What plant pests are common to cilantro?

Pests to watch out for include aphids , cutworms, and root-knot nematodes. Diseases that regularly affect cilantro include bacterial leaf spot, soft rot, carrot motley dwarf, damping-off , and powdery mildew . You can reduce the possibility of disease by avoiding overhead irrigation and not working with the plant while it's wet.

How do you harvest cilantro?

From the time you sow the seeds, cilantro leaves will be ready to harvest in a matter of weeks. Coriander can be harvested in about 45 days, or when the plant is three to four inches tall. Cut the leaves at the bottom of the plant, if possible, and avoid harvesting more than one-third of the plant at the time. Cutting off too much can weaken the plant. If you're harvesting the seeds, clip the seed heads and put them upside down in a paper bag. Wait a couple of days, and the husks will dry, split, and drop out the seeds inside.

How do you grow cilantro from seed?

Cilantro can be grown from nursery transplants, but it is also a very easy plant to grow from seeds. If sowing the seeds in pots, use an ordinary potting mix. Keep the soil moist as the seeds germinate and sprout. Thin the seedlings to about 6 inches apart, and keep them consistently moist as they grow.

How long will a cilantro plant last?

The lifespan of your cilantro will depend on growing conditions, but its typical life cycle is a few months. You may want to plant more seeds or have a backup plant ready if you prefer to have cilantro available all year.

Will cilantro grow after cutting?

Yes, after cutting or harvesting your cilantro, it will grow back, as long as you haven't cut too much. Try not to remove more than one third of the plant at a time to avoid slow growth.

Gardening Plants & Flowers Herbs

How to Grow Cilantro (Coriander) Indoors

By

Jon VanZile

Updated on 04/18/24

Reviewed by

Mary Marlowe Leverette

Can You Grow Cilantro Inside?

Cilantro is a fast-growing but short-lived plant that is ready to harvest in just three or four weeks. Cilantro is easy to grow indoors, as long as it gets enough light, which will be your limiting factor if you can't provide enough. Cilantro does not require much space, and you can pinch off the leaves regularly for culinary use to extend its lifespan.

How to Grow Cilantro Indoors

Sunlight

Cilantro grows in full sunlight outdoors, where it's adapted to the sun. Indoors, direct sunlight may burn the plant, but it still needs a lot of light, ideally six or more hours of bright, indirect light or a few hours of direct sun from an east- or west-facing window. Cilantro will grow in less light but at a much slower pace, and it will be more likely to rot.

Temperature and Humidity

Outdoors, cilantro bolts when the weather hits around 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit. It's unlikely that your indoor temperature will hit this mark, but the temperature in a warm window may be higher than you realize. Additionally, bolting is part of cilantro's natural life cycle, so it will try to do so eventually. Once cilantro bolts, its flavor will change.

You can try to resist bolting for as long as possible by keeping cilantro in typical indoor temperatures, around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also move your outdoor cilantro plants indoors before the hotter months of summer, in an attempt to prevent them from bolting.

Standard indoor humidity levels are acceptable for cilantro. Note that if your home is particularly humid, the soil may maintain moisture longer, requiring less frequent watering.

Watering

Keep the soil regularly moist, but not soaked. Good drainage is essential, as cilantro has deep roots. Aim for about one inch of water per week.

Fertilizer

If cilantro is not already planted in enriched soil, use a liquid fertilizer or supplement with controlled-release pellets. For organic cilantro, use organic fertilizer or fortify the soil with compost. Feed the herb once a month.

Pruning and Maintenance

As the young plants grow, periodically pinch back them by about one inch to encourage fuller plants. To extend your cilantro harvest, regularly snip soft stems, rotating the plant as you harvest to encompass the whole plant. This may also slow down the bolting process.

Pollination

Since cilantro is primarily grown for its edible leaves, pollination is not required. However, if you hope to harvest coriander seeds while growing the plant indoors, pollination assistance may be needed. Once the plant has flowered, try gently shaking it each morning, which may encourage pollination. If the weather allows, you could also move your plant outdoors for a few hours each day, hoping natural pollinators will do their duty.

Container and Size

Cilantro needs a pot that is deep enough for it to take root; look for a pot at least 12 inches in depth and about 18 inches wide. A plastic pot will help hold water and keep the plant moist. Choosing a pot with good drainage is essential.

Potting Soil and Drainage

Cilantro does best in airy, light, fast-draining soil with plenty of perlite or sharp sand mixed in to increase drainage. In a container, use a premium potting mix rather than garden soil, which is too heavy.

Potting and Repotting Cilantro

Cilantro is an annual that grows with a deep taproot. As a result, it dislikes repotting and will often bolt at the slightest provocation. It's best to repot your garden-center cilantro only once after bringing it home, then keep the plant in that container for the rest of its life.

Seed-grown cilantro can transition from your seed-starting pot to its permanent home pot. Because cilantro is an annual, mature plants should never need repotting. A fully mature flowering cilantro plant can hit a height of 24 inches, including flower stalks.

Moving Cilantro Outdoors for the Summer

If you move cilantro outdoors, it should not be during the summer. Move it during the spring or early fall when temperatures are moderate.

Considerations

When moving cilantro outdoors, remember that cilantro prefers a lot of sun but must also stay cool, ideally under 75 degrees or so, to prevent bolting. If it's hot outside, cilantro may need to be kept in the shade where the temperature is lower. Also, pay attention to the rainfall; water cilantro only if there isn't enough rain during any given week.

When to Bring Cilantro Back Inside

Pay close attention to the temperature. When it begins to dip into the 60s or rise into the 80s, it's time to bring cilantro back inside to an air-conditioned, or heated, space.

FAQ

What plant pests are common to cilantro?

Pests to watch out for include aphids, cutworms, and root-knot nematodes. Diseases that regularly affect cilantro include bacterial leaf spot, soft rot, carrot motley dwarf, damping-off, and powdery mildew. You can reduce the possibility of disease by avoiding overhead irrigation and not working with the plant while it's wet.
How do you harvest cilantro?

From the time you sow the seeds, cilantro leaves will be ready to harvest in a matter of weeks. Coriander can be harvested in about 45 days, or when the plant is three to four inches tall. Cut the leaves at the bottom of the plant, if possible, and avoid harvesting more than one-third of the plant at the time. Cutting off too much can weaken the plant. If you're harvesting the seeds, clip the seed heads and put them upside down in a paper bag. Wait a couple of days, and the husks will dry, split, and drop out the seeds inside.
How do you grow cilantro from seed?

Cilantro can be grown from nursery transplants, but it is also a very easy plant to grow from seeds. If sowing the seeds in pots, use an ordinary potting mix. Keep the soil moist as the seeds germinate and sprout. Thin the seedlings to about 6 inches apart, and keep them consistently moist as they grow.
How long will a cilantro plant last?

The lifespan of your cilantro will depend on growing conditions, but its typical life cycle is a few months. You may want to plant more seeds or have a backup plant ready if you prefer to have cilantro available all year.
Will cilantro grow after cutting?

Yes, after cutting or harvesting your cilantro, it will grow back, as long as you haven't cut too much. Try not to remove more than one third of the plant at a time to avoid slow growth.