Content
Coriander (also known as cilantro) is a very popular spice in oriental cuisine. Both greens and plant seeds are used in cooking. You can grow the seasoning in your own garden plot - caring for cilantro is not difficult, and it also does not have any specific requirements for cultivation conditions. But there are still certain nuances regarding when and how to sow coriander, how to prepare the bed and seeds. It is recommended to find out about them in advance, otherwise you can’t count on a bountiful harvest.
When to plant coriander
Seeds and seedlings of cilantro remain viable at temperatures down to -5 °C. Therefore, the timing of sowing coriander is quite early: it is necessary for the substrate to warm up to only 6-8 °C. In temperate climates, the optimal time is the second ten days of April. In subtropical southern regions, coriander can be planted earlier - as early as mid-March.In the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East you will have to wait until the second half of May.
Then during the season, every 1.5-2 weeks you can sow a little until August. In autumn, cilantro is planted towards the end of October. This is how early greens are obtained. When planting cilantro in the fall before winter, seedlings appear already in mid-March.
Coriander is grown in a heated greenhouse year-round. It is planted at intervals of 3-4 weeks. If a gardener devotes space to greenery in a regular greenhouse, cilantro is sown there at the very end of February, harvesting at the turn of April-May.
The timing of planting coriander determines the characteristics of the local climate and the conditions for its cultivation.
The best predecessors
Optimal growing conditions for cilantro include crop rotation. Coriander is recommended to be planted after:
- any legumes (peas, beans, beans);
- cereals (regular and green manure);
- all types of onions, garlic;
- corn;
- beets;
- cauliflower and early white cabbage.
Somewhat less successful, but also suitable predecessors for growing cilantro in open ground in the country:
- almost any herbs, green salad;
- melons (pumpkins, melons, watermelons);
- plants from the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants);
- radish, radish, daikon.
To grow cilantro in open ground for greens and seeds, do not use areas where they were planted last season:
- umbrella herbs (dill, fennel, parsley, celery, watercress);
- carrot;
- mid- and late-ripening cabbage.
Site selection and soil preparation
The quality and volume of coriander greens directly depends on the choice of location for the garden bed. It is recommended to plant it where the plants will receive enough sunlight and warmth. In partial shade, the crop also does well, but in dense shade, cilantro develops much more slowly, and the yield decreases.
A lack of sunlight leads to a reduced concentration of essential oils in plants
For the bed where you plan to plant coriander, choose a flat place or area closer to the top of a gentle hill. You cannot sow cilantro seeds in open ground where moist, cold air and rainwater inevitably stagnate. Neither the roots nor the above-ground part of the crop can tolerate dampness.
The plant does not need very nutritious soil. What is more important for him is the looseness, water and breathability of the soil. It is best to plant coriander in sandy loam or loam. Acid-base balance – neutral or slightly alkaline. The culture will definitely not survive in an acidic substrate.
Since cilantro is planted early, the bed is prepared in the fall. The area is dug up, while any debris is removed, humus (up to 3-5 l/m²) and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer (30-40 g/m²) are added. The latter can be replaced with sifted wood ash (0.5 l/m²). In the spring, just before planting coriander, the soil is thoroughly loosened and watered with a solution of any