HOW TO GROW CORIANDER / CILANTO (DHANIA) IN CONTAINERS/ POTS

 

 

 

 

A must grow for every kitchen garden.  Used everyday in India cuisine either in the form of seeds or leaves, spice up our food.  Another ideal candidate for container gardening and very easy to grow, grows very fast.  Yields at very early stage.

 

 

SEASON/ TEMPERATURE

Can be grown anytime of the year (specially in India) but needs to be taken care as it won’t survive in very cool or extremely hot climate.  As it grows very quickly, you can plant new batch of seeds in every 4-5 weeks gap during the growing season.  However it also depends upon how frequently you require this in your dishes.

 

Coriander Seedlings

PROPAGATION

Coriander is propagated from seeds.  Where to look for, well check your kitchen first as the chances are you will surely find them there or else can be purchased from a local general merchant shop or a nursery nearby your home.  Each Coriander fruit contains two seeds.  It is advisable to separate them before sowing.  They will germinate very fast.  It doesn’t transplant well.  Sow seeds directly in the tray type container instead of traditional round pot, to avoid disturbance to the root system while transplanting.  The distance between two seeds should be 3 – 4 inches and ½” deep in container. Maintain at lease 6-7” gap between them else overcrowedness can invite pests and diseases. They will germinate in approximately 4-7 days. Avoid moving pot from one place to another as it does not like to be moved.

 

 

WATERING

If you pour water on to the soil after sowing seeds in container or during germination process, the chances are seeds will be displaced.  To avoid this, keep a spray bottle to lightly moist the soil. Do not pour water directly for at least 5-7 days after sowing.  It doesn't require too much of a water once the plants established themselves.  As this is a cool season herb, keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged.

 

 

CONTAINER/ POT SIZE

Minimum pot size recommended is 18” Wide (W) x 8” Deep (H) The pot should also have several unobstructed drainage holes so that excess water should leave the pot.

 

 

SOIL

Coriander can grows in any type of soil but sandy loam well drained fertile soil enriched with dried manure is the best.

 

 

HARVESTING

Leaves are ready to use in approximately 15-20 days after germination.  The more you harvest the more it will grow.

 

 

Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

 

 

Happy gardening.

 

WARNING: ANY PESTICIDES SPRAYED/ USED ON PLANTS CAN BE HARMFUL.  ALWAYS CHECK WARNING LABEL BEFORE APPLYING ANY CHEMICAL TO A PLANT.  WASH YOUR FRUITS, VEGETABLES THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONSUMING.