How to grow lush cilantro in the heat

In this blog post we are going to discuss tips on how to grow lush cilantro in the heat and how to extend your harvest. I’ll also share a quick and easy recipe to use with a wide variety of dishes.

Cilantro and its life cycle

Cilantro is the leafy counterpart of the spice coriander seed, which is ubiquitous in Indian, Mexican, Moroccan and Asian cuisine. They have incredible detoxification benefits, particularly well known to chelate heavy metals. The aromatic leaves are refreshing when added to smoothies, made into chutneys, or used as a garnish for a wide variety of savory preparations. Of course, no guacamole can go without the use of the aromatic cilantro. During our recent trip to Morocco, I feel in love with the cucumber, bell pepper, cilantro salads.

Cilantro is a cool season edible and the aromatic leaf grow well in both containers and in-ground. Growing them is fairly easy, but they bolt when the temperatures hit 80’s or when they are stressed. When they bolt, they form beautiful white flowers which then form the coriander seed. The white flowers are attractive to pollinators and beneficial insects. The green pods are edible and a culinary delight that you cannot find in the local markets. When left to dry, they form coriander seeds. By mid-summer, I gather these seeds for my Ayurveda post meal digestive CCF tea, which is a tea made with equal parts of cumin, coriander and fennel.

Apart from harvesting these for culinary use and leaving some on the plant, you can bring them inside for your decor. I loved it so much that I gathered a large bunch to place in my Morocco basket.

Here are 8 tips for lush cilantro growth

1. Seed choice: Choose slow bolt variety seeds. Do not use the one from the pantry for reliable and good leafy growth and extended harvest. I started off with the SLO-bolt seeds from Renee’s garden and subsequently saved my own. Another good choice is Calypso, which is also a bolt resistant variety.
2. Growing media : Cilantro grows well in containers or in ground. Choose a wide container with at least 6″ depth, and fill with a mix of compost, perlite and coco coir for a good balance of water retention, nutrition and aeration.
3. Germination and timing: The seeds germinate best, when the temperatures are between 55 deg -70 deg. Each spherical seed pod has two or more seeds in it. Gently crush to separate the seeds in half. Soak in water for up to 24 hours. Densely spread on growing media and add about 1/2 inch soil to cover the seeds. Once they germinate, thin them optionally. If you want larger plants, thin the plants and very gently replant in separate areas of the garden. When the ambient temperature consistently exceeds 70 deg, cilantro can be hard to germinate. Starting seeds indoors where it is slightly cooler will help.
4. Watering and feeding: Use a regular watering schedule and ensure that the soil is moist. A humus rich soil and good compost is sufficient to grow lush cilantro. You can feed worm castings mid-season if you like, especially if your soil needs some help.
5. Harvest : Regularly remove leaves from outer sections of the plant once the plants are at least 4 inches tall. You can also do the cut-and-come-again method by trimming the plant 2″ above the soil line. The leaves will grow back in a couple of weeks. However, once the plant bolts, there is nothing much you can do to reverse it. If allowed, the plants could grow as tall as 2-5 ft and are ornamental, attracting beneficial pollinators.
6. Extending the harvest: Start the first couple batches indoors with the help of a heat mat, when outside temperatures are still in the 40’s. As we do not get any freeze in our Zone 9b, Bay Area weather, I start the seeds in my unheated greenhouse. Click here for my greenhouse setup. I grow the plants in the greenhouse in containers, and also set out transplants once the seedlings are 2-3 inches tall. Do this carefully without disturbing the tap root system. Direct sow seeds every two weeks when day time temperatures are between 55 deg – 70 deg, until summer and start again during fall season once weather starts to cool off. The growth will not be as vigorous as spring, but you will still get plenty to eat from. Fall grown cilantro could take a slightly reddish color with the cold setting in.
7. As temperature rises, pick different cooler spots in the garden at each sowing. Under a tree canopy is a great location. The Northern part of the house is at least 10-15 degrees cooler than my primary kitchen garden area. I move the container grown cilantro to this spot. Finding a good micro-climate is very beneficial in extending the harvest. Mulch to keep roots cool. Water adequately and frequently when temperatures rise. A 60% shade cloth such as this helps when the late spring/early summer temperatures start to steadily rise. Inter-planting with taller plants will provide adequate shade and respite from the heat.
8. Allow the plants to go to seed. They seed readily and you will have a perpetual supply of cilantro in your home garden. This is a good weed to have around in the garden!

How to grow lush cilantro from seeds

Recipe – Cilantro pesto

We always have this recipe handy in the fridge. It is versatile and goes with breads/flat breads/veggies/rice/salad bowl etc.

For this you will need:

2 cups cilantro leaves and stem

1/2 cup walnuts, almonds – optional

2 chillies, salt to taste and a 1 tsp cooking oil of your choice.

1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

A small bit of tamarind or 2 tsp lemon juice.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan, add oil, chillies and turmeric. Add all the other ingredients. Saute’ them together until the cilantro slightly wilts. Blend until well incorporated into a paste, adding a bit of water as necessary. Alternately, you can skip the saute’ and blend the ingredients raw. Store in the refrigerator and use it liberally as spreads/chutneys. Its particularly tasty as a spread in an avocado sandwich. It also tastes great with freshly steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.

Cilantro is an excellent addition to the front yard garden. Lush bright green is refreshing to look at in late winter/early Spring. They look amazing when they go to seed and form coriander pods. They add ornamental value besides culinary and medicinal uses.The whiff of smell as you water the cilantro plants is delightful to the senses. I hope this inspires you to grow lush cilantro in your garden this season!