Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Unchanged apart from web resizing.
Cilantro and coriander come from the same annual plant, Coriandrum sativum. The fresh leaves and stems are called cilantro in North America; the mature dry seed is coriander.
Grow with the clock, not against it
- Direct-sow in well-drained soil because cilantro has a taproot and does not love being transplanted. Follow the packet for depth and final spacing.
- Give it sun in cool weather. Heat and long days tell the plant to “bolt”: it stretches upward, flowers, and stops making many broad leaves.
- Sow a short new row every three or four weeks instead of planting the whole packet at once. That gives you young plants even when the first row flowers.
- Keep seedlings evenly moist. If hot weather arrives, let the flowering plants feed small pollinators and mature seed rather than trying to turn them leafy again.
Harvest and nibble
When plants are about 15 centimetres tall, cut a few outside stalks near the base, leaving the centre to grow. For coriander seed, wait until seed heads turn brown, then have an adult help cut and dry them in a paper bag.
- Tear rinsed cilantro over tacos, curry, canned black beans, or a bowl of rice just before eating.
- Mix chopped cilantro with diced tomato and a squeeze of lime for a very quick topping.
- Try one leaf before adding a handful. Cilantro tastes fresh and citrusy to some people and surprisingly soapy to others.
Rinse leaves and stems under cool running water just before preparing them, then dry with a clean towel. Never harvest a wild carrot-family look-alike.