using the wrong soil type. For instance, cilantro needs soil that drains water well.

Unfortunately, you can tell that your cilantro plant is being overwatered if you notice the following signs in your cilantro plant:

• Leaves turn yellow and fall off
• Leaves turn a darker color or black
• The cilantro stops growing
• The stems and roots break off easily
• The plant does not perk up when being watered
• Fuzzy mildew will grow on the plant

Unfortunately, if you overwater your cilantro too often and it’s difficult to correct, this may result in your cilantro plant dying.

Signs Of Underwatering Cilantro Plants

On the flip side, you can also underwater your cilantro plant. Since this herb doesn’t require too much water to grow, it can be easy to forget to check on the soil’s moisture.

The best way to remember to water your cilantro is to check on it at least once a week. However, it’ll be best to check on it once a day to see how it’s growing.

Your cilantro will tell you if it’s not getting enough water.

For instance, your cilantro will begin to wilt. The leaves might turn yellow, and the stems will be soft and limp.

In addition, the leaves may dry up and fall off of the stems.

If you notice this, be sure to give your cilantro a drink right away. Otherwise, the plant could die.

However, if your plant is being underwatered and you want to give it a quick drink, be sure to give it only the water it needs.

For instance, because your plant didn’t get enough water, doesn’t mean you need to provide it with extra water.

Adding a little bit of water is better than adding too much at a time. Then, you can check on the plant again in a couple of hours to see how much it drank.

Does Cilantro Need Fertilizer Regularly?

Fertilizer will help cilantro grow well. For example, you can add fertilizer once every other week to your well-drained soil.

You can begin adding fertilizer when your cilantro plant grows to be about two inches tall. Any time before that, you can allow your cilantro plant to grow well on its own with the right soil.

For instance, you want to use loamy-like soil that drains water well. In addition, this will help your cilantro plant be able to drink what it needs to and then drain any excess water. 

Does Cilantro Need Full Sun?

Yes, cilantro does need full sun to grow well. So planting it in the garden where it’ll get about six hours of direct sunlight per day is ideal.

However, you’ll want to plant cilantro in the early spring or late summer to avoid extreme hot weather.

Cilantro loves the sun, but it can burn easily when it gets too hot.

Read more about cilantro, and its sun needs here.

Other Maintenance Tips For Growing Cilantro

Sometimes, if you notice something wrong with your cilantro plant, it might not be a watering issue.

For example, if you notice that its leaves are wilting, it could be an issue with the soil or fertilizer. Without proper soiling or fertilizing needs, your plant may not be able to grow as well as it can.

In addition, if you’re growing your cilantro in a pot, make sure there are holes at the bottom. This will allow any excess water to drip out if your cilantro doesn’t need to drink it.

Finally, if you notice that your cilantro plant is drinking a lot, you can add more soil so that it has more room to spread out its roots. 

Final Words on How Often to Water Cilantro Plants

Overall, cilantro is a cold-hardy plant that doesn’t require much water. However, it’s easy to overwater or underwater your cilantro plant. So, you want to make sure that you know its water levels at all times. With proper watering, your cilantro plant will be able to thrive.

Want to learn more? Click here to learn how to grow cilantro in water or find out what it means when cilantro flowers here. You can also find out how big cilantro grows here or all my cilantro guides here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post How Often To Water Cilantro Plants – Watering Guidance appeared first on Gardening Chief.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

What Are Cilantro Flowers?

Have you ever seen a cilantro plant with flowers? Believe it or not, cilantro is a herb that can also produce flowers.

These flowers grow in clusters, called umbels. They look like they have a lacy appearance and are white-pink in color. 

Unlike most other flowers, cilantro flowers don’t have much of an aroma. Also, they don’t have a strong taste, either.

For instance, cilantro flowers have a similar taste to the herb’s fresh leaves but are much milder.

Are Cilantro Flowers Edible?

Yes, cilantro flowers are edible. In fact, the entirety of the cilantro plant is edible.

The flowers have a similar flavor to the herb’s leaves, but it’s more subtle. For instance, cilantro flowers are often used in Indian, Asian, and Latin dishes. 

You can use the flowers on their own for certain recipes, or you can use the cilantro flowers as a substitute for cilantro leaves.

However, remember the flavor isn’t as strong as the fresh leaves. On the other hand, the flowers will taste similar to dried cilantro leaves. 

Why Does Cilantro Flower?

When a cilantro plant flowers, it’s called bolting.

Bolting is a survival mechanism for cilantro. But, unfortunately, it doesn’t always produce flowers because it’s supposed to, or it might look pretty.

For instance, if your cilantro plant bolts too early, then that means there’s something wrong.

To explain, cilantro flowers if their living conditions aren’t good enough to grow. The cilantro plant will bolt, producing flowers. Thus, producing seeds.

The plant does this to produce seeds quickly so that the seeds can plant themselves, and the next generation of cilantro will grow. 

In other words, the plant wants to start over, hoping the new bath of cilantro will grow well. 

Is It Bad When Cilantro Flowers?

No, it’s not necessarily bad when cilantro flowers.

Flowering is how cilantro reproduces. As mentioned earlier, the flowers produce seeds, which fall off and are replanted in the soil. Thus, new cilantro plants grow.

So, cilantro flowering is a good thing. However, it’s when it bolts too early that’s when it becomes a problem.

When cilantro flowers are too early, it’ll be more difficult to get a harvest out of it. This is because the leaves will lose their flavor once the flowers bloom.

Unfortunately, simply cutting off the flowers won’t do any good. The leaves still won’t have their flavor.

What To Do When Cilantro Plant Flowers?

So, what do you do when cilantro flowers? Unfortunately, when your cilantro plant begins to flower, there’s not much you can do.

You can try to harvest the leaves already on the plant and dry them out. Drying them out will allow the leaves to last longer and, since they lose their flavor, the dried leaves will be mild either way.

Also, the dried leaves will last longer, so you won’t waste any of the cilantro plant’s leaves.

Otherwise, you can let the cilantro plant do its thing. Then, once it flowers, you can let nature take its course.

Allow the seeds to germinate or gather them to replant them yourself.

Remember, cilantro will flower early if its living conditions aren’t suitable. So first, find the cause of the problem, and then you can correct it for the next cilantro plant.

Then, you can plant the new cilantro seeds in a different area, if need be, and help that new plant thrive.

When Does Cilantro Flower?

Cilantro flowers in the spring and summer.

This herb is cold-hardy, which means that it prefers cooler temperatures. Cilantro grows its best in colder weather.

So, in the warmer months, such as spring and summer, the plant doesn’t feel as if it has ample living conditions.

The cilantro will flower, preparing for the colder months. They’ll produce seeds that will allow them to germinate and grow well for the following winter.

Read more about cilantro in winter here.

How To Stop Cilantro From Flowering

First, know that the cilantro plant will continuously flower, no matter what you. Flowering is the way cilantro reproduces, so it’s completely natural.

However, you can prevent flowering from happening too early. Or, you can avoid it just long enough for you to make the most out of harvesting from your cilantro plant.

So, let’s talk about ways you can prolong the flowering process.

Grow Slow-Bolt Cilantro

Yes, there are different types of cilantro, and this is one of them.

Plants can adapt to their environments, and this plant did just that.

Slow-bolt cilantro is a cilantro plant bred in warmer climates that don’t have as much moisture in the air as cooler climates. So, it lasts longer in warm weather. 

If you live in an area with a warm climate, then this particular cilantro plant is worth looking into. 

Utilize Succession Planting

Succession planting is when you grow new seeds of the same plant once every other week. This will allow you to have more harvests of the same plant.

