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                  
        T              
      P P              

(Best months for growing Coriander in USA - Zone 5a 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 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: Thin to 18 inches
  • Harvest in 30-45 days.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dill, Chervil, Anise, Cabbages, Carrots
  • Avoid growing close to: Fennel
  • Coriander/Cilantro
  • Coriander flowers

Broadcast sow and thin to 45 cm apart. Grows to about 60 cm.

Harvest 30 - 45 days

A half-hardy herb with feathery leaves.

Grows more reliably from seeds as coriander is liable to bolt to flower and seed when seedlings are transplanted.

Coriander is frost tender but it doesn't like extreme heat. So in temperate zones grow coriander during summer, in sub-tropical/tropical zones grow it during the cooler season.

Needs a sunny spot and mulch to prevent drying out. Keep very well watered. If they dry out, then they will bolt to seed. Plant in successions (planting new seed every few weeks) to get a continuous supply.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Coriander

Use the leaves to flavour hot meals or add fresh to salads.
The seeds can be dried and ground up for curries.

Your comments and tips

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Instructions for growing coriander depend on whether you want to grow it for seed or to use the green foliage as a herb. Like most gardeners I just grow it for the green foliage - after all you can buy the seed in Continental / Middle Eastern grocery stores by the kg at a very reasonable price. And the greens picked fresh straight from the garden are delicious - better than from veggie shop. Space plants at 10 to 15 cm if you just want the greens - That's because you will be harvesting when the plants are around 20cm high. You can treat it as a cut-and-come-again crop to some extent. I find that in Sydney I can plant coriander seeds from late March right thru the winter till about October. I plant a small patch about once every 6 weeks during that time. It is at its most tender during cool to mild weather, and actually very easy to grow. Once your spring weather warms to max in the high 20s or more your coriander will quickly bolt to seed and be not worth eating. Unfortunately there are some Australian gardening books and seed packets that still advise the opposite - ie to plant thru summer which has resulted in very many garden failures, even with "slow bolt coriander" seeds. Btw seed direct, coriander doesn't transplant well.

- David Pritchard

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