Cilantro or Coriandrum sativum, adds a burst of flavor to home cooking! Growing cilantro from seed is an excellent way to ensure you have some on hand all summer to add an extra flair to your recipes. You can even continue to grow cilantro indoors for fresh herbs all year!

Another top benefit is that when you cultivate cilantro you get the bonus of a coriander harvest, too. It's like getting two spices in one! You can harvest the foliage of your plant for a vibrant cilantro garnish and then dry the seeds for spicy coriander to accentuate dishes.

Ready to pack your herb garden with plenty of flavors? Discover six essential tips that will help you to successfully cultivate a bountiful cilantro harvest from seed.

Choose Slow-Bolting Cultivars

Cilantro plant

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Slow-bolting cultivars are a superb choice when growing cilantro plants. Cilantro loves the cool weather and bolts quickly when it gets too hot. Usually, cilantro grows best in temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperatures start getting hotter, it bolts and begins to produce seeds.

Bolting also causes the leaves to taste bitter, which is not ideal if you are harvesting cilantro for culinary reasons. Three excellent slow-bolting varieties to cultivate are 'Slow Bolt,' and 'Santo,' which are ready to gather in about 50 days, and 'Leisure,' which you can harvest even sooner -- in 28 to 40 days.

Directly Sow Seeds 

Coriander seeds

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When you have your seeds in hand, it's time to start planting! It is a good idea to plant seeds when temperatures are about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 to 50 days before they will reach 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This will give your seeds enough time to produce delicious foliage before it gets too hot, and they bolt.

You can grow cilantro in pots or directly in an herb garden. Choose where you want to permanently grow your cilantro before planting. If you are going to grow it in the garden, direct sowing is best. Cilantro does not enjoy transplanting because it has a long taproot which is easy to damage.

If you plan to start seeds indoors, sow them 0.25 inches deep in individual peat pots. Then place the whole biodegradable peat pot directly into the ground when your sprouts are 2 to 3 inches in height. Planting the entire peat pot will help prevent any damage to the taproot caused by transplanting.

To directly sow your cilantro seeds, pick a permanent spot in your garden 0.25 inches deep into the soil. Ideally, the area should get at least six hours of daily sunlight. Then water to keep the soil moist.

Pro Tip: To give germination a boost, soak seeds in water for 1 to 2 days before planting them. Seeds should germinate in a week to 10 days after planting.

Give Your Seedlings Space

Cilantro Sprout in Soil

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Cilantro likes having a bit of space to grow. To provide your plants with enough room, space seeds 6 to 8 inches apart when direct sowing them. If your goal is to harvest coriander seeds, space plants even further so that they are 1 foot apart.

When planting multiple rows of cilantro, leave 1 foot of space between each row.

Pro Tip: Seedlings need about 1 inch of water each week. If seasonal rainfall is not providing your sprouts with enough water, make sure to keep the soil moist.

Boost Soil Nutrients

Gardening soil outdoors

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Improving your soil is one of the best things you can do when growing cilantro from seed. Cilantro likes soil with great drainage and a pH of 6 to 7. Then, to give the soil an extra nutritional boost, mix 20 to 25 percent of organic material into the garden soil before sowing seeds.

Once your plants are already growing you can also use a nitrogen fertilizer to improve soil nutrients. For best success, add 0.25 cups of nitrogen fertilizer to the soil for every 25 feet of cilantro plants. You don't need to fertilize that often, once or twice in the growing season is perfect.

Sow Seeds Multiple Times

Vibrant green cilantro foliage

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To extend your harvest, sow seeds multiple times! Directly sow seeds around every two to three weeks for a longer harvest season. Keep in mind that plants will bolt when temperatures rise over 85 degrees Fahrenheit, so make sure to wrap up successive sowings about five to six weeks (or 40 days) before summer heat waves reach this temperature.

When temperatures reach that ideal range of 50 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit later in the summer around August, you can begin planting seeds again. This will give your plants enough time to thrive and subsequently reward you with an autumn harvest!

Enjoy Your Harvest

Person chopping up cilantro leaves

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You can start gathering cilantro leaves as soon as the plants reach 6 inches in height. New, young leaves will pack the most flavor. Prioritize picking new leaves growing 1.5 to 2 inches from the crown of the plant which is the area where the leaves are closest to the ground. If you are harvesting all of the plant's foliage, then cut the plant 1 inch above the soil's surface.

If you are harvesting coriander seeds, wait about 3 weeks after the flowers fade. Then harvest the whole plant and hang the cuttings upside down to dry. Place a cloth beneath the hanging herbs to catch any seeds that fall off as the plant dries. Then use the seeds for spice or store them in a dry place for next year.

Pro Tip: You can also harvest cilantro roots in the fall and use them in your cooking!

Cultivating Cilantro From Seed

Cultivating cilantro herbs from seed is a delightful project that will fill your kitchen with a bounty of fresh herbs and spices. By following a few key tips like direct sowing plants, waiting for optimal temperatures before planting, and sowing successively you are sure to have a wonderful harvest to enjoy!

What are your experiences with growing cilantro from seed? What key tips would you recommend to fellow gardeners? Share your expertise in the comments below!