How to Grow Cilantros USA

At a Glance

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil pH	5.5 - 7.5
Optimal growing temp	59-77°F (15-25°C)
Minimum survivable temp	32°F (0°C)
Time to harvest	70-70 days
Drainage	free-draining
Lifecycle	annual
Edible parts	leaves, seeds

Soil & Growing Conditions

Soil pH range

5.5 7.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing and germination	0	Sow outdoors spring through autumn, or indoors from February on a warm sunny windowsill; seeds surface-sown or in a shallow drill, spaced about 5cm apart, germinating in 1-3 weeks (RHS).
Leaf growth	1	Thin to 5cm apart for leaf crops; water routinely only in dry spells (ground-grown) or keep containers just moist; sow successionally every few weeks for continuous leaves (RHS).
Cut-and-come-again leaf harvest, or bolt-risk period	3	Harvest leaves once plants reach 10-15cm tall, a few per plant with 2 weeks recovery between pickings; remove flower stems immediately and shade from midday sun in hot weather to delay bolting (RHS).
Flowering, seed set and seed harvest	6	For seed crops, sown in spring/early summer and thinned to 20cm, plants flower and set seed; harvest green for milder flavour or brown/ripe, cutting whole stems into a paper bag, drying about a week (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: RHS: leaves ready in as little as ten weeks from sowing. UMD: harvest plants when 6 inches high, or pick leaves sparingly at 4-6 inches tall; for seed (coriander spice), wait until flower heads turn brown and gather seeds as they ripen in mid-summer.

Storage

Fresh leaves used immediately or refrigerated; seeds dried and stored for spice use

Diseases

Powdery mildew

Pests

Aphids

Aphididae (various spp.)

Sources

1. NC State Extension - Coriandrum sativum (Cilantro, Coriander)

   Annual, 1-2ft tall and wide, fast growing and low maintenance. Full sun (6+ hours) or partial shade; medium-moist, well-drained loamy soil. Propagated from seed, allowing 12in-3ft of space. IT BOLTS EASILY IN HOTTER CLIMATES and flourishes in cool conditions in spring and autumn, which is the central difficulty in growing it for leaf. Leaves and stems are used fresh as cilantro; the mature seeds, borne in round yellow-brown pods, are the spice coriander. No specific pests or diseases recorded.

2. University of Maryland Extension - Cilantro/Coriander

These 2 sources are specific to this region. The full list of 6 sources behind this guide (FAO EcoCrop, GBIF, NC State Extension and others) is in the references of our UK guide to coriander (cilantro); they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.