How to Grow Cilantro Herbs

Cilantro, also known as coriander to the Asian and European countries, is a small annual herb which grows naturally throughout much of the Mediterranean and Southern Europe. The name comes from the particularly unpleasant odor of the plant while it is still growing. This odor gives way to a very pleasant lemony scent upon the plant’s maturation. Nearly all parts of the plant are edible. The leaves and roots are used in Indian as well as different Asian cuisines. The globular seed-like fruits that cilantro produces are used by confectioners to make flavoring syrups as well as distillers to add a hint of sweetness to gin. In America, this herb is most commonly used in dry barbecue rubs or ground up and placed in barbecue sauces to add a hint of the exotic to the flavor of barbecued meats. To that end, here is a guide on how to grow cilantro, as well as harvesting and storing it for later use.

Bamboo Rod
Hoe
Shovel
Cilantro Seeds
Sphagnum Peat Moss
Water
Time Released Fertilizer Grains
Sickle or Clean Garden Shears
String

Instructions

Growing Cilantro
- 1
  Begin by clearing a space in your yard or garden where you will sow your seeds in the middle of April. Unlike many other herbs, cilantro cannot be transplanted successfully. It will go into shock and lose all its leaves every time. You should pick a spot that receives full sunlight throughout the day and is placed high like on the crest of a hill so as to encourage good soil drainage.
- 2
  Use the shovel and hoe to clear the space you intend to use of any other plants, grass, or weeds. Till the earth well and mix in as much peat moss as you are able to get your hands on. The purpose of this is to loosen the soil and reduce its capacity to hold moisture. Cilantro is very prone to disease and other problems when exposed to excessive moisture.
- 3
  Cut channels about an inch deep into the soil. Each channel should be at least a foot long and spaced a minimum of 8 inches apart from each other.
- 4
  Line the bottom of each channel with solid fertilizer grains and then sow the seeds. Don’t worry about spacing them apart, scatter them as thickly as you like. When growing in close proximity to one another, cilantro herbs intertwine their root systems, strengthening each plant and improving its chances of survival.
- 5
  Cover the channels with a loose dusting of soil and water them lightly. Continue to water them on a regular schedule--once every other day should be sufficient. Make sure not to water the seeds if it has rained that day, as they can die very easily when they are over-saturated.
- 6
  Harvest the cilantro plants by simply cutting them off at ground level in mid-August using a sickle or a set of shears. You could uproot them instead, however if the dead root systems are left in the earth they will aid to fertilize the soil in preparation for replanting next season.
- 7
  Collect the plants in loose bundles and tie them together. Hang them upside down in a cool dry place to dry them out. The leaves can be used prior to being dried, but the fruits should be dried entirely before they are eaten or used in cooking. Collect the fruits by laying the plants out on a cloth and striking them with a rod. This is similar to threshing in that by striking the plants you will shake loose the fruits from their shells.

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Instructions

Growing Cilantro