Get ready for a bountiful harvest with these tips.
Cilantro is not just challenging for taste buds, though.
And cooks find its difficult tokeep the herb fresh in the fridgefor longer than a day or two.
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Too much heat may lead to bolting (AKA going to seed) too early.
If you want tasty leaves, its best not to plant in the dead heat of summer.
This could result in early bolting, and when this happens, leaves often have a bitter flavor.
The soil must be well-drained and somewhat fertile.
Planting Cilantro Seeds
The most successful cilantro plants are usually the ones started from seeds.
(Transplants have a tough time adapting to their environment.)
confirm theres around 12-inch of soil on top of the seeds.
Though they shouldnt be soggy non-stop, either!
Aim for around an inch of water per week.
FYI, once a cilantro plant has matured, it will drop seeds (AKA coriander!)
Choose a planter thats quite deep, as cilantro roots can be long.
Something thats about 12 inches deep should suffice, and choose something with drainage holes.
Keep your pot away from a heat source or sunny window if you must.
Besides the traditional container method,hydroponic (or water-based) systemshave also become popular for indoor growing.
Fascinatingly, the cilantro can grow directly in water with the help of a grow light.
The soil should still beslightlymoist, but youre better offslightly underwatering themat this point.
Cilantro does not do well in damp or humid environments.
Light
While cilantro grows, they love full sun.
Aim for no more than 6 hours of direct sunlight.
Temperature
Cilantro loves cool weather, doing best in climates of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mulching
Mulching can be quite handy if you want a vibrant bunch of cilantro.
It can keep soil cool when the weather warms up, and it prevents weeds.
Straw is often used for cilantro, but till shallowly to reduce the risk of root damage.
Bolting is often the enemy for most gardeners.
Harvesting Cilantro
The best part of cilantro is harvesting the leaves!
Once the stalks are at least 6 inches, you could start collecting the fruits of your labor.
Snip off leafy stems near the ground, but dont chop off more than one-third of the plant.
This will encourage more growth.
Eventually they will grow and turn brown or black.
Dispose of these plants immediately, but dont compost them.
To prevent this in the future, up the air circulation and water at ground level, not overhead.
