How to Grow Cilantro with Fish Emulsion

Create a mix of potting soil and sand or small rocks and fill a 10-inch-wide or wider flower pot or flower bed to within an inch of the rim or ground surface. The hard particles in your soil mix will allow the fish emulsion to seep throughout the soil and reach all parts of the root system. Keep your mix loosely packed by inserting a garden trowel and twisting it to open air pockets in the soil.

Plant cilantro seeds in your soil by gently pressing them in about 1/2 inch and then brushing dirt over them to cover. Seeds should be at least 2 inches apart to allow space for root growth.

Mix fish emulsion with water (rainwater if possible) according to the package directions. Some formulations are stronger than others and need to be heavily diluted or they will burn the seedling. Generously water all the soil surrounding your seeds with a watering can full of the emulsion mixture.

After the cilantro seeds have germinated for about three weeks, they will sprout. Monitor their growth, and keep them out of harsh weather conditions like strong winds, frost and hot, direct sunlight.

Continue with regular applications of the fish emulsion mixture each time the soil fully drains or dries. Test the soil for dampness by pressing a single finger into the ground a few inches away from your plants and then removing it to see if any damp dirt or mud is stuck to it. Overwatering or overfertilizing is just as bad as not giving the plants enough to eat and drink; you will see the effects in wilted or yellowing leaves.