How to Grow Cilantro (Coriander)? A Detailed Guide to the Planting Method

Cilantro is a vegetable with a distinctive aroma, native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, and it is now cultivated in many parts of our country. Many people like to eat it because of its distinctive aroma, while others turn their noses up at it because of its taste. So, how do you grow cilantro?

1. Seed treatment

Cilantro seeds have a hard shell, and sowing them by conventional methods makes them emerge relatively slowly. To promote germination, before sowing you can spread the seeds out on a flat surface and rub them evenly with a not-too-hard object to crack the shells and make germination easier, then sow them directly. Generally, seedlings emerge about 8-13 days after sowing.

2. Variety selection

Cilantro comes in large-leaf and small-leaf varieties. Large-leaf varieties have taller plants and larger leaves, with higher yields; small-leaf varieties have shorter plants and smaller leaves, with a stronger fragrance, greater cold tolerance and strong adaptability, but somewhat lower yields. On the market, more small-leaf varieties are grown, small-leaf varieties are more popular, and small-leaf varieties also fetch a slightly higher price.

3. Land preparation

Apply 1500kg of farmyard manure, 10kg of diammonium phosphate and 10kg of potassium sulfate per mu, plow deeply, and level the ground. Use the drill-sowing or broadcast-sowing method, cover with 2-3cm of soil, and use 3-4 jin of seed per mu. After sowing, press the soil down with a leveling tool, then water for the first time to keep the soil moist and promote emergence. At the same time, watch out for the phenomenon of seedlings being unable to push through the soil because the soil crusts before the cilantro emerges. Check after sowing, and as soon as you find crusting, promptly sprinkle water and loosen the soil.

4. Planting time

It can be planted in spring, summer and autumn. Autumn is the best sowing time. Cilantro sown after mid-August has better quality, a stronger fragrance and greater cold tolerance.

5. Field management

Growing cilantro requires attention to many details. To make cilantro grow better, carry out careful intertillage, soil loosening and weeding several times. When the cilantro seedlings grow to about 3cm, thin and finalize the seedlings to ensure a reasonable growing density. Generally, over the whole growing period, intertillage, soil loosening and weeding are done 2-3 times. The first is mostly when the seedlings are pushing through the soil, in order to break up the crusted layer and at the same time pull out the weeds that have emerged; the second is carried out when the seedlings are 2-3cm tall, likewise loosening the soil and pulling out weeds; the third is carried out when the seedlings are 5-7cm tall. After that, pull out weeds regularly to prevent too many weeds from affecting the growth of the cilantro.

Cilantro is not drought-tolerant and likes moisture. In spring and autumn, water once every 5 days; in summer, increase the watering frequency to keep the soil constantly moist.

6. Pest and disease control

Leaf blight, sclerotinia rot and root rot are all common diseases of cilantro. As long as you disinfect the seeds at sowing time and pay attention to field management, you can greatly reduce the chance of these diseases, and you can also spray a 600-800 times dilution of carbendazim for control.

7. Harvest

Cilantro sown at high temperatures matures and can be harvested about 30-40 days after sowing, while at low temperatures it can be harvested about 40-60 days after sowing. You can harvest by thinning, or harvest all at once.

The above is the cilantro growing method summarized for you by Tuliu.com. Do you understand it all now?