Cilantro

Anyone have any luck with cilantro? I have tried seeding indoors and transplanting, as well as directly seeding outdoors and I get spindly plants about 2 inches tall. I can't believe Mel's books says they can take up a whole square!

I plant mine nine per square direct from seed. I believe the plant does better this way. They like full sun and mine are in mel's mix as well and they are growing like mad. I am not trying to gloat, just observing that it can be done. What are your conditions like?

You are being helpful, not gloating.

Conditions? I am in Alberta, Canada. Short growing season. We likely just had our last frost (fingers crossed!). My first seeding out was 6 weeks ago. I tried cilantro inside this year. May try it outside this week. How long until it is ready to harvest?

On the up side, I can grow spinach in july here. That was gloating!

You are quite far north and even here not much seems to be growing well yet, it's just been too cool and wet. It grows like weeds here. It goes to tops so you need to start some new plants every 2-3 weeks in order to harvest it over the summer. It will start inside well but has a long tap root that you can't break off during transplant or most likely you will have nothing from that plant. Once it tops out save the seeds after the plant turns brown and looks dried. It does not like hot weather and will bolt then so growing it in bunches is fine if what you are looking for is just cilantro leaves. I have tons of it in my regular garden and let a lot of it go to seed to have it come up volunteer next year or even later in the fall it will start to sprout up. Cover it with plastic and I can harvest most way thru December here. In the spring I can eat off the volunteers very early, probably the first thing to harvest then comes my volunteer spinach ready to eat.

Just to lift you up a bit. I tried from seed. Nothing. Happened. I bought a transplant, it looked amazing and beautiful, died within two days of me purchasing it. Oy!! Good luck!

I also have trouble with this herb.....it must like the buddy system...so I will try 9 per square ...probably they get very thirsty...always did transplants......but I will also try seeds.....tnx Ruth

I grew cilantro from seed for the first time last year. It was looking beautiful but still a bit small in July to harves. I was looking forward to being able to use some when I got back from vacation. Alas! By the time I got home a week later it was three feet tall and useless. I am trying again this year.

Gwynn

Old Hippy: You're in PG right? If you can do it I can do it. Is it too late to seed it out?

Also, I may have damaged the tap root with my transplants. That would explain the failure there. Thanks for the tips everyone.

yes I am. I am still planting some things this week so I don't think it is too late. Judging from the way it went from a couple of inches tall to 3 feet tall in a matter of a week, I don't think it is too late. It is only seeds right. It can't hurt to try. And it might even work. At least that is how I look at it.

Gwynn

I plan to replant until mid august but my seeds are free. I have harvested about half a gallon of seeds into a jug. Not sure they have a high germination rate but I can spare plenty to sew. I also periodically go thru the seeds and select some to grind into coriander for cooking use.

Hmm. Seems like a tricky plant. For some success, for others so-so. I know it is just seeds, but it is also a whole square! This afternoon I planted 9 to a square and also filled some in around my struggling transplants. I'll let you know what happens.

I planted cilantro in the winter and in the summer. The winter was milder but in the summer it can bolt super fast but our mild summer last year helped it last. And I just added a few seeds every couple of weeks and it worked out. One of the true treats last summer was fresh cilantro, dill and basil. Do not transplant - just plant in place.

I doubt I will ever purposely plant cilantro again - it does so well at reseeding itself and at the end of the season when I pull up the plants I just shake the plant tops with the seed heads hard in the direction of my garden and up they come the next season! If I find a pile of seeds anywhere, I just toss them throughout the garden. Now that I know that letting them bloom and go to seed is GOOD for attracting pollinators I don't feel bad about my past laziness. Pics to come soon of my volunteer cilantro.

GG

Your cilantro may not get tall and impressive like your parsley or like the cilantro you buy in the grocery. Mine seldom gets more than 5 inches tall, most are smaller, until it is fixen to bolt (go to seed)

I also do 9 per square. My seed comes from an organic company in the northern and western most county of Washington State (Uprising Seed). Theirs may work for you too. If it does not grow in their cool wet maritime environment they do not offer it for sale.

I clip mine as needed, leaving only 3 or 4 stems per plant. Even though it does not get tall it does produce enough for a nice salsa or chili or whatever I am making that evening. It seems to be cut and come again. At some point it will insist on going to seed. You will know it is time when it starts to make foliage that looks more like a fern frond rather than leaves. The taste will change (I personally don't like it at that stage)

Keep trying, check for bugs (do you have slugs?) like earwigs that you will only find if you go out at night with a flash light or if you set tuna cans to the rim in your garden that have water and a drop or two of bacon grease or tuna oil (not tuna water). It amazes me what goes on in the garden at night and how it can make me feel like a garden failure in the daylight.