How to Grow and use Cilantro from your Garden
Growing cilantro in your garden is a great way to have a fresh supply of this flavorful herb on hand for all your cooking needs. Here are the steps to grow and use cilantro in your garden:
Why Cilantro is one of the Best Companion Plants for your garden?
- Choose a sunny location: Cilantro requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a spot in your garden that gets plenty of sun.
- Prepare the soil: Cilantro prefers well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Add compost or aged manure to your garden bed to improve soil fertility.
- Cilantro is a cool season crop that will bolt in the summer heat, to grow cilantro in the summer you can plant in a shady area to extend the season before it bolts. Also, you can succession plant cilantro every 2 weeks to harvest the plants when they are smaller before they bolt
- Cilantro is a great companion that can be planted next to tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, corn, potatoes, and asparagus.
- Plant cilantro seeds: Sow cilantro seeds directly into the soil about 1/4 inch deep and 6 inches apart. Water the seeds well and keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate.
- Thin the seedlings: Once the seedlings have grown to about 2 inches tall, thin them out so that they are spaced 12 inches apart. This will give each plant enough room to grow.
- Water and fertilize: Cilantro likes to be kept moist but not waterlogged. Water your plants regularly and fertilize them with a balanced fertilizer every 4-6 weeks.
- Cilantro deters pests with its strong fragrance that can harm other plants.
- This is a great plant to attract pollinators to your garden.
- Harvest cilantro: Harvest cilantro leaves as soon as they are large enough to use. You can cut the leaves from the plant or pull up the entire plant and use the leaves and stems.
- Use cilantro in cooking: Cilantro is a versatile herb that can be used in many different dishes. It is commonly used in Mexican, Indian, and Southeast Asian cuisine. Use it to add flavor to salsas, curries, and stir-fries.
- I live in zone 8b and there have been some years that my cilantro grew all winter and produced a huge plant to harvest from.
- Even when cilantro bolts the flowers are great to attract pollinators to your garden and seeds will be able to be harvested as the blooms fade to be used as coriander or for planting next season.
Recap Why Cilantro is one of the best companion plants for your garden
It is easy to grow, great tasting when added to dishes and salads and the fragrance and flowers deter pests and attract pollinators.
By following these steps, you can grow and use fresh cilantro from your garden all season long.
I hope you are enticed to grow cilantro in your garden if you have never done it before.
