How to grow coriander at home?

A green garden right in the kitchen is not just an interior decoration. This is an opportunity to consume vitamins all year round and diversify the diet with flavors. Moreover, in this way you can grow a wide variety of greens. The article will discuss the cultivation of cilantro (coriander) from seeds at home, that is, indoor, conditions on your own windowsill. Corresponding photos are attached.

What is this plant - cilantro?

Cilantro is an annual plant in the umbrella family whose leaves and seeds are used in cooking as a spice. Although botanists refer to it as Coriandrum sativum, in some countries only fruits are called coriander.

A plant came to us from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, where they began to eat it about 5 thousand years ago. Nowadays, it is one of the most famous spicy herbs found in the garden of amateurs. Coriander has a special place in Caucasian cuisine - here greens and fruits are added to almost every dish.

The plant looks like this:

• The stem is highly branched. Its height is up to 50 cm.
• The leaves of the plant are of two types. At the bottom they are solid, with small denticles along the edge, and at the top they are segmented.
• Inflorescences in coriander have the appearance of an umbrella. The flowers are white or pink.

Cilantro can be grown on a windowsill all year round

All parts of the plant contain essential oils, so cilantro has a very strong aroma, reminiscent of the smell of the famous insect - the bug.

In addition to cooking, cilantro has long been recommended for medicinal purposes. Regular use of it in food corrects some of the shortcomings of the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes kidney function with minor deviations, and helps the body cleanse itself of toxins. With all the advantages described, coriander is absolutely not difficult to grow at home all year round. In the summer in the garden, and in the winter - on the windowsill, like a pot culture.

Things to take care of before boarding

Given the fact that coriander does not tolerate transplants very well, and its root system is of a decent size, the seeds should be sown immediately in a pot that is suitable for the size. A rectangular clay container with a depth of at least 30 cm is perfect for this. Moreover, it should be without enamel. This will allow air to flow through the porous walls to the roots.

Attention! A container designed for planting cilantro must necessarily have holes on the bottom for excess water to drain. Coriander does not tolerate its stagnation.

For planting in a pot, a ready-made substrate from a store is suitable. If it is not possible to purchase it, you can make your own cilantro soil. Includes:

• garden land;
• humus;
• ash.

Cilantro seeds

The first components are mixed in a 2: 1 ratio, after which 2-3 tbsp is added. ash per 1 kg of substrate.

Advice. It is better to heat the soil well in the oven before planting. This will prevent the development of diseases.

It is worth taking care of the further location of the pot, because cilantro is very fond of light. In shading, its stems are strongly elongated, fewer leaves grow on them.Therefore, for a short day, the plant needs additional lighting. The lack of light is compensated by using fluorescent or special phyto lamps.

The air temperature in the room where the coriander is grown should not fall below + 15 ° C, because the plant comes from warm regions and stops growing and developing in cooler air.

How to sow and care for coriander

To be able to get greens all year round, you should sow cilantro at different times. Given that the greens can be cut a month after planting, it is very easy to plan regular crops. Seed material is very easy to collect yourself, but if this is not possible, it can be purchased at the store.

Attention! The seeds are stored for 2 years. In the future, their germination is lost.

Sowing coriander is done as follows:

Grow cilantro in specially prepared soil

1. To swell the shell and, accordingly, better germination, the seeds are soaked in water for a couple of hours before sowing.
2. In a container with soil, grooves are made 1.5 cm deep.
3. Seeds are sown sparsely. They are sprinkled with earth on top and lightly tamped.
4. The earth is moistened (preferably from a spray bottle).
5. The container with crops is placed in a warm place.
6. Before the first shoots appear, it is covered with a transparent material.

Cilantro sprouts in 1.5-2 weeks. After the sprouts appear, the container is placed on the windowsill and the shelter is removed. Caring for cilantro is a snap. It includes the following works:

• watering;
• thinning;
• top dressing.

The plantings with coriander are watered abundantly, after which the water must be drained from the pan. To prevent the leaves from drying out, the plant is periodically sprayed. Thickening of the landings is unacceptable. In this case, the bushes will turn out to be weak and will not be able to build up the green mass in the required amount. It is best to keep a 10 cm spacing between plants. Excess seedlings should be removed.

Advice. It is better to pinch off the emerging peduncles. This way you can get significantly more leaves.

Fertilizer is applied 2 times a week. For cilantro, top dressing containing a complex of minerals is required.

Harvesting and storage

It is advisable to cut the leaves off the coriander just before use. This can be started after 5-6 leaves appear on the plant. During flowering, the stems thicken and the quality of the greenery deteriorates, so if there is no goal to grow seeds, it is better to remove the peduncles immediately.

Greens can be dried or frozen

After cultivation, the soil can be reused. To do this, the remaining roots are removed from it, then they are calcined in the oven for disinfection and a little humus is added. After moistening, sow cilantro again.

For long-term storage, the leaves of the plant can be frozen and dried. In the first case, you will need to rinse them well, dry them, place them in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer.
If desired, dry the coriander greens, cut the plant completely, at the root, and keep it at room temperature. After complete drying, it is crushed and placed in a hermetically sealed container. This seasoning is stored for about 2 years.

Coriander is a tasty and healthy dietary supplement. There is nothing difficult in growing it at home, so if you wish, you can always have a green, fragrant twig on hand.

Growing cilantro: video

All kitchen workers know a wonderful spicy seasoning called coriander. Coriander comes from the cilantro plant. How to grow and care for her is the topic of our article. Having studied it, you can easily understand how to grow cilantro right at home, no longer spending money on buying coriander in the store.

A little about cilantro

Like the famous spicy carrot, cilantro (coriander) has become famous thanks to Korean gardeners and chefs. In Korea, they say that weed can prolong life. And this fact has been known for more than five thousand years! It is worth listening.Moreover, growing it is not a difficult process at all, and you can grow it, both outdoors in the garden in the country, and at home.

Possessing a rather pleasant aroma, the heroine of our article is an annual plant belonging to the Umbrella. Not only seeds are fragrant, but also greens, therefore they are also used, both dried and fresh. Outwardly, cilantro is also pretty, therefore it may well serve as a simple decoration for your windowsill.

Video about the benefits of cilantro

The technology for working with cilantro divides the cultivation into two stages. Before the seeds ripen, the grass is grown for the sake of greens (actually, cilantro). And when the seeds are ripe, they focus on getting coriander.

Growing cilantro in the country

First of all, we select a place in the country that is well lit and free from drafts. Can also be seated in partial shade. To prevent the plant from getting wet before it ripens, you should not plant it in hollows, but best of all - on a flat or elevated area.

To keep the soil as suitable and nutritious as possible, it is carefully loosened and fertilized in the same process. One square meter of such a site will require a nutrient mixture consisting of a half bucket of humus, which should be mixed with fresh wood ash (in a small amount). Those who prefer mineral fertilizers should attend to fertilizing the soil with them even at the stage of soil loosening. One square meter will require 20-30 grams of fertilizer.

You can sow cilantro seeds at home any day.

Growing cilantro outdoors is possible only during warm seasons, especially if it happens outside the home. Planting does not require special agrotechnical knowledge, especially considering that the plant often spreads even without the help of people. You can sow cilantro seeds at home any day. The coriander seeds should be planted in already moist soil. If it is not important for you personally to sow the grass in rows, you can do it randomly. Finally, sprinkle the seeds with a thin layer of soil.

When the first sprouts appear, cilantro breaks through so that only the strongest coriander sprouts can continue to grow. The recommended distance is approximately 7 centimeters.

Growing spice at home

Many lovers of delicious food ask how to grow cilantro at home. And here's how it happens at home:

• In the first half of the first month of spring, choose a large container;
• Plant coriander seeds in it about 7 cm apart and about 2 cm deep into the soil;
• To achieve a greenhouse effect, place the container in a plastic bag, or simply cover with plastic. In addition, while the coriander is growing, it should receive maximum light, so fluorescent lighting is installed nearby.
• As soon as cotyledon leaves are found on the sprouts, we remove the film. Within 3 weeks you get edible greens.

As soon as cotyledon leaves are found on the sprouts, remove the film

Of course, coriander can also be planted in small containers, pots. Two seeds are used for one such pot. It is very easy to plant, since the seeds are large enough.

In addition, instead of a pseudo greenhouse, you can use a real one. Sowing in this case can be started by the end of winter, and the first shoots may appear after 2 weeks. Flowering sprouts will appear in forty days, and if planting begins in May or summer, this period can be halved. Growing cilantro at home is therefore somewhat slower than inside a greenhouse.

There are also a couple of additional conditions for greenhouse cultivation:

• Sowing seeds should be done in 8-12 cm increments;
• Leave space within a third of a meter between rows.

In this case, sowing can be started by the end of winter, and the first shoots may appear after 2 weeks.

Growing culture care rules

Water your green pets promptly and regularly. It is enough to do this only twice a week, the main thing is to observe the rhythm, pouring out on each square. meter of 5 liters of water. Watering is especially important for the sprouts during the growing season. Watering is halved in volume as soon as the fruit ripens.

But what if you can't water the cilantro so regularly? For example, she may not be at home, but at a summer cottage. In this case, you need to mulch the soil so that the moisture lingers in it longer.

Once again, we emphasize the importance of full illumination of the sown area.

Spicy fragrant greens are obtained only with good access to sunlight.

Although it can be more or less replaced by daylight - from lugs, which is especially important if the coriander grows at home.

Harvesting

So, you already figured out how to grow cilantro on your site or in your home walls, and used our recommendations. It's time to harvest!

• To harvest in the form of spicy grass, you need to catch the moment when the plant is already well ripe, but flowering has not yet begun. This moment is easy to recognize by paying attention to the growth of coriander on a daily basis. If growth has stopped, then it's time. Experienced gardeners have found that by this time the plant reaches about 20-22 centimeters in height.
• It is best to cut the grass in the early morning hours.
• The knife should be well sharpened so as not to damage the plant in the process.

Cutting the grass is best done in the early morning hours.

• After cutting, rinse the herbs with running water and dry well by hanging them in bunches on a rope in a dry and dimly lit room. Darkness is needed precisely in order to preserve all the useful properties.
• Store cilantro dry, in an airtight glass container, and cut into pieces just before cooking.

Video on how to save greens and cilantro seeds for the winter

The technology of growing cilantro for seeds at home and in the country is one of the central places, so we will focus your attention on a couple of important details. First, the collection of seeds occurs when more than half of the umbrellas have turned brown. Secondly, the collected material is carefully filtered from foreign seeds and debris of twigs, dried well, and then stored in a dry sealed glass container.

Now you know exactly how easy it is to cultivate cilantro, also called coriander, at home or in the garden, and familiarized yourself with all the intricacies of this process. A few weeks, and you no longer have to spend money to make your food tastier and healthier!

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Growing greenery on a windowsill is not only an interesting activity, but also a great opportunity to add fresh vitamins to your food. In addition, there is nothing difficult in breeding such a rather unpretentious plant like cilantro. It is enough to choose a suitable variety, observe certain care requirements, and bright, tasty greens will delight you in the cold season. Consider in the article how to grow cilantro on the windowsill, which varieties are suitable for this.

Cilantro on the windowsill: 5 best varieties

Cilantro varieties are divided into two types - leafy and seed. Leafy species are grown for the sake of greenery, they do not bloom as quickly as seed ones, so you should stop on them. For home cultivation, certain varieties are selected: early, early ripening, since in apartment conditions the development will be longer.

Plants should be compact in shape and undemanding to care for. When buying seeds, be sure to pay attention to their expiration date, because if you lose germination, all efforts will be in vain. The 5 best varieties of cilantro for growing at home are presented in the table:

N / a	Name	Characteristics
1.	"King of the market"	Early ripening, large yield of greenery, leaves are juicy, fragrant, not demanding on heat
2.	"Buchkovaya"	Early maturing, erect stem, compact, strong aroma
3.	"Avangard"	Erect, compact, strong flavor, disease resistance, high green yield
4.	"Early"	Fast-growing, easy to care for, cold-resistant, fragrant and delicate leaves
5.	"Alekseevsky"	Early ripening, fruitful, high stem, cold-hardy

How to start growing cilantro?

To grow fresh greens with your own hands, in addition to buying good seeds, you will need some items and tools:

• Growing containers or suitable containers of sufficient depth - plastic, ceramic pots, wooden boxes, cans;

For growing cilantro, various containers are used, for example, peat pots.

• Soil or porous materials for arranging a hydroponic system;
• Fertilizers, top dressing;
• Thermometer;
• Watering can with a spray for irrigation;
• Backlight lamp;
• Polyethylene film. Read also the article: → "How to grow onions and other greens in an apartment."

Carefully study the methods and conditions of growing, the rules of care:

1. Ensure good drainage in advance. It can be expanded clay, pieces of brick or shards - they fill the bottom of the containers before planting.
2. Find the right place for your indoor vegetable garden. It should be on the sunny side, with windows facing south or west. In poor lighting conditions, you will need to install a backlight.
3. If necessary, make additional racks to accommodate plants and insulate the window and sill.

Tip # 1. It is very convenient for growing greenery at home using special hydroponic installations or desktop mini-gardens.

Ways to grow cilantro at home in a pot

Method 1: growing from seeds

As a rule, when growing cilantro, a seedless method is used. For this, the seeds are planted in containers, on the bottom of which a layer of drainage material is laid and pre-prepared and moistened soil is poured, the seeding depth is 0.5-1.5 cm. 2-4 cm are left from the soil to the edges of the container, so that later you can add soil if necessary.

• In containers, when planting, grooves are made at a distance of 5-7 cm, the distance in a row is 1-1.5 cm.
• In pots, seeds can be planted in a spiral, with a similar distance. Later, the plants can always be thinned out in the phase of the first leaves, leaving the healthiest and strongest specimens.
• From above, the seeds are lightly sprinkled with sifted peat to avoid crust formation, watered abundantly, then the sown area is covered with a film. The containers are placed in a dark place until the seedlings appear. Please note: do not allow the substrate to dry out excessively; if necessary, moisten it from time to time.

It is necessary to plant cilantro seeds in containers suitable in depth, taking into account the size of the root system, so that the plant has the possibility of normal development.

Method 2: growing ready-made plants

• Currently, some retail chains sell ready-made cilantro greens with roots, grown in hydroponics. It can also be planted in containers, and then used as food for the growing leaves and twigs.

Pros and cons of ways:

• The first method of growing, although longer in time, is more reliable, of course, in the presence of high-quality seeds, suitable conditions and adherence to agricultural technology.
• The second method is possible in the presence of planting material, however, adult plants can be sick for a long time and take root badly, since cilantro does not tolerate transplants.

Tip # 2. Sow seeds at intervals of several times, which is usually 12-16 days. This will allow you to constantly receive greens to the table.

Features of care for cilantro seedlings

Requirements for the composition of the soil

• The easiest way is to use ready-made neutral or slightly alkaline soil mixtures for vegetable crops, which are offered by specialized stores. They have in their composition all the necessary fertilizers and are sustained according to an environment acceptable for cilantro (the plant does not tolerate acidic soils).
• If there is no possibility of buying a ready-made soil mixture, then it should be borne in mind that cilantro is very demanding on the composition and fertility of the soil. She loves light, sandy loam, loose soils with a neutral reaction. On marginal soils, the yield of greenery is low, the plant shoots faster.
• The soil should not be covered with a crust, it should be shallow and loosened from time to time, taking care not to damage the plants.
• For home cultivation, you can use vermicompost mixed with prepared and pre-soaked coconut fiber (ratio 1: 2). Plants will be provided with nutrients with good soil aeration. Read also the article: → "Growing basil on a windowsill."

Features of seedling lighting

• The peculiarities include the fact that with a long daylight hours, the plant quickly gains peduncles, and with a significant reduction in lighting, its growth slows down with a loss of green mass and its quality. Therefore, the total number of light hours should be at least 6-8, but not more than 10-12 per day.
• In winter and on cloudy days, additional lighting will be required.
• Turn the container with the plant 180 degrees once a day so that the greens receive the light evenly and do not stretch from one side.

Watering and feeding sprouts in pots

• Should be moderate but consistent. The plant equally does not tolerate both dry soil and waterlogged soil. In the absence of a sufficient amount of moisture, the greens will be sparse, stunted, and will quickly turn to arrowing.

The soil should not dry out, watering is necessary moderate, but constant

• In the stage of intensive growth, watering is slightly increased. In hot weather, if the air in the room is too dry, you can lightly sprinkle greens with warm water. On cooler winter days, the amount of watering can be reduced because the evaporation is less intense.
• Water is taken only settled or filtered, always warm.
• Top dressing is carried out after the formation of the rosette and the active growth of the green mass. You can use an additive to the water of ready-made complex or biofertilizers, according to the attached instructions, combining top dressing with watering.

Air temperature and humidity

• Although cilantro tolerates a short-term drop in temperature well enough, cold is not acceptable for its development. The plant begins to ache and poorly gains green mass.
• High humidity, dampness causes damage by pathogenic viruses and fungi.
• Greens will also react badly to too high a temperature and dry air. Normal room temperature and humidity and no drafts are most suitable.

Planting and harvesting dates

• You can grow cilantro for greens at home all year round.
• The germination time of seeds depends on the variety, as well as on the growing conditions, and can range from 12 to 20 days.
• The first greens are obtained in about a month.

You can grow cilantro for greens all year round, a month after sowing, the first crop is cut.

Features of caring for cilantro at home are presented in the table:

Care type	Peculiarities	Recommendations
Watering	Moderate, but sufficient, does not tolerate waterlogging	Drying of the soil is not allowed, in the initial period of development, more water will be required
Top dressing	Liquid complex fertilizers are used	Apply according to the instructions, adding to the water when watering
Temperature	from + 14 ° С to + 22 ° С	The plant tolerates cold well, but develops better at room temperature.

Answers to current questions

Question number 1.Sowed seeds in low containers, now there is little space for the plants.Can they be transplanted into other containers in the 2-leaf phase?

Annual spices do not tolerate transplanting well. But, of course, you can try to gently transplant them to a new place, after watering the ground abundantly and trying not to damage the roots and stems.

Question number 2.When and how to properly cut emerging greens?

Do not cut off the very first branches and leaves - the plant needs them for photosynthesis. The greens should be collected when the outlet is formed, but at the same time do not cut it to the very root, but leave a few centimeters under the lower leaves. It will grow back after a while. Read also the article: → "Growing parsley at home."

Question number 3.What material is suitable for drainage?

In order for the moisture in the container with herbs to not stagnate, and the roots do not rot, much attention is paid to drainage. To do this, use expanded clay, shards of shards or bricks, fine gravel. They should first be rinsed and poured over with boiling water for disinfection. It is interesting to use synthetic winterizer as a drainage, it perfectly collects excess moisture.

Question number 4.Why are peduncles removed from a plant?

So that it does not send all its forces to flowering, since the growth of green mass and its quality are sharply reduced, the leaves have an unpleasant odor, the plant ages quickly.

Question number 5.Is it possible to plant cilantro with parsley or dill in the same container?

Any joint planting is best avoided, since cilantro does not tolerate the presence of neighbors.

Review of growing cilantro at home

Cilantro is one of the favorite herbs in our family. Therefore, in winter and spring, we grow it indoors. With pleasure I add delicate and fragrant cilantro leaves to salads, soups, main courses.To get a bountiful harvest of greens, I plant several of my favorite varieties - this is "King of the Market", "Yantar", "Avangard".

I grow greens from seeds, which I pre-soak for 2-4 hours in warm water (+ 40 ° C), and then pickle for 15 minutes in a pink (1%) manganese solution. After that, I wash them thoroughly and keep them in a growth stimulant solution, prepare it according to the instructions. Swollen seeds germinate better, and those that are damaged float, and I remove them.

Before sowing, seeds are etched in 1% manganese solution for 15 minutes

• For planting, I prepare a container and pour into it a special soil for growing vegetables, purchased in a company store.
• I moisten it well with water and make grooves at a distance of 5 cm, where I put the prepared seeds. Sprinkle with soil on top and gently water it again.
• I tighten the container with polyethylene, in which I make small holes around the perimeter so that there is air access. Then I put the container in a dark place.

Since the seeds of cilantro are quite taut, the period for the appearance of the first shoots is considerable - from 10 to 16 days. Therefore, the film needs to be lifted from time to time and made sure that the earth is in a loose and damp state, but not in a waterlogged state, because the seeds can rot and disappear. I try to sow cilantro at different times, with an offset of 2 weeks, so that there is always fresh greens.

When shoots appear, I leave the strongest in the row. I water it on time, try to keep the soil loose. I pluck the first greens to the table in about a month, when a lush rosette forms. In the future, I follow the timely removal of flower buds when they appear.

How to avoid common mistakes

Mistake # 1.It is wrong to assume that for growing plants at home, you can take the first available soil from any lawn. In an unsuitable and impoverished land, cilantro will grow poorly and hurt, it will bloom quickly and will not give greenery. In addition, pests and weeds can be found in uncultivated land.

How to avoid? Use special soil mixes that are offered in company stores or compose them yourself, following the appropriate recommendations.

For sowing, grooves are made, after moistening the soil, then prepared seeds are laid out in them.

Mistake # 2.Placing different herbs in one container, as a result, they begin to oppress each other.

It is better to grow cilantro separately from other greens, it is bad for the neighborhood with other plants.

Mistake number 3.The plant does not break off the flower stalks in time, as a result, the greens begin to wither and smell unpleasant.

It is necessary to pinch flower buds in time, as soon as they appear, not allowing the plant to waste energy on flowering.

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Not so long ago, they did not know about this spice in our area, and even more so they did not use it in dishes, so as not to shock home and guests with an unusual taste for them. And today, not everyone is in the habit of adding it to food, although this gives food a truly piquant, rather refined taste. It is about coriander Is one of the favorite spices in Korean cuisine.

It was from the time when different types of cuisines became popular that they paid attention to cilantro (coriander). Gourmets who are especially fond of this spice manage to grow it at home from seeds so that their favorite spice is always at hand.

The nuances of growing at home

Coriander, considered in the east a herb of longevity, is quite possible to grow in your window, which is quite convenient for the hostess. The best time for this is the beginning of spring. There are certain guidelines to follow with this procedure:

1. Capacities. The boxes should be large enough to plant the seeds at the desired distance.
2. The soil. The soil should be very loose and full of compost. It is best to do this in advance.
3. Landing. The distance between the seeds should be at least 6 cm, and the depth of the fossa should be 2 cm. If planting is done in pots, then two seeds are planted in one.
4. Light. In early spring, artificial lighting is indispensable. As a last resort, try to provide the plant with a place near the window where there is always sunlight, but, of course, avoid direct sunlight.
5. Watering. If the sowing is done in winter, it should be watered very rarely, and if, as expected, in the spring, then not very often, but quite abundantly. The ground should not be allowed to dry out as this will prevent the coriander seeds from ripening on time.

After sowing, the containers with the sown seeds should be wrapped in plastic wrap, creating an imitation of a greenhouse. It will be possible to free the plant from the film only after the leaves appear. In the same period, you can, if necessary, thin out the plants, getting rid of the most frail. It is better to keep the distance up to 7-8 cm between each bush. If you follow all the recommendations, you will be able to use the lush greens of coriander in the preparation of gourmet dishes in three weeks.

Some features

In order for the seeds to give good fruit, it is better to collect them at the most suitable time for this. The end of summer is considered exactly that time. Having collected, it is necessary to thoroughly dry them in the sun and store in a closed container until the time of sowing.

Before sowing your seeds, make sure the soil is moist enough before you get to work. Water should be watered about once every three days in the evening, in no case less often and not more often. This is important, especially during the period when the plant is gaining growth and greenery. When flowering, reduce the frequency of watering to once a week.

If you decide to grow coriander (seed), and not cilantro (greens), then you should do this separately, for a full harvest. Even an amateur who does not have certain gardening skills can do this.