Cilantro, which is sometimes also called coriander, is an herb widely used in Asian cooking. It has mild, lemony flavor enhances the taste of lentil, vegetable and some fish dishes. While you can buy cilantro at the store in fresh or dried form, it is very easy to grow cilantro yourself. Cilantro is relatively easy to grow if the plant has the proper temperature, air and adequate water.
This aromatic annual herb can grow up to two feet tall in favorable conditions. It does best in well-drained, moist, rich soil but you can grow cilantro in adequately nourished soil, adding some liquid fertilizer when needed.
In Ayurvedic medicine uses cilantro for the seeds. Cilantro seeds are valued as a carminative and stimulant as well as for their ability to lower blood cholesterol levels if taken regularly.
To grow cilantro exclusively for seeds, cilantro must be planted in full sun. Excessive heat will is stressful for the plant, and makes cilantro flower earlier than normal. Big, healthy cilantro plants produce better quality seeds and in greater quantities,so you might want to let your plants grow tall and strong before harvesting cilantro seeds
In temperate zones, it is best to grow cilantro in summer while in tropical areas, winter is the best growing season. Cilantro self seeds in the tropics and wherever the winters are relatively mild; elsewhere the seeds should be harvested and sown again the following year.
Planting cilantro appropriately is an important factor. Cilantro needs to be sown in the ground or in deep containers because the plant develops a long taproot. Sow the seeds at one centimeter deep. Next, cover the cilantro seeds with compost and water the soil regularly. Do not keep the soil soggy, however. You’ll notice that the seed will germinate within three weeks.
When you grow cilantro for leaf use, place the seeds at a distance of about five centimeters from each other. However, if you are growing cilantro for seed, you need to keep more space between plants to allow the plants to grow taller. It’s best to plant cilantro in rows because that makes harvesting much easier. Soon you will have lovely, healthy cilantro leaves for cooking and salads, or cilantro seeds for food or health uses.