Cilantro is such a lovely herb.  It enhances the flavor of just about everything.  I use cilantro in salad, salsa, stir fry, curry, stew, soup, marinade and the list goes on. Sadly, my past attempts to grow cilantro, have fallen short from spectacular.  I have found that I need to give it a bit more attention than other herbs like basil, chives, oregano or even mint.  My laissez-faire approach to growing cilantro has not faired too well.  However, the extra attention it needs is definitely worth the effort if you love cilantro as much as I do. And with many things that I grow in my garden, once I understand how they grow and what to look out for, then growing becomes a snap!

Sow (sow means to plant) your cilantro from seed or seedling  (a seedling is a wee little baby plant).  Choose a sunny location and make sure to water it regularly.

Harvest (harvest means to cut or pick) cilantro close to the dirt and preferably on a rotation. Cut one section then a few days later, cut another section and so on.  Sow cilantro seeds every 2 weeks to keep a constant growth of new cilantro.

Evidently, cilantro grows pretty fast (bolts) and then flowers.  The bad news is – the flowers indicate the end of the cilantro plant.  The good news is – the flowers make coriander seeds! Coriander is a flavorful spice that tastes especially good in curries and stews.

Cilantro also needs to grow in a pot that is at least 10 -12 in. deep and 8-10 in. wide.  Proper drainage and plenty of watering will keep your plant healthy and produce a bountiful harvest all season long.

Cliff Notes Version of This Highly Informative and Already Pretty Short Article

• Sow new seeds every two weeks
• Harvest batches of cilantro by cutting close to the soil
• Water plant regularly
• For cilantro leaves; don’t allow plant to flower
• For coriander seeds; allow plant to flower and collect the seeds
• Put cilantro plant in a sunny location