How Big Does Cilantro Grow? [Full Care Guide]

Are you thinking of adding cilantro to your herb garden, but you don’t know where to plant it? First, you need to know how big cilantro grows. This article will explain all about cilantro’s growth, both tall and wide in the garden and a pot. First, we’ll discuss why you should grow cilantro in the first place and its many benefits. Then, we’ll share how big and tall cilantro gets when it’s fully grown. Also, we’ll talk about harvesting cilantro so that it can continue to grow.

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.

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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.

Cilantro plant
Cilantro plant

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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.

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