Cilantro can be grown from seeds. With a little additional care, cilantro grown in a pot on a windowsill will be just as fragrant and tasty as the one from the garden.
How to Grow Cilantro from Seeds
- Cilantro has a woody, not very developed root system, so you can plant a couple of clusters in one medium pot.
- The pot is preferably clay and unglazed—cilantro is very sensitive to drainage and fertile, loose soil.
- Sow the seeds without soaking them, not too deep—up to one and a half centimeters.
- Cover with plastic wrap until the first sprouts appear; at the stage of the first true leaves, thin out the sprouts, leaving the strongest and healthiest ones.
- Watering should be abundant but not frequent—the soil should be completely saturated with moisture, even overflowing into the tray. In winter, reduce watering.
- Cilantro needs at least 4 hours of light a day.
- Coriander seeds sprout within a week or two, and you can start eating the greenery within a month. To keep the stems edible, pinch off flower buds.
- For the plant to bush better and prevent stems from becoming stretched, cut off the top flower buds.
- Cilantro does not tolerate transplanting!
There is one BUT: cilantro cannot survive in dry soil. It loves moisture and light. In winter, additional lighting may be necessary. The soil for coriander should be loose and fertile. I recommend not skimping on soil for your home garden and not skipping soil disinfection .
To enjoy cilantro year-round, plant 3-4 pots at different times of the year. This way, the flowering of one plant won’t interfere with enjoying fresh greens.
If cilantro is allowed to flower, its greenery will smell like bugs, but after flowering, it develops a light citrus aroma. Cilantro is unsuitable for drying—it doesn’t taste good, trust me. Thanks to its chemical composition , cilantro has several beneficial properties and is used in medicine .