For example, while you wait for your first cilantro plant to produce more leaves, your second cilantro plant will be ready for harvest. This is great if you use cilantro a lot and need to take stock of it.

However, it’s also great to do to prevent bolting. If one cilantro plant bolts too early, you have a backup cilantro plant ready to go. So, it won’t delay your harvest at all. 

Know When To Plant Cilantro

The best time to plant cilantro is early fall, early spring, or late summer. Then, as the weather begins to cool, this is an ideal time to plant your cilantro.

Planting it during the summer or mid-spring will bolt much faster due to the warm weather.

Alternatively, you can plant your cilantro indoors. You’ll be able to control the temperature better in there. So, if you happen to have cilantro seeds at the ready and plant them in the summer, you can leave them in a cooler room in your house.

Then, you can choose to leave it inside your house for the winter or find a spot in the garden or greenhouse. Finally, you can move your cilantro plant outside and allow it to thrive in the fresh, cool air. 

Harvest Your Fresh Cilantro Leaves Often

One other way to prevent early flowering is to harvest your cilantro plant as often as possible.

When you harvest the leaves, you can check the plant overall to see if any flowers begin to bud. If you see the start of flowers, before the plant bolts, then you snip the buds off.

Cutting off the buds will allow your cilantro plant to continue growing and producing leaves rather than flowers.

Remember, cilantro has a shorter lifespan of about one season of cool weather. So, at some point, you won’t be able to keep snipping off the buds. The cilantro plant will decide when it’s done producing leaves.

When the weather is about to turn warm, this is an ideal time to allow your cilantro plant to flower so you can collect those seeds.

Then, depending on the weather, you can replant those seeds and not miss a harvest. 

Final Words on What to do When Cilantro Flowers

Overall, cilantro flowers are natural. It’s how the plant reproduces, which is a good thing. However, if it flowers too early, it’s unsuitable for the plant or your harvest. Luckily, there are some ways to prevent cilantro from flowering too early so you can make the most out of the herb plant.

Want to learn more? Find out how often to water cilantro here. You can also find all my cilantro guides here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post What To Do When Cilantro Flowers? appeared first on Gardening Chief.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Is Cilantro Easy To Grow?

Once you know how to care for cilantro, then yes. Cilantro is an easy herb plant to grow.

You can grow it in your garden outside, in a pot outside, or inside your house in water. If it has suitable soil, watering, sun, and temperatures, your cilantro can easily thrive.

How Tall Does Cilantro Grow?

Cilantro is a relatively big plant. So, if you’re going to grow this in your garden, make sure you give it enough space for it to spread out.

Also, make sure your other plants have plenty of room.

For instance, cilantro can grow about one to two feet tall. In addition, it can grow to be about one to 1.5 feet wide.

So, it needs plenty of elbow room to grow well.

Learn more about how big cilantro grows here.

How Long Does Cilantro Take To Grow?

Believe it or not, once you get the hang of growing cilantro, not only is it an easy herb to grow, but it’s also quick to grow.

How Long Does Cilantro Take To Germinate?

You won’t be waiting too long for your cilantro to start growing once you plant your seeds.

Provided the seeds are planted in a good spot, and they’re about one inch deep into the soil, then you can expect the seeds to germinate within five to ten days. 

How Long Does It Take To Grow Cilantro From Seed?

So, how long does it take for cilantro to sprout? If you grow cilantro from seeds, then you can expect your harvest to be in as little as 22 days.

However, the cilantro plant can take anywhere between 45 and 70 days to fully mature when grown from seeds.

How Long Does It Take For Cilantro To Grow From Cuttings?

If you grow cilantro from cuttings, it will take longer to grow than planting seeds.

It seems backward since cuttings are somewhat grown already. First, however, the cuttings need to get reacquainted with the soil and dig their roots down.

So, if you have cilantro cuttings handy that you’re going to plant, you can expect it to be fully grown within a couple of weeks.

Tips To Help Cilantro Grow As Fast As Possible

The best way to help cilantro grow as fast as possible is to take great care of the plant.

If your cilantro plant is well-loved and gets the proper care it needs, then it will indeed thrive, growing quickly and efficiently. 

Choose A Spot And Know When To Plant Your Cilantro

First, you want to decide when and where to plant your cilantro.

You can decide to put your cilantro plant in the garden or keep it inside your house. Alternatively, you can bring the cilantro plant in and out as needed.

Cilantro is a cold-hardy plant. So, the best time to plant this herb is in late summer, early fall, or early spring. Right after the final frost of the winter season is an ideal time.

However, if you choose to plant your cilantro inside your house, you can do this at any time of the year. As long as it stays in a cooler room during the warmer months, you can replant it in your garden when the weather gets cooler.

This way, your cilantro plant will have a head-start on growing for the season. Thus, you’ll be able to harvest it earlier and get more harvest out of it.

On the other hand, you can keep it inside your house all year long. Then, once it’s done being harvested for the season, you can allow it to bolt, producing seeds. Then, you can grow the seeds in a different pot for the following season.

So, growing it inside the house earlier is a great way to jump-start its growth. Then, when it’s ready, you can bring it back out to the garden and either leave it in a pot where it can still get the fresh air, or you can plant it in the garden with other plants.

Read my full guide to when to plant cilantro here and where to plant it here.

Companion Planting With Cilantro

When choosing a spot in the garden, companion planting with cilantro is ideal.

Companion planting is when you place certain plants near each other, so they help one another grow.

For example, cilantro prefers one type of soil over the other. Also, they don’t require too much water. So, you’ll want to place your cilantro herb plant near other plants that need the same type of soil and don’t need to drink a lot.

On the other hand, cilantro thrives on direct sunlight. Since it grows tall, you can put plants that don’t need a lot of sun behind the cilantro. Then, the cilantro will get most of the sun while protecting the other plants.

Using companion planting, your cilantro and the other plants around it will grow well and thrive to their best potential. 

Watering Your Cilantro

As mentioned earlier, cilantro doesn’t require too much water. So, if you want it to grow quickly, make sure you keep up with its watering needs.

For example, in the early stages of growth, this herb likes to have about an inch of water added to its soil per day.

As it grows bigger, you’ll only need to provide it with about one inch of water per week.

Be careful, though. It’s easy to overwater or underwater your cilantro plant.

You can learn more about your cilantro plant’s watering needs here.

Soil And Fertilizer Needs for Cilantro

Now that we know cilantro doesn’t need a lot of water, the type of soil you plant them is important.

For example, cilantro prefers to have well-drained soil. This way, excess water can drain through the dirt without bothering your plant.

Not only is this type of soil helpful in case you give your cilantro a little too much to drink, but it’s always helpful outside. For instance, on rainy days, your cilantro will be okay.

However, if you know you’re going to get a lot of rain within a day or two, you can move your cilantro plant inside. Alternatively, you can protect it with a tarp out in the garden.

In addition, cilantro doesn’t need fertilizer. However, if you want it to grow a little faster and remain healthy, you can add a little bit of fertilizer to the soil about once a month.

Sunlight And Temperature For Cilantro

Remember, cilantro is a cold-hardy plant.

For instance, it prefers to be planted in about 50 to 70 degrees F. In the winter. It can withstand temperatures as low as 10 degrees F. However, you’ll still need to protect it.

You can bring it inside the house in the winter, place it in a greenhouse, or protect it with a cold frame.

Your cilantro plant will grow well with the right protection and proper temperatures.

In addition, this herb thrives on full, direct sunlight. So, you’ll want to provide it with at least six hours of sunlight per day.

If planting it in the garden, make sure it’s in a sunny spot. On the other hand, if you plant it in a pot inside your house, be sure it’s in a sunny room.

You can also get a sun lamp if you have some cloudy days ahead of you.

Even though it likes the sun, be sure that it doesn’t get too hot. Unfortunately, cilantro can burn in hot temperatures, and it will cause it to bolt or produce flowers early.

When To Harvest Cilantro

Given the right growing conditions, you’ll be able to harvest your cilantro plant in as little as 22 days.

You can harvest as much or as little as you want at any time. However, make sure you give the plant about a week in between harvests to grow some more.

How To Harvest Cilantro

Harvesting your cilantro plant is simple.

With a pair of gardening scissors, snip off the stems about one-third from the top of the plant. From the bottom, the stem will regrow, producing more leaves.

Should You Prune Cilantro?

The only time you’ll need to prune your cilantro is if it’s growing too fast for you and you want the plant to remain smaller.

On the other hand, if you want to elongate its life, you can prune the plant once you notice flowers beginning to bud.

How Long Does Cilantro Last?

Cilantro is an annual herb plant, which only grows once per season. So, it has a lifespan of about one year.

After the initial cool season, your cilantro plant will bolt. It’ll produce flowers, thus produce seeds, to reproduce itself.

You can let this happen so you’ll have a new cilantro plant for the following year. 

Final Words on How Long it takes for Cilantro to Grow

Overall, cilantro is easy to grow. If you get the conditions right. Because of that, it’s quick to grow. With proper care, you can expect to have cilantro leaves for your family meals within a couple of weeks.

Want to learn more? Fing out how big cilantro gets here and what to do when cilantro flowers here. You can find all my guides to growing cilantro here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post How Long Does Cilantro Take To Grow? [Guide to Cilantro] appeared first on Gardening Chief.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Can You Grow Coriander From Cuttings?

The short answer is yes. You can grow coriander from cuttings.

Coriander grows quickly, so growing it from cuttings is ideal for getting this plant started. You can grow the cuttings outside in the garden when in-season so that you can do so indoors during any time of the year.

As long as the plant gets what it needs to thrive, coriander can be grown from cuttings, and it’ll grow well.

Why Start Growing Coriander From Cuttings?

Coriander doesn’t have a long lifespan. It’s an annual plant, so that it won’t grow back the following year.

So, what you can do is take healthy cuttings from your plant and store them in the fridge to keep them longer. Or, if the season is coming to a close, you might not need to store it at all.

Simply plant the new cuttings, and before you know it, you have another coriander plant for the following year. 

How To Grow Coriander From Cuttings

Believe it or not, it’s relatively easy to grow coriander from cuttings. It’s similar to growing it from the seeds, but the early stages of care are skipped.

As long as you have healthy cuttings, you can care for your coriander cuttings as if the plant has already been growing for a few weeks.

So, let’s discuss what you need to grow coriander from cuttings and then how to do so.

What You Need To Start Growing Coriander From A Cutting

Growing coriander from the cuttings is similar to growing this plant from its seeds.

You’ll need the following:

• Stems or cuttings from a healthy coriander plant
• Soil
• A glass jar
• Water
• A large pot (if growing indoors)

If you decide to grow your coriander cuttings inside, then you’ll want to get a large pot that’s at least 12 inches deep and 18 inches wide.

Alternatively, make sure you have a spacious spot for it in your garden outside.

How To Take A Cutting From Coriander

You can take a cutting from your healthy coriander plant at the final harvest or when the harvest is just about done for the season.

Like how you would harvest the leaves, cut the stems to three to four inches long. Pinch off the leaves, and you can use them however you want, but you’ll only want to plant the stems.

On the other hand, if you don’t have a healthy coriander plant, you buy it fresh from the store. Then, do the same thing: pinch off the leaves and cut the stems about three to four inches long.

Make sure that the coriander cuttings are healthy. If they’re not, then they’ll dry out quickly when placed in water, and you’ll need to start all over. 

Then, you have coriander cuttings that are ready to be replanted.

How To Propagate Coriander From Cuttings Step-By-Step

Next, let’s discuss how to grow your coriander from cuttings. Here’s an easy step-by-step guide to help you out.

Step 1: Gather Your Coriander Cuttings

The first step is to gather your coriander cuttings. We’ve discussed how to get cuttings earlier, so make sure you have healthy coriander stems ready for planting.

If you’re not going to plant your coriander cuttings right away, then you can store them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. This will keep the stems fresh until you’re ready to use them.

On the other hand, if you’re ready to plant them right away, then you can move on to step two.

Step 2: Keep The Coriander Cutting In A Glass Of Water

Before you plant your coriander cuttings, the roots need to be established. So, add some water to a glass jar and leave the cuttings inside.

However, before adding the stems to the water, make sure you rinse off the stems. This will ensure that no pests or mold will grow on the coriander. Of course, it’ll depend on where you got the stems from, but it’ll be better protected this way.

The jar shouldn’t be filled to the top with water since coriander doesn’t need too much water to drink. About an inch of water in the jar should be enough.

Your cuttings will be in this jar for a few days, so keep an eye on the water’s levels. You can change the water as needed.

It’ll take a few days for your coriander cuttings to begin growing roots. This is why you’ll want a glass jar (or another transparent container), so you can see the roots growing.

The jar should be in a sunny place that gets indirect sunlight. Too much sun could kill the stems. Click here for my guide to where to plant cilantro.

After a week or two, you’ll notice your roots growing relatively well. That’s when you know it’s time to plant the cuttings.

However, it’ll be a good idea to keep the cuttings inside the jar for about two to three weeks. Then you’ll be able to ensure that the roots have had enough time to grow properly.

Step 3: Prepare The Soil In A Pot Or The Garden

If the roots are still growing, but you think they’ll be ready for planting soon, then now is the time to prepare your coriander’s new home.

First, decide where you’re going to plant your coriander cuttings.

You can place them in a large pot inside your house or outside. Alternatively, you can plant them directly in your garden with your other plants.

If you choose the garden, make sure it’s an area that has plenty of room for your coriander to spread out and get ample sunlight.

Once you have your spot picked out, you need to prepare the soil.

Get soil that drains water well for your coriander plant. Put it in your pot or garden. You can also test the soil to ensure it has enough nutrients in it for your coriander to grow well.

You can add fertilizer to the soil about once a month if it doesn’t.

Step 4: Plant Your Coriander Cuttings

Once the roots have grown and the soil is ready, now it’s time to transfer and plant your coriander stems to their new home.

You only need to plant the stems about an inch or two deep. Then, the roots will continue to grow and do the rest of the work.

Once it’s in its new spot, now you need to care for it and watch it grow.

Step 5: Care For Your Coriander Plant And Harvest As Needed

Now you need to care for your coriander plant as if you had grown it from seeds.

Even though you planted it from cuttings, the care for this plant remains the same as any other coriander plant.

How To Care For Your New Coriander Plant

When caring for your coriander plant, you’ll want to water it about once a week. However, it only needs about an inch of water per week since coriander doesn’t like too much water.

Also, make sure it gets about five to six hours of sunlight per day.

Coriander enjoys colder temperatures, so make sure it doesn’t get too hot from the sun. Otherwise, it might burn or bolt early.

Not too long after planting your coriander cuttings, it’ll be ready for harvest.

Final Words on How to Grow Coriander from Cuttings

So, can you plant coriander from cuttings? Yes, you can. Growing coriander from cuttings is easier than it seems. You can grow cuttings to have more than one coriander plant growing at once or before your current plant bolts and produces seeds. On the other hand, you can grow from cuttings if you want to skip this herb’s early stages of growth.

Want to learn more? Click here to find out how long it takes to grow, how to grow it from seed indoors here and here to find out how to grow cilantro in water. You can also find all my guides to growing cilantro here or find out cilantro’s best growing conditions here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post How To Grow Coriander From Cuttings appeared first on Gardening Chief.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Why Grow Cilantro?

Cilantro is an annual herb that adds unique flavors to many dishes. For example, this herb is often used in Mexican and Asian recipes.

It has a taste that can be a hit or miss for some. For instance, cilantro’s flavor is often “soapy” since it tastes like lemon and pepper.

Luckily, if you enjoy the flavor, you can add fresh cilantro leaves to your recipe for the taste to shine through. On the other hand, if you’re not a huge fan of its flavor but want to add a little spice, you can use dried cilantro leaves.

Learn more about drying cilantro leaves here.

In addition, cilantro is a great herb to grow because it’s relatively low-maintenance. It’s quick to grow and can easily care for itself. However, you still need to check on it at least once a week to ensure it’s thriving.

One of the ways to help this herb plant grow well is to know where to plant it.

Where Does Cilantro Grow?

Where is cilantro grown? Today, cilantro is grown all over the world. However, it’s native to the Mediterranean. 

Cilantro is most notably grown in China, India, Mexico, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

While cilantro prefers colder temperatures, it thrives on full, direct sunlight. So as long as it doesn’t get too hot and potentially burn, cilantro can be found in cooler climates.

Grow Cilantro in Pots Or Garden?

There’s more than one question about where to grow cilantro.

Cilantro can grow well in a pot or a garden. There are a few ways you can plant this herb:

• Outside in the garden
• Outside in a pot
• Inside in a pot

One of the great things about growing cilantro in a pot is moving it around. For instance, if you leave it outside in the garden, it will benefit the other plants. It’ll also get direct sunlight and fresh air.

However, if the weather turns sour, such as too much rain or too cold, then you can pick up the pot and bring it inside your house. The plant will still grow well.

Alternatively, you can grow it in a pot inside your house and leave it there all year round. As long as it gets the sunlight it needs and proper watering, then your cilantro plant can thrive indoors.

Of course, you can always place your cilantro outside in the garden. While it’ll grow well in a pot, being outside in the garden will allow your cilantro to grow and spread out as much as it can (or as much as you’ll let it to).

Where To Plant Cilantro In Garden

If you want your cilantro plant to grow big and tall, then growing it in the garden is an ideal way to allow it to do just that.

One of the best ways to grow cilantro is to use companion planting with other cilantro plants, other herbs, or other compatible plants.

Regardless of where you grow your cilantro in the garden, it has certain growing conditions. 

However, there are some things you’ll need to know about the cilantro plant if you’re going to plant it with others.

Does Cilantro Like Full Sun?

First, cilantro does like full sun. It thrives on direct sunlight. However, you need to ensure that it won’t get too hot.

For example, cilantro prefers cooler climates. So, direct sunlight in the fall or early spring is ideal. It’ll get the sunlight without getting too hot.

During the summer, on the other hand, your cilantro could potentially burn, or it’ll bolt too early.

So, you’ll want to place it in the garden where it’ll get direct sunlight for about six hours a day, as long as it’s not too hot.

This is where companion planting comes in handy. Companion planting is when you place two compatible plants near one another, so they help each other grow.

Cilantro can grow to be up to two feet tall. So, you can place it in front of another plant that grows shorter and doesn’t like as much sunlight.

That way, the cilantro can get the sun it needs while shading the other plants.

How Much Spacing Does Cilantro Need?

Believe it or not, cilantro can grow to be about 1-1.5 feet wide. So, it needs some elbow room in the garden.

You’ll want to space them about eight to ten inches apart from other plants. However, spacing them about 12 inches apart will be ideal. 

You don’t want your cilantro to run into other plants or vice versa, or else it’ll be difficult for them to grow to their best potential.

What Soil Conditions Does Cilantro Need?

The best type of soil to give your cilantro plant is something that drains well. Cilantro doesn’t need a lot of water to survive. They like the soil to be moist but not soaked.

Overall, the soil should be sandy or loamy in texture.

The soil should also have plenty of nutrients in it to help your cilantro thrive.

Should I Fertilize My Cilantro Plant Regularly?

Cilantro does not need fertilizer, but it won’t harm the plant if you decide to use it.

First, you can test the soil, and if it doesn’t contain the right pH levels (it should be about 6.5) or have enough nutrients, you can add fertilizer.

However, the fertilizer should only be added in small amounts about once a month to give your cilantro plant that little boost.

How Often Should I Water My Cilantro?

Now that cilantro only likes its soil to be moist, we can easily guess that this herb doesn’t want to have a lot of water.

Cilantro needs a little water to grow well, of course, but it doesn’t require daily watering like some other plants.

When growing cilantro from seeds, you’ll want to add about an inch of water to the soil at least once a day. Since the plant is so young, this will help it grow well.

Then, once the seeds germinate and sprout, you won’t need to water the plant nearly as often.

For example, you’ll only need to add about an inch of water to the soil about once per week.

With that said, overwatering or underwatering your cilantro plant is easy to do.

Learn more about overwatering or underwatering your cilantro plant here.

To avoid overwatering, be sure to measure out the water when giving your plant a drink. Also, you can keep a calendar, so you know when it was last given a drink.

If the soil is bone dry, you can give it some water when you poke your finger into it.

On the other hand, it’s easy to forget to water the plant when it only needs watering about once a week. Again, this is where keeping a calendar comes in handy.

You should check on your cilantro plant every day, but pick at least one or two days a week to give it some TLC. 

When To Plant Cilantro

Cilantro prefers to grow in cooler climates. So while it can grow all year long, there’s an ideal time to plant this herb.

For example, early spring (after the final frost) or late fall (before the first frost) are ideal times to grow this herb.

On the other hand, you can grow cilantro inside your house in a pot during any time of the year.

If you want to move it to the garden, you can begin growing it inside the house in the summertime. Then, when the weather turns cool, you can transfer it to the garden.

By that time, the plant will have grown enough that you’ll get to harvest it earlier.

Final Words on Where to Pant Cilantro

Cilantro is a cold-hardy plant that can grow in a garden or a pot. As long as you give it the sunlight it needs, small amounts of water, and plenty of space to grow, then your cilantro herb will thrive.

Want to learn more? Click here to find out when to plant cilantro and here to find out how to grow cilantro from a cutting. You can also find all my guides to growing cilantro here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post Where To Plant Cilantro – Planting and Care Guide appeared first on Gardening Chief.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Why Grow Cilantro?

Are you looking to add some extra, unique flavor to your favorite recipes? Then cilantro is certainly the herb to do just that.

Cilantro has a “soapy” flavor since it tastes like lemon and pepper. However, the taste isn’t for everyone.

If you enjoy its strong flavor, then you can certainly add fresh cilantro leaves to your recipes or, on top of a meal, as a garnish. On the other hand, if you only want a hint of the flavor, then you can dry the cilantro leaves to be used in the recipe instead.

This herb can work in many dishes, but it’s most popular with Mexican, South American, Indian, and Asian cuisines.

While cilantro has a few uses, it’s also easy to grow. So, if you’re a beginner gardener, then you’ll be able to care for this herb plant well. 

Cilantro Growing Stages

Cilantro is an easy herb to grow that doesn’t take long. So, if you’re looking to harvest this herb sooner, you can certainly do so as long as it’s well cared for.

As with all plants, cilantro grows in stages. With proper care, you can expect your cilantro plant to grow in the following stages:

1. Seeds will germinate in about five to ten days
2. Cilantro will begin to sprout in about 22 days
3. The cilantro plant will be fully mature within 45 to 70 days

On the other hand, the growth rate will be slightly different if you grow your cilantro from cuttings.

For example, the cuttings will sprout roots within two to three weeks. After that, and you plant them in the soil, you’re cilantro plant will be ready for harvest within another two to three weeks.

You can learn more about the cilantro plant’s life cycle here.

Growing Cilantro In A Pot Vs In Garden

This herb plant can grow well wherever you plant it. As long as it gets the sun, water, and proper soil it needs to grow, then it’ll thrive.

However, space is just as important.

For example, you can place your cilantro in the garden at least eight to ten inches apart from the other plants.

Companion planting can also be used in the garden. This is when you place similar-growing plants near each other so they can grow well together and help each other thrive.

For instance, you can place cilantro beside other plants with the same soil and watering needs.

On the other hand, since cilantro grows tall and loves the sun, you can place it in front of a short plant that prefers to have more shade. Then, your cilantro can protect the other plant from the sun for part of the day.

Growing cilantro in a pot is also a great idea. Having it in a pot allows you to move it around freely without interrupting its growth.

For example, you can put cilantro in a pot in the garden. So, you’ll still get the companion planting effects, and your cilantro will get fresh air and natural sunlight.

However, you can bring the pot inside the house when the weather turns bad, or it’s too cold for the plant. 

On the other hand, you can grow your cilantro in a pot indoors all year round as long as the pot is large enough for your cilantro plant to fit.

A pot at least 12 inches deep and 18 inches wide is ideal for a cilantro plant. 

Growing Conditions For Cilantro Outdoors

Of course, one of the best ways to grow cilantro is to do so outside in the garden. However, if you decide to plant it directly in your garden, there’s some strategy involved.

For example, you’ll want to place the cilantro beside similar plants for companion planting. Also, you’ll want it to be in the right position to get the amount of sun it needs.

So, let’s dig deeper into the plant’s growing conditions.

Ideal Cilantro Growing Conditions

Like any other plant, Cilantro needs the basics: sun, water, correct soil. However, it’s not always as simple as that. Also, plants have different wants and needs.

Let’s talk about the cilantro best growing conditions.

Sun Requirements for Growing Cilantro

Even though cilantro is a cold-hardy plant, it thrives in full sunlight. Therefore, you’ll want to provide this plant with at least six hours of sunlight every day.

However, make sure that the sun isn’t too hot for your cilantro plant. Otherwise, if it gets too warm, then it could burn the leaves, or your cilantro will bolt early.

Read more about cilantro and the sun here.

Spacing Requirements for Growing Cilantro

Did you know that cilantro can grow to be about 1-1.5 feet tall and grow to be about 1-2 feet wide?

Cilantro likes to have its elbow room in the garden, so spacing is essential when deciding where to plant it.

You don’t want it running into other plants or vice versa, accidentally stunting their growth.

So, be sure to give them at least eight to ten inches of space all around them. Of course, 12 inches is ideal, but as little as eight inches is good enough.

Best Cilantro Growing Temperature

This herb prefers to grow in cooler climates. So, cilantro will thrive in temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees F.

Best Soil Conditions For Cilantro

Cilantro prefers to have soil that drains water well. So, be sure to choose soil that’s sandy or loamy in texture.

Also, the soil should have a pH level of at least 6.5 for a little bit of acidity. 

Read more about the best soil for cilantro here.

When To Plant Cilantro

Since this plant prefers to grow in cooler temperatures, there are some ideal times to plant this herb.

For example, the cilantro growing season is typically early spring (after the final frost) or sometime in the fall (before the first frost) are excellent times to plant your cilantro seeds.

Read more about when to plant cilantro here.

How To Plant Cilantro

There are two ways you can plant cilantro. First, you can plant cilantro seeds and wait for them to germinate in the soil.

To plant seeds, you can poke a hole about an inch deep and give it about an inch of water every day. After a week or two, your seeds will germinate, and your cilantro plant will begin to grow.

On the other hand, you can plant cilantro cuttings. This process is a little more involved, but if you have healthy cuttings from a cilantro plant and want to grow it sooner rather than later, you can do that.

For instance, take your cuttings and place them in a clear glass jar with about an inch of water. After about two to three weeks, roots will begin to grow.

Then, you can take the cuttings out of the jar and place them in your garden about one to two inches deep in the soil.

You can learn more about planting cilantro from cuttings here.

How Often To Water Cilantro

Believe it or not, cilantro doesn’t like to have too much water. They prefer the soil is moist but not soaked.

When planting cilantro from seeds, you’ll want to give the plant about one inch of water per day. However, once it begins to sprout, you’ll want to water it less.

For example, as the cilantro grows bigger, give it about one inch of water per week. 

Be careful not to overwater or underwater your cilantro plant. You can learn more about that here.

Should You Use Spray Fertilizer On Cilantro?

You can certainly add fertilizer to your cilantro either by mixing it with the soil or spraying some onto the plant. However, this isn’t necessary.

With suitable soil, cilantro should grow well on its own. However, if you test the soil and realize the pH levels are off and there aren’t enough nutrients, you can add fertilizer.

However, fertilizer should be added sparingly. You’ll only need to give it to your cilantro plant about once a month.

Can Cilantro Survive Winter?

The short answer is yes. Cilantro plants can survive during the winter.

Remember, this is a cold-hardy herb, so they enjoy the cold. But, believe it or not, this plant can continue to grow well in temperatures as low as ten degrees F.

However, this doesn’t mean that your cilantro can grow well on its own in the middle of the winter. You’ll still need to care for it and protect it.

For example, during the winter, you can move the cilantro to a greenhouse where it’ll stay a bit warmer. Or you can replant it in a pot and bring it inside the house for the winter.

But if you keep it in its spot in the garden, you’ll want to buy DIY cold frames. This will allow your cilantro to continue to get the sun it needs while holding onto some of the warmth.

These methods are good, especially if you have harsh weather conditions during the winter, such as freezing temperatures or blizzards. 

Read more about cilantro and winter here.

Best Growing Conditions For Cilantro Indoors

Growing cilantro indoors is very similar to growing it outside in the garden.

The soil needs are the same as is the water. So your cilantro needs well-drained, acidic soil and about one inch of water per week.

The plant still needs about six hours of sunlight, so be sure to place it in a sunny room of the house. Or, you can get a sun lamp that will mimic the sun. 

When To Harvest Cilantro

Cilantro plants take about 45 to 70 days to mature fully. That’s when you know you’ll be able to harvest your plant.

However, you can begin harvesting your cilantro in as little as 22 days. When your cilantro plant is about ten to 12 inches long, that’s when you can start gathering.

Then, you can harvest your cilantro about once a week for the rest of the season.

How To Harvest Cilantro

Harvesting cilantro is simple. With a pair of sharp gardening shears, snip the stems from the top, taking as many leaves as you need to.

If you decide to do a large harvest, be sure to leave at least two inches of the stem from the base of the soil. This will allow your cilantro to continue growing.

If you see any flowers beginning to bud, you can cut those off so your cilantro will continue to grow.

On the other hand, if you see flowers budding and it’s nearing the end of the season, you can let the flowers bolt, so they produce seeds. Then, you’ll have cilantro seeds to grow next season.

Final Cilantro Growing Tips

Cilantro has a short lifespan as it’s an annual herb. Unfortunately, this means it won’t grow back the following season.

So, to ensure its full lifespan, you’ll want to prune the plant often.

For instance, give it a good trim whenever you harvest its leaves. If you notice flowers beginning to bud, snip them off to expand the plant’s lifespan.

When the season is coming to an end, you can hold onto healthy cuttings and begin growing them indoors for the next season.

Alternatively, you can allow the cilantro plant to bolt and harvest its reproduced seeds.

Final Words on the Best Cilantro Growing Conditions

Overall, cilantro is a relatively easy herb to grow, and it’s low-maintenance. Once you get its needs down pat, you can allow your cilantro plant to thrive year after year with many harvests.

Want to learn more? Click here to learn how long cilantro takes to grow and here for how to grow cilantro in water. You can find all my guides to growing cilantro here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post Best Cilantro Growing Conditions – Guide for Cilantro Growth appeared first on Gardening Chief.

We’ll also touch upon the best time to grow cilantro and when to start cilantro seeds indoors and outdoors. Finally, we’ll share tips on how to grow cilantro and help it thrive before discussing when to harvest it and answering whether Cilantro can survive in winter or not.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Why Grow Cilantro?

If you’re thinking of planting something new in your garden, then certainly consider growing cilantro.

Cilantro is a cold-hardy herb that can be used in many different recipes. For example, you can add this spicy flavor to your Mexican, South American, or Indian food, just to name a few.

This herb is often described as having a “soapy” taste, so it’s not for everyone. Luckily, you can dry out the cilantro leaves so that the lemon and pepper flavor isn’t as strong.

On the other hand, if you enjoy the strong taste, you can add fresh cilantro leaves to your recipe or, on top, as a garnish.

In addition, cilantro is a relatively low-maintenance plant to care for. It’s easy to grow as long as you give it the proper growing conditions it needs.

One thing to know about growing this herb is when to plant it.

When To Plant Cilantro

Cilantro is a cold-hardy herb, so it grows in cooler climates.

When you think of gardening, it’s easy to think of spring or summer. However, cilantro can survive in colder temperatures, including winter, with the right protection.

This herb likes to grow in temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees F. However, the cooler, the better. 

Best Time To Plant Cilantro Seeds

The best time to plant your cilantro seeds is between the frost times of the season.

For example, early spring (after the final frost) and early fall are ideal times to plant your cilantro seeds. You can also plant it in late fall, right before the first frost.

Can You Plant Cilantro At Other Times Of The Year?

The short answer is yes. You can plant cilantro at any time of the year.

However, you have to ensure that it has the proper growing conditions, no matter the weather or temperature.

For example, cilantro can survive the winter with proper protection, but it’ll be tricky to grow it from seeds in the winter.

If you want to start growing cilantro in the middle of summer or winter, you can begin the growing process in your house.

For instance, begin growing the plant inside a pot. Then you can keep it in the pot all year round, or you can transfer it to the garden in early spring or fall. 

This is also great if you want to give your cilantro a head start in growing for the season. That way, by the time you can plant it in the garden in early spring, you’ll be able to harvest it sooner.

How Long Does Cilantro Take To Grow?

Cilantro grows quickly. You’ll be able to harvest it for the first time about 22 days after planting it.

However, this herb takes anywhere between 45 and 70 days to fully mature. So, you can wait until then for your first harvest.

Then, you’ll be able to harvest it at least once a week.

Tips For Planting Cilantro

Once you know the right time to plant your cilantro, you’ll want to provide it with as much TLC as you can to help it grow well.

Know When To Plant Your Cilantro

First, you want to choose when to plant your cilantro. As we’ve already discussed, the best time to plant it is in the early spring or the fall.

However, if you decide to plant your herb inside the house, you’ll be able to plant it during any time of the year, as long as you can still provide it with the correct growing conditions.

Know Where To Plant Your Cilantro

In addition to choosing the right time to plant this herb, you want to pick a good spot for it.

For example, if you decide to plant it in a pot, make sure it’s large enough for the plant to spread out. A pot at least 12 inches deep and 18 inches wide is ideal.

Then you can decide to keep it in the pot inside the house or a pot beside your garden. Alternatively, you can begin growing it in the pot and transfer it to the garden later.

If you opt into growing it in the garden right away, then be sure to choose a good spot where it’ll receive plenty of sun.

Also, plant it near other plants that require the same soil and watering needs. Then, the plants will be able to help each other grow.

Read my full guide to where to plant cilantro here.

Provide The Right Soil for Cilantro Plants

You’ll want to provide sandy or loamy soil for your cilantro plant. It should be able to drain water well, too.

In addition, the soil should have a pH level of at least 6.5, so it’s a little acidic for your cilantro.

If the soil doesn’t have enough nutrients to help your herb plant grow well, you can add fertilizer.

Cilantro doesn’t need fertilizer to thrive, but it certainly doesn’t harm the plant. However, you don’t want to add too much fertilizer.

So, if you decide to give this plant fertilizer, you’ll only need to add a little bit to the soil about once a month.

Give Your Cilantro Plant Plenty Of Sun

One thing that cilantro loves is sunlight. Whether or not you plant this herb, you want to give it at least six hours of direct sunlight every day.

So, if it’s inside the house, be sure to put it in a sunny spot. Alternatively, if you have a lot of cloudy days or rain, you can buy a sun lamp. It won’t mimic the sun exactly, but it’ll get the job done.

On the other hand, if you decide to put it in the garden, you can choose a spot in the path of the sun for most of the day.

This is where companion planting can come in handy again. Cilantro can grow to be about two feet tall. So, you can plant it in front of a short plant that prefers to have more shade.

When your cilantro grows tall, it’ll shade the other plant while soaking in most of the sun for itself.

Learn more about your cilantro plant and sunlight here.

Watering Your Cilantro Plant

Finally, cilantro doesn’t need a lot of water to thrive.

When you first plant this herb, you’ll want to water it daily. During these early stages of growth, the water will help your cilantro establish its roots and begin growing well.

However, you only need to add about one inch of water to the soil per day. This is because cilantro likes the soil to be moist but not soaked.

Then, when your cilantro grows more, you’ll only need to water the plant about once a week. Even though you’ll be watering it less, you still want to give it only about an inch of water at a time.

Learn more about watering your cilantro plant here.

When To Harvest Cilantro

You can harvest your cilantro in as little as 22 days. However, it’ll be best to wait until the plant has more time to mature.

After about 45 days, you’ll be able to harvest this herb and regularly gather it after that.

Will Cilantro Survive Winter?

Yes, cilantro can survive the winter. This herb can grow well in temperatures as low as ten degrees F. 

However, you’ll need to protect it from harsh temperatures or weather conditions, such as snow.

There are a few ways you can do this. First, you can bring your cilantro plant inside for the winter. You can transfer it to a pot, or if it was already in a pot in your garden, you could bring it inside the house.

Alternatively, you can bring your cilantro plant into a greenhouse if you have one. Otherwise, you can buy DIY cold frames that will protect your plant.

The cilantro will still get the sunlight it needs and everything else, but it’ll stay a bit warmer with the cold frame. 

You can learn more about growing cilantro in the winter here.

Final Words on When to Plant Cilantro

Cilantro is an easy herb to grow as long as you plant it during the right time. I hope this guide to cilantro: when to plant has helped you. This plant can grow during various times of the year. So, whenever you want to add cilantro to your meals, you can have the plant at the ready in the garden or your house.

Want to learn more? Click here to find out how to grow cilantro from a cutting or here to learn the best growing conditions for cilantro. You can also find all my guides to growing cilantro here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post When To Plant Cilantro: Planting & Care Guide appeared first on Gardening Chief.

After, we’ll go more into detail about the right type of soil to use when growing cilantro in pots and what to avoid in the soil. Also, we’ll explain whether you should change the soil or not when your cilantro is planted in a pot. Finally, we’ll go over the best soil for cilantro when planted in the garden before going over some final tips.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Why Grow Cilantro?

Cilantro is an excellent herb to grow that you can add to many different recipes. For example, cilantro tastes great in Mexican, Indian, Asian, and South American cuisines.

It’s has a unique flavor that tastes “soapy.” For instance, it has a flavor of lemon and pepper. It’s not a taste for everyone, so if you only want a hint of the taste in your dish, then you can dry out the cilantro leaves.

Alternatively, if you prefer the strong flavor of this herb, then you can add fresh leaves to the recipes. It’ll also look pretty on top of a meal as a garnish. 

Also, cilantro is a relatively easy herb to grow. So, if you’re a beginner gardener, then cilantro is an excellent plant to start with.

For example, it grows quickly and is easy to maintain once you properly care for it.

One of the ways to take great care of this plant is to provide it with the right soil.

Should You Grow Cilantro In Pots Vs Garden

You can grow cilantro in either a pot or in your garden. You can even grow it in a pot that’s placed inside your garden.

Regardless, it should grow well.

However, it’ll depend on where you want your cilantro to go. If it’s a gardening season, you can leave it in the garden and allow it to grow well among your other plants.

On the other hand, growing it in a pot is a great way to keep the spread of the plant under control if you don’t want it to grow too big. Also, you can plant it in a pot if you’re going to begin planting it in the middle of winter or summer or any time during the year.

Criteria For The Best Potting Soil For Cilantro

This herb prefers to have well-draining soil sandy or loamy in texture. However, it’s not just how the soil feels to the touch. You also need to keep in mind the pH levels and nutrients in the soil.

For example, cilantro likes soil that’s a little bit acidic. So, the soil should have at least a 6.5 pH level. However, it can go as high as 7.0 on the pH scale or as little as 6.2.

In addition, the soil should have plenty of nutrients in it to help your cilantro grow well.

You can improve your soil by adding mulch to the surface. It will help absorb any excess water and add more nutrients.

On the other hand, you can also add compost or mix fertilizer with the soil.

Cilantro doesn’t need fertilizer to thrive, but it doesn’t hurt. So if you decide to add fertilizer, you don’t need to give it too much. You’ll only need to add fertilizer about once a month.

What To Avoid In Cilantro Soil

Even though cilantro prefers to have a certain type of soil, it can thrive well with any soil.

However, there’s one thing you need to monitor, no matter what kind of soil you provide for your herb plant.

The soil needs to be well-drained.

When choosing soil for your cilantro plant, make sure it drains water well. As long as the moisture levels are monitored well, your cilantro will be able to grow well.

So, be sure to avoid soil that holds onto the water.

Best Soil For Cilantro In Pots

Cilantro can grow well in either a pot or a garden. However, did you know that each one needs different soil?

For example, if you’re growing your cilantro indoors or outdoors but in a pot, you’ll want to buy a potting mix. Gardening soil will be too heavy.

The main difference between these two soils is that they contain different ingredients. Believe it or not, potting soil doesn’t contain real soil. It’s also more acidic than gardening soil.

Gardening soil is made to mix well with native soil in your garden. On the other hand, potting soil is not made for that, which is why it’s better used in a container or pot for house plants.

If you use gardening soil for cilantro in a pot or decide to use potting soil for your gardening, some issues can arise.

For example, too much moisture can build up in the soil (which certainly won’t be suitable for your cilantro plant), roots may be damaged, your plant’s growth can be stunted.

So, the best soil option for growing your cilantro in a pot should be a potting soil mix.

Should You Change The Soil When Growing Cilantro In Pots?

The short answer is yes. You should change the soil when growing cilantro in pots. However, you shouldn’t change it more than once during the year.

For example, you can change the soil once every 12 to 18 months.

On the other hand, if you’re repotting your cilantro to a bigger pot, then you can change the soil. Add fresh new potting soil to the new pot and move the plant only. Do not transfer the old soil to the new pot.

Changing the potting soil allows the dirt to remain healthy and fresh. However, it can become hardened after a while, lose its nutrients, and not hold onto too much water anymore.

So, if you want to keep your cilantro plant growing strong, then you’ll want to change the potting soil at least once a year.

Best Soil For Cilantro In The Garden

Now that we know there’s a difference between potting soil and gardening soil, you certainly want to plant your cilantro in the garden with gardening soil.

Gardening soil mixes well naturally with the other soil and dirt already in the ground. It’ll work well with the natural soil to help your cilantro and other plants grow well.

In addition, gardening soil is heavier than potting soil. This type of soil needs to withstand different weather conditions such as heavy rain, harsh sunshine, and even snow.

Other Tips for Soil & Cilantro

No matter which soil you decide to use, you’ll want to ensure that the pH levels are correct. Remember, cilantro prefers the soil has pH levels of about 6.5, but between 6.2 and 7.0 is good.

Before planting your cilantro, you can test the soil for its pH levels by pH test soil strips.

To do this, you’ll first want to gather a soil sample about four to six inches below the surface. Then, in a clear glass, add one to three teaspoons of the soil. Next, pick out any debris, such as sticks, leaves, or pebbles.

After, pour vinegar into the bowl to be on the same level as the soil. Stir and mix it vigorously, and then let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Next, drain the soil. To do this, you can use a coffee filter and pour it into another clear glass. Keep the solid parts of the soil and make sure all the liquid separates. 

Finally, dip the testing strip into the liquid and compare the color to the chart that comes with your testing kit. Do this several times with various areas of your garden to get a good idea of the average pH level of your soil.

This will also help you decide the best place to add your cilantro plant. 

Final Words on the Best Soil for Cilantro Growing

Overall, cilantro prefers a well-drained, slightly acidic soil. However, it can grow well in most types of soil provided that they get the proper care. On the other hand, you’ll want to keep in mind where you place your cilantro. If you plant it in a pot, then use potting soil. Otherwise, if the herb is going in the garden, you’ll need to use gardening soil.

Want to learn more? Click here to read about growing cilantro inside and here to learn how to grow cilantro in water. Find all my guides to growing cilantro here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post Best Soil For Cilantro (In Pots And In Gardens) appeared first on Gardening Chief.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

Why Grow Cilantro?

If you’re a beginner gardener, then cilantro is an excellent herb to start with. It’s cold-hardy and relatively low-maintenance to care for.

Once you get the hang of its growing conditions, such as the sun, watering, and soil needs, then you can care for this plant without any issues. 

Other than it being simple to grow, this herb has many uses. For instance, you can add it to various cuisines, such as Mexican, Indian, South American, Asian, and more.

Cilantro has a “soapy” taste of lemon and pepper. So, you can use the fresh herb leaves within your recipes if you like the strong taste. Its lacy-like leaves look great as a garnish, as well.

On the other hand, if you want a more subtle flavor, you can dry out the cilantro leaves and use those in your recipe instead. 

Can You Grow Cilantro Indoors?

Yes, you can grow cilantro indoors. In fact, this plant is relatively hardy, so it can grow in slightly different conditions than it’s used to.

However, cilantro can grow to be about one to two feet wide and about 1 – 1.5 feet tall. So, you’ll want to ensure that you get a pot or container big enough to hold this plant.

For example, a pot at least 12 inches deep and 18 inches wide will be ideal for this plant.

On the other hand, if you want your cilantro plant to grow to its full potential, then you can certainly get a bigger pot.

Is Cilantro Easy To Grow Indoors From Seeds?

The short answer is yes. It is easy to grow cilantro from seeds inside your house.

Once again, as long as you can provide your cilantro plant with the proper watering, soil, and sunlight it needs to thrive, then growing cilantro inside from seeds will be a breeze.

We’ll discuss how to go about growing cilantro indoors from seeds. But first, where can you get cilantro seeds?

How To Get Cilantro Seeds

There are two ways you can get cilantro seeds. The first is to buy seeds at your local garden center. Or, you can use the seeds that an existing cilantro bush has reproduced.

Buying Cilantro Seeds in Store or Online.

This is perhaps the easiest way to get cilantro seeds. If it’s in season, such as early spring or fall, then your local garden center will most likely have cilantro seeds available for purchase.

Harvesting Cilantro Seeds from Plants

On the other hand, if you already have a cilantro bush growing in your garden or inside your home (or a friend has one), you can harvest seeds from that.

Cilantro naturally reproduces through a process called bolting. This is when flowers will bud, producing cilantro seeds.

When your cilantro plant gets too hot, or they’re not getting the proper care it needs, it will bolt early so that it can reproduce.

However, cilantro has a relatively short lifespan being an annual herb. This means it doesn’t grow back each year. So, after its final harvest, the cilantro will produce flowers, which will produce seeds.

You can harvest the seeds by waiting until the leaves and seeds turn brown. When this happens, snip off the tops of the stems with the seed heads.

Then, hang them upside down over a plastic bag. They’ll fall off and into the plastic bag when the seeds are ripe. That’s when you know the seeds are ready to be replanted. 

Can You Plant Cilantro Seeds At Any Time Of Year Indoors?

Cilantro prefers to grow in cooler climates. This is why the ideal time to plant cilantro is in early spring (after the final frost) and fall (no later than the first frost).

However, you don’t need to worry about weather conditions inside your home. So, you can plant cilantro seeds at any time of the year indoors.

If it’s in the middle of summer, you can place the pot in a sunny room so that the plant can get the sunlight it needs. Although, make sure you have an air conditioner on not to become too hot. Otherwise, your cilantro won’t grow well, or it’ll bolt too early.

On the other hand, if you decide to grow it in the middle of winter, make sure the room doesn’t get too cold. Cilantro can survive temperatures as low as ten degrees F, but you’ll want to keep an eye on freezing temperatures and the heat in your home.

Growing Conditions For Starting Cilantro From Seed Indoors

Here are the main conditions that your cilantro plant needs to thrive inside your home.

First, you’ll want to get a pot that’s large enough to fit the plant, and that also drains well. The pot should have small holes at the bottom to drain out any excess water. Otherwise, the roots could remain too wet and not grow well.

In addition, the soil should be potting soil and also drain water well. In other words, the soil should be sandy or loamy in texture.

Finally, cilantro needs plenty of sunlight. So, you’ll need to place it in a sunny room of your house. Alternatively, you can buy a grow lamp or sun lamp to provide ample sunlight.

What You Need For Growing Cilantro From Seed Indoors

If you’re going to grow cilantro indoors, you’ll need some extra items than you’d need from growing it outside in the garden.

Here’s a quick list of items you’ll need:

• Cilantro seeds (bought or harvested)
• A large pot
• Potting soil
• A sun lamp or LED growing light

Believe it or not, potting soil and gardening soil serve different purposes. So, since you’ll be growing your cilantro in a pot or container, be sure to get potting soil.

Potting soil is made to help plants grow inside pots and indoors.

In addition, cilantro loves sunlight. So, you’ll need to provide at least six hours of sunlight per day. This can be tricky to do inside your home, which is why you’ll need to buy a grow light or a sun lamp for your plant.

Exactly How To Grow Cilantro From Seed Indoors

Did you know that you don’t need to start growing your cilantro plant in a pot with soil? You can also grow cilantro in water.

Let’s talk about a few methods to grow cilantro indoors from seeds.

Growing Cilantro Seeds In Water

You can begin the growing process with just water and get many harvests out of your cilantro plant through this method.

First, once you have your seeds, you can crack them slightly with a mortar and pestle. Then, you can place the cracked seeds in a colander over a clear container of water.

You don’t need to add the seeds all at once. Instead, you can do so in small batches once every week or two. This will allow you to stagger your harvests so you can get more cilantro more often.

Finally, drape a moist paper towel over the seeds in the colander. Then, your seeds will germinate over time.

After about 22 days, your cilantro plant will be ready for its first harvest.

You can learn more about growing cilantro seeds in water here.

Growing Cilantro Seeds In A Pot With Soil

Of course, you can grow cilantro seeds the old-fashioned way in a pot with soil.

To do this, simply fill your pot with well-draining soil. Then, you can dig a hole about one-quarter of an inch deep into the soil. Finally, fill the hole with your seeds.

Add a few seeds to the hole to ensure they germinate well rather than adding one seed at a time.

Then, make sure the soil stays moist. You can do this by adding about an inch of water per day. If you notice it’s still damp from the previous day, you can spray it with a bit of water.

Once your seeds germinate, you can slow down on the watering and wait for your cilantro plant to grow.

What To Do Next When Growing Cilantro From Seed In Containers?

Caring for your cilantro plant indoors is similar to caring for it outside in the garden. However, there are some differences.

Luckily, cilantro is a low-maintenance plant to care for.

Watering Your Cilantro Plant

Cilantro doesn’t like to be watered often. However, after the initial germination stage, you’ll only need to give it a drink about once a week.

There are two ways to go about watering your cilantro plant.

First, you can measure out about an inch of water and simply give your plant a drink.

Alternatively, you can give it a deep drink once a week. For instance, you can put your plant in the kitchen sink and let the water run until you see it draining out the bottom of the pot.

When this happens, turn the water off and let your plant drain entirely before putting it back in its growing spot.

Learn more about watering your cilantro plant here.

Providing Sunlight To Your Cilantro Plant

On the other hand, cilantro needs at least six hours of sunlight per day to thrive.

Depending on the time of year you plant your cilantro inside and the season and weather outside, it could be challenging to give your cilantro six hours of sunlight.

For example, you may find sunny spots in your home during the summer. However, winter might be cloudy most of the days. Then you’ll need to provide sun for your cilantro.

You’ll need to get a sun lamp or LED grow light inside your house. This should shine down upon your plant for at least six hours a day, mimicking the sun.

At night, you can turn it off.

Temperature is also a factor. If your cilantro gets too hot, it could burn or bolt early. So, if you find a sunny spot in your house in the summer, but don’t have the air conditioner on, then your plant could get too hot.

You can read more about cilantro, and its sun needs here.

Caring For Your Cilantro Plant’s Soil

When planting cilantro with soil, be sure to use potting soil inside the pot or container.

Also, cilantro prefers to have soil that’s well-draining, sandy, or loamy. In addition, it should have a pH level of about 6.5, so it’s a little acidic.

You don’t need to add fertilizer, but you’ll only need to add a bit of once a month if you decide to do so.

When And How to Harvest Your Indoor Cilantro

After a few weeks, your cilantro will be ready for harvest. You’ll be able to harvest this plant about once a week for a few months.

Harvesting is simple. You can take some gardening shears and snip from the top of the stems, leaving a clean cut from the base of the soil.

Leaving about an inch or two of the stem from the bottom will allow your cilantro herb to regrow and produce another harvest.

After a few months, your cilantro plant will bolt, producing new seeds. You can gather those seeds and replant them to grow a new cilantro plant for the following season.

Final Words on Growing Cilantro From Seed

It’s easy to grow a cilantro plant inside your house. If you like having this herb all year round, then it’s a good idea to have this plant inside your home. You can control the temperature, watering needs, sun, and soil. As a result, your cilantro will be able to thrive indoors.

Want to learn more? Click here to read about the best soil for growing cilantro and here to learn how to grow cilantro in water. Find all my guides to growing cilantro here.

Gardening Chief is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

The post Growing Cilantro From Seed Indoors appeared first on Gardening Chief.