Growing Coriander And Getting A Long Harvest
Posted: Monday, January 25, 2010
by Lisa Summerfield
http://herbgardensolutions.com
The fragrant leaves of the coriander herb are part of many types of cuisines such as Oriental, Middle Eastern and Hispanic and are used in meat, vegetable and lentil recipes. Growing coriander in your own garden is the best way to ensure the freshest supply for your cooking.
By becoming familiar with the growing requirements of this distinctive herb it will make growing coriander an easy task.
To get good results one should prepare the soil by ensuring that the area intended for planting is weed free. I like to dig the soil and rake it, this way it removes any large clumps of dirt.
Unlike many seeds that take about a weed to germinate, coriander seeds take up to twenty-one days. Once the seedlings are 2 inches tall it is recommended to thin the plants to about 8 inches apart to ensure that you get tall plants with plenty of healthy leaves.
Growing coriander in pots is not recommended since this herb has a long taproot which develop best in an open garden. It also prefers a milder climate, for this reason if you live in a tropical or sub-tropical area it is best to grow coriander during winter, while early spring and late summer are the preferred seasons for growing coriander in temperate climates.
Most gardeners sow coriander directly into the soil because transplanting causes the plant to stress, in fact if transplanted the coriander plant will most likely bolt and cease to grow before it is mature. One thing to remember is that if you are growing coriander in hot weather, the plant will mature more quickly.
You should plan to sow in increments of every three weeks to obtain new seedlings. If you get a few hot days it is likely that your coriander will go to seed therefore growing coriander seeds every 3 weeks will produce lots of coriander plants over several months.
To harvest the tastiest coriander leaves, wait until the plants are mature, and snip the stems from the base of the plant. The leaves should be light green for the best coriander flavor for your salads, stews and soups. Be sure to leave a few stems and leaves on the growing coriander so the plant will keep producing and you can enjoy this fragrant herb all summer long.
Are you a first time gardener? Are you looking for resources to help you grow some herbs at home? L. Summerfield is a freelance Expert Author and garden lover who is caring for her herb garden. Confronted with little spare time and shortage of space
L. Summerfield came up with some solutions in order to grow herbs easily. Learn more about growing coriander on her herb garden website. If you want even more information, subscribe to the free 10-part herb gardening email course at no cost.
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Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)This Coriander of a thing makes me remember the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the promised land. I think it must be very distinct as a spice. Anyway thanks for your article.
I always learn useful information from your articles, about a subject in which, at this time, I am very interested. Please continue with your advise, as I want my herb garden to be as successful as possible.--Thanks---Always- Ella
And it is yummy too! thanks Lisa, Marijo
Nice article Lisa! It was well written, thorough and also an enjoyable read!
We grow many of our herbs here in the inland part of Sao Paulo in Brasil. The soil is a deep red (lots of iron) and very fertile. Thanks for the information on coriander... is one of my favs.
I like your article, it is very professional the way you formatted it, bolded the steps was a good idea, your paragraphs were small (easy to read), and not to mention I like how you ended with "subscribe to the free 10-part herb gardening email course at no cost." -Neat bonus material!Well done in my opinion, interesting.
Lisa,As I read the article, it made me think of my old country. Thank you well written.
I happen to love coriander and we use it frequently in dishes that we cook at home. I would love to try growing my own coriander someday, and this article has basically taught me enough to get started. It would save me money as well as I would love to take up this hobby, knowing that I am growing my own herbs in my own yard, to use when I cook my own food. Thank you for sharing this information!
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