Key Techniques for Off-Season Cultivation of Cilantro in Summer and Autumn

Cilantro, scientific name coriander (Coriandrum sativum), a plant with a distinctive aroma, generally used as food, and has the effect of strengthening the stomach and aiding digestion. Here we will take a look together at how to cultivate cilantro off-season in summer and autumn?

1. Seed treatment

Cilantro seeds germinate with difficulty under high-temperature conditions. Before cultivation, soak the seeds in a 300-fold dilution of 1% carbendazim wettable powder for half an hour, then remove and wash them clean, then soak the seeds in clean cold water for about 20 hours, then germinate them under 20-25°C conditions before cultivating.

2. Land preparation and fertilization

Choose a plot with convenient drainage and irrigation and loose, fertile soil. After the previous crop is harvested, promptly plow deeply 20-25 cm and sun-dry for 15 days. To make it convenient to use shade netting, form deep-furrow high beds with a bed width of 120 cm, height of 20 cm, and furrow width of 30 cm. Cilantro has a relatively short growth period. In combination with land preparation, apply 3500 kg of decomposed human manure and urine, 150 kg of cake fertilizer, and 50 kg of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer. The surface soil of the bed should be finely broken up and leveled to facilitate uniform emergence.

3. Sowing in season

For off-season cultivation of cilantro in summer and autumn, sowing is generally done from mid-May to early July, with a seeding rate of 1 kg per mu, which can achieve both relatively high yield and relatively high prices. When soil moisture is suitable, broadcast evenly, then cover with 1-2 cm of soil. Cover with straw mats to preserve moisture and maintain soil moisture and promote seedling emergence, then remove them after 5-7 days. During this period, pay attention to maintaining soil moisture.

4. Field management

In summer and autumn, temperatures gradually rise, which affects the growth of cilantro. Therefore, after removing the straw mats, promptly set up a frame and cover with shade netting. The shade netting should be used by covering during the day and uncovering at night, strengthening ventilation, and preventing seedlings from growing thin and weak and causing disease. Because cilantro has a short growth period, it is advisable to weed early, thin seedlings early, and apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer early.

Generally, thinning should be carried out about 7 days after full emergence, and final thinning when there are 2 true leaves, with a seedling spacing of 2-3 cm. Generally water once about every 8 days. When seedlings are 3 cm tall, begin topdressing, applying 10-15 kg of urea and 250 g of boron fertilizer per mu. Thereafter, in combination with watering, apply ammonium bicarbonate or urea in 2-4 split applications, and in the later stage when applying foliar fertilizer, add an appropriate amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate to promote leaf growth.

5. Pest and disease control

Pest and disease control for pollution-free cilantro should follow the principle of prevention first and treatment as supplementary, combining multiple control methods to keep pests and diseases within the smallest possible range.

1. Agricultural control should be based on varieties with strong disease resistance, implement crop rotation, and avoid continuous cropping. Promptly remove diseased plants and diseased leaves in the field to reduce opportunities for pathogen infection. Strengthen fertilizer and water management to improve plant disease resistance.

2. Physical and biological control should use physical control techniques such as frequency-vibration insect-killing lamps, sex attractants, and Bt powder.

3. Chemical control. Diseases mainly include damping-off at the seedling stage, and viral disease, anthracnose, and leaf spot at the mature plant stage. Five days after emergence, spray once with the pollution-free fungicide 3% polyoxin at 800-fold dilution. Thereafter, spray once every 7 days with polyoxin at 600-fold dilution, for a total of 2-3 sprays, which can prevent damping-off, anthracnose, and leaf spot. To control viral disease, insect-proof netting can be used to prevent the aphids that transmit it from flying in; shading can be used to prevent a high-temperature and drought environment and reduce the occurrence of aphids; and 20 g of 20% imidacloprid wettable powder can be added to 50 kg of water and sprayed on the leaves to completely control aphids and prevent the occurrence of viral disease. For leafminers, spray with 1% avermectin at 1500-fold dilution.