How to Grow Cilantro:
Planting, Harvest, and Coriander Seeds

When and How to Plant Cilantro

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• Sow directly. Cilantro has a taproot and doesn't like to be transplanted, so sow seeds right where they will grow. If you buy transplants, move them gently, with their soil.
• Early spring: sow as soon as the danger of hard frost is past. Cilantro handles light frost, and it grows best in cool weather, between about 50 and 75°F.
• Again for fall: sow in late summer as the weather cools. In mild-winter areas, fall and winter are the best cilantro seasons.
• Succession sow: plant a short row every 2 to 3 weeks for a steady supply, since each sowing gives leaves for only a few weeks before bolting.
• Seeds: each round "seed" is really a husk with two seeds inside. Crush them gently before planting for faster sprouting.
• Wind: tall plants blow over easily, so a sheltered spot helps.

See succession planting for more on planting in waves.

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How to Grow Cilantro Without Bolting

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When days get long and hot, cilantro sends up a tall flower stalk, 2 to 3 feet high, and the leaves turn thin and feathery. You can't stop it, but you can slow it down:

• Grow slow-bolt varieties such as Santo, Calypso, or those labeled "slow bolt."
• Give it afternoon shade as the weather warms.
• Keep the soil evenly moist. Dry soil makes it bolt sooner.
• Harvest often, and keep sowing new rows.

Let some bolt: the flowers attract helpful insects, and they turn into coriander seeds you can harvest.

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Growing Cilantro in Containers and Indoors

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• Pot: at least 8 inches deep for the taproot, with drainage holes.
• Outdoors: a pot on a sunny patio is an easy way to grow cilantro, and you can move it into shade as the weather warms.
• Indoors: give it your sunniest window, or a grow light, in a cool room. Cilantro grows well indoors in fall and winter.
• Humidity: heated homes are dry. Grouping several herb pots together helps hold moisture.

See growing herbs in pots, and The Old Farmer's Almanac's How to Grow Herbs Indoors.

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Where to Plant Cilantro in the Garden

• Near the kitchen: a patch by the kitchen door is handy.
• With the greens: cilantro fits well in a row beside lettuce, since both like cool weather.
• With other annual herbs: parsley, chervil, basil, dill, and sweet marjoram.
• Away from perennials: plant perennial herbs, like chives, thyme, tarragon, oregano, sage, and mint, where they won't be disturbed when you replant annuals.

Herbs and vegetables grow happily together in the same rich soil. Plan your beds with our free interactive garden planner.

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Harvesting Cilantro and Coriander

• Leaves: start cutting when plants are about 6 inches tall. Snip the outer leaves near the base, and leave the center to keep growing. Don't take more than a third of the plant at once.
• Coriander seeds: let a few plants flower. When the round seeds turn brown and dry, cut the stalks, put the seed heads in a paper bag, and let them finish drying. Shake out the seeds.
• Next year's crop: save some seeds to plant, or let a few drop. Cilantro often reseeds itself.

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Using and Storing Cilantro

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• Fresh: salsa, guacamole, salads, relishes, potatoes, and seafood. Add it at the end of cooking for the best flavor.
• A note on taste: most people find cilantro bright and citrusy, but some people taste soap. That's in their genes, not your garden!
• Keep it fresh: stand the stems in a glass of water in the refrigerator, loosely covered with a plastic bag.
• Freeze it: frozen cilantro tastes almost like fresh. Chop the leaves and freeze them in ice cube trays with a little water or oil.
• Dried cilantro loses much of its flavor, so freezing is better. Dried coriander seed keeps its flavor for a year or more.

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More Herb Growing Guides

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Now you know how to grow cilantro, a fast, cool-season herb for every kitchen garden. This page is part of our Growing Herbs in the Garden hub.

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