How to Grow Cilantro in Winter? Master These Growing Tips for Good Seedling Emergence

Cilantro is a cold-tolerant vegetable that can grow at low temperatures of -1°C to 2°C, so how do you grow cilantro in winter?

1. Sowing

Choose a suitable sowing time for sowing, generally sowing in August-October each year, and the sowing time varies in different regions.

In North China, sowing is done from early September to late October; in Northeast China, sowing is done from mid-August to early September; in Henan, sowing is done at the end of October.

Because the climate and environment vary from place to place, the growth period of cilantro after sowing ranges from 5-7 months.

2. Cultivation

After the seedlings emerge, thin them to a suitable density, water them, and cover them with cold-protection materials.

1. Thinning: after the seedlings emerge, thin them to a plant spacing of about 3 cm;

2. Watering: generally do not water before overwintering, to encourage deep rooting; when there are 5-6 leaves, water once. Before the soil freezes, some areas set up windbreaks or cover the ground so the plants can overwinter safely and be harvested earlier. When the soil freezes at night and thaws during the day, immediately irrigate with freezing water, and apply 10-15 kg of ternary compound fertilizer or diammonium phosphate along with the water;

3. After irrigation, cover the seedbed surface with dry grass and other cold-protection overwintering materials.

3. Cultivation Precautions

If cilantro is cultivated in the open field, also pay attention to watering and fertilizing; when growing cilantro in a greenhouse, pay attention to ventilation and temperature.

1. Open-field cultivation

Do not water too much during the seedling stage. When the seedlings grow to 10 cm, the plants grow vigorously, so water frequently to keep the surface soil moist. While watering, apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer 1 to 2 times. Pay attention to intertillage and appropriate thinning, and pull out weeds when thinning. In summer, provide appropriate shading and protect against heavy rain washing; drain promptly after rain to ensure uniform seedling emergence.

2. Greenhouse cultivation

Irrigate once with freezing water before winter to help the seedlings overwinter. Cover with a greenhouse in January; no ventilation is needed from January to February. When the seedlings turn green again, carry out intertillage, loosening the soil, and weeding. When the seedlings are 10 cm tall, the plants enter a period of vigorous growth, and the greenhouse should be kept at 15°C to 25°C. Use about 15 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu each time, applying it 1 to 2 times, which can advance the harvest.