Herb · Annual herb
Cilantro
Coriandrum sativumCilantro grows fast and furiously in cool weather, offering bright, citrusy leaves before quickly running up to seed as the days lengthen and warm. Left to flower and set seed, it doubles as the spice coriander. The one rule: sow small batches often, since any single sowing has only a short window of leafy usefulness.
Sow depth
½ in
Spacing
6 in · rows 10 in
Sun
Sun or part shade
Germination
7–14 days
Time to harvest
45–60 days
Difficulty
Easy
When to sow cilantro
- Sow from about 3 weeks before your last expected frost until about 5 weeks before the first expected autumn frost.
Direct sow into cool soil — cilantro resents root disturbance from transplanting.Sow thickly, since it forms a low, leafy clump rather than a single stem.Succession sow every couple of weeks for an ongoing supply of fresh leaves.
Water consistently — dry soil pushes plants to bolt even faster.Provide part shade for later sowings to buy a little extra leafy time.Snip any emerging flower stalks to delay bolting a little longer.
Cut outer leaves first — this extends the harvest before bolting.Harvest the whole plant once it starts to flower and turn bitter.Let a few plants flower and set seed if coriander seed is wanted.
Companion plants
Cilantro flowers attract beneficial hoverflies and parasitic wasps that help control aphids on nearby tomatoes.
Watch out for
Bolting — Warmth and long days rapidly trigger flowering and a bitter flavor shift. Sow frequently in small batches and favor cooler spots.