How to Cut Down Cilantro

Cilantro has a short lifespan, producing a crop of edible leaves during a short time in the cool spring or fall months. The leaves lose their flavor once the plant sends up its seed stalk. The cilantro seeds are also used as a herb, called coriander, but if you only wish to grow the herb for its leaves, you can cut down the plants before the stalk grows in. The leaves have their best flavor fresh, but preservation options allow you to save any overabundance for later use.

Knife
Paper bag

Instructions

- 1
  Gather the foliage together loosely in your hand once the plant is 6 inches tall but before it produces a seed stalk. Avoid squeezing or bruising the leaves.
- 2
  Cut through the base of the plant with a sharp knife, cutting the cilantro off at the soil surface. Use the harvested leaves immediately or preserve them for later use.
- 3
  Prune back 2/3 of the foliage if you want coriander seeds. Cut off the foliage at the base of the plant before the cilantro sends up its seed stalk. Leave the remaining 1/3 of the foliage in place to fuel the cilantro during seed production.
- 4
  Trim off the seed stalk beneath the pods after they turn brown and dry. Store the seed heads in a paper bag in a dry area. The seeds separate from the pods and fall out once they are completely dry and ready for storage.

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