How to Grow Cilantro? The Latest Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Cilantro is a familiar flavor-enhancing vegetable, resembling celery, with small and tender leaves, slender stems, and a rich fragrance. It is a seasoning in soups and drinks, mostly used as a garnish for cold dishes, or to enhance flavor in blanched dishes and noodle dishes. Cilantro originates from the Mediterranean coast and Central Asia, and is now cultivated in most regions.
Growing Conditions
Cilantro can tolerate low temperatures of -1°C to 2°C. The suitable growing temperature is 17°C to 20°C. Above 20°C growth slows down, and at 30°C it stops growing. Coriander has no strict requirements for soil, but soil with good structure, strong fertilizer and water retention capacity, and high organic matter content is beneficial for coriander growth.
Seed Treatment
Because the seed coat is hard, sowing with conventional methods results in slow emergence. Before sowing, the seeds can be spread on a flat surface and evenly rubbed with a not-too-hard object to crack the seed coat, then sown directly (soaking and sprouting can also be done). Generally, seedlings emerge about 8-13 days after sowing.
Variety Selection
There are large-leaf varieties and small-leaf varieties. Large-leaf varieties have tall plants, large leaves, and higher yields; small-leaf varieties have short plants, small leaves, strong fragrance, are more cold-tolerant, and have strong adaptability, with slightly lower yields. Small-leaf varieties are more commonly cultivated.
Land Preparation
Apply 2000-3000 jin of farmyard manure per mu, 10 kg of diammonium phosphate, and 10 kg of potassium sulfate, then deep plow and level the ground. Use drilling or broadcasting; for both drilling and broadcasting, cover with 2-3 cm of soil, using 3-4 jin of seed per mu. After sowing, tread the soil once with your feet, or compact it with a leveling tool, then water to keep the soil moist to help seedlings emerge. At the same time, note that soil crusting before cilantro emerges can prevent seedlings from pushing through the soil. Check for seedlings promptly after sowing; if soil crusting is found when seedlings are emerging, promptly spray water and loosen the soil to help the young shoots emerge and grow normally.
Planting Time
It can be planted in spring, summer, and autumn. Autumn is more suitable; the suitable sowing period is after mid-August, and the quality produced is better.
Field Management
In order to create suitable growing conditions for cilantro and achieve appropriate temperature and humidity, multiple rounds of careful intertillage, soil loosening, and weeding are needed. When seedlings grow to about 3 cm, thin and set the seedlings. Generally, intertillage, soil loosening, and weeding are done 2-3 times throughout the growing period. The first is mostly when seedlings are pushing through the soil, using a light hand hoe or small rake to lightly break the soil surface and loosen the soil, eliminating the crusted layer. At the same time, pull out emerging weeds to help seedlings emerge and grow. The second is done when seedlings are 2-3 cm tall; for drilling, a small flat hoe can be used to loosen the soil appropriately deeper, combined with pulling out weeds. The third is done when seedlings are 5-7 cm tall. Such early intertillage, soil loosening, and weeding can promote vigorous seedling growth. Once the leaves close over the ground, whether drilled or broadcast, no more intertillage or soil loosening is done, but care should be taken to pull out weeds.
Cilantro is not drought-tolerant, and must be lightly watered every 5-7 days. Basically, during the whole plant growth period, it needs to be watered 5-7 times to keep the soil constantly moist. In the middle of the growing period, apply about 10 kg of urea per mu to ensure good growth.
Harvest
When cilantro is sown at high temperatures, it can be harvested about 30-40 days after sowing, while at low temperatures it can be harvested 40-60 days after sowing. It can be harvested by thinning, or harvested all at once.