Coriander: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow coriander outdoors?
Sow coriander directly outdoors from spring to autumn according to your climate, in well-drained soil or a pot with drainage holes. Choose sun or light shade; for leaves in hot weather, favour a cooler spot protected from midday sun. Weed and prepare a fine seedbed.
Sow shallowly, about 5 cm apart, cover lightly and water gently. Keep the soil moist without waterlogging it during germination. Sow small batches every few weeks for leaves. For ripe seeds, sow in spring or early summer and thin to about 20 cm so plants can mature.
Prepare the final growing position from the start: coriander does not respond well to moves that disturb its roots. In a pot, moisten the compost before distributing the seeds so the first watering does not wash them all towards one side. Record the date of each batch, then watch for germination before sowing again in exactly the same place. If you want both leaves and seeds, set aside two small groups: repeated picking of foliage and allowing flowers to develop fully mature seeds are different growing objectives, so plan your space accordingly.
How to care for this plant
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Weed
Identify the young plants before starting. If weeds grow between them, remove them gently by hand without loosening the herbs’ roots.
How do you harvest coriander?
Start picking a few leaves from each plant when it is about 10–15 cm tall. Leave enough foliage for regrowth and allow plants to recover between pickings. Harvest timing depends on sowing and growing conditions, not only spring. Keep fresh leaves in the refrigerator and use them within a few days.
If you want seeds, let some plants flower. For dry seeds, wait until they turn brown, then cut the seed-bearing stems into a paper bag to catch falling seeds. Dry them completely before storing in an airtight container. Do not confuse leaf harvesting with seed maturity.
Use clean scissors to cut leafy stems without pulling the plant. Spread your picking across several plants and avoid leaving a young one almost bare. For seeds, check the flower heads regularly towards the end of ripening, as dry seeds may fall before your next visit. Put the bag and stems in a dry, airy place to finish drying, then separate out the plant debris. Label the container with the date; if moisture or mould appears, do not consider the batch properly dried. Keep leaf picking separate from the stems you are retaining for seed.
Coriander
- Type : Aromatic plants
- Subtype : Bulb vegetables
- Botanical Family : Apiaceae (umbelliferae)
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Partial Shade
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
- Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
- Mature height : 60 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Sowing Depth : 0.5 cm
- Plant Spacing : 15 cm
- Row Spacing : 30 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Moderate
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Insect-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing