Growing Coriander, also Cilantro, Chinese parsley

Coriandrum sativum : Apiaceae / the umbelliferae family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
S S S S S     S S S S S
T T T T T     T T T T T
P P P P P     P P P P P

(Best months for growing Coriander in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: Thin to 45 cm
  • Harvest in 30-45 days.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dill, Chervil, Anise, Cabbages, Carrots
  • Avoid growing close to: Fennel

Your comments and tips

02 Jan 16, tastyvish (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Coriander is easy to grow, particularly in moderately hot climate.It can be grown easily in pot near window seal.Picking regularly will prevent the plant from going to seed like basil.
03 Jun 15, Kate Bryant (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Can I grow Coriander in my little greenhouse. we had minus 6 last night. .
05 Jun 15, Marcel (Australia - temperate climate)
They thrive in the cooler weather, only problem is they don't like frost. If your green house can keep soil temps above 5 (preferably 10) then you should thrive. They'll only go to seed when the temperature increases so if you're after seeds you might not have much luck any time soon. You should have a long harvest period with the cool weather. I've got a dozen plants in the ground outside at present, with a temperature range between 5-20 and lots of sun, they're really happy.
12 Dec 14, Jannie Crow (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My coriander has all come up in the pot, it was sown 2 weeks ago, will it grow and supply me with a crop through the hotter weather? or will it go to seed.
19 May 14, Pam kin (Australia - temperate climate)
Something is eating my coriander at night, doesn't touch the parsley and seems to eat only the leaves, leaves the stems
18 Aug 14, Judy (Australia - arid climate)
Mine too!! Except it ate the whole plant! It ate my thyme seedlings too. You know I have a sneaky suspicion it was actually my neighbour's cat! Did you find out what ate yours?
08 May 14, Andrea (Australia - temperate climate)
I too live in Sydney. I have never had any luck growing cilantro. My last plantings died in the torrents of rain soon after planting. I have one plant struggling for survival in a pot. That's almost dead too. So sad. No problem with parsley though.
18 Oct 13, Tejinder (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Coriender is excellent for flavour. My wife loves so I grow it in my garden to keep her smiling. This year in mid September it stated giving seed. I did not uproot them. let them grow and mature seed. On the other side i seed coriender from my previous seed stock, it was. excellent germination. plants were growing very well. I was aware that October will be harsh. My tomato plants were the first to shed leaves. Fruits were rottenning . I took old hose pipe and cut them in 5 feet pieces. To give strength to the soft pipe I inserted bamboos sticks in them and then made the hoops over the crop. I covered the rows of coriander with pipe hoops and plastic sheets of painter. I could able to save and survive my coriender tender plants. I measured temp of in and out on very sunny day. It was 29oc inside and it was 22oc out. I told my daughter my plants are burning inside i must ventilate. I opened the ends of hoop also lifted sides of plastic. My question is when to ventilate, how often, what should be the thickness of plastic sheet.Is thickness is important. yes, I forgot. when my plants matured in september 15, I seeded the seed in soil to if they germinate or not My all seed germinated. so I concluded the coriender seeds does not have any dormant or dormancy period before sowing.
01 Sep 13, Matt (Australia - temperate climate)
I love coriander, I have been told that it has phytochemicals that reduce the feelings of guilt in people. Can anyone tell me if this is at all true?
04 Sep 13, Maurice (Australia - tropical climate)
It is true, coriander is high in many vitamins and minerals, folic acid, 5-hydroxytryptophan, and is one of the highest natural sources of S-adenosyl-L-methionine. Because coriander is generally not cooked for long these chemicals are not degraded as they often are in other foods. Each of these on their own have been proven to reduce the feelings of guilt, but when combined like this they appear to have a far greater impact.
Showing 41 - 50 of 136 comments

Melina we have been growing coriander for years. Like Jaci above, we just sprinkle the seeds in the garden,lightly cover them and keep the soil moist. Our crop has never failed. It does go to seed fairly quickly but all you have to do is collect the seeds and replant them. Give it a try, I'll be surprised if you are not successful.

- John

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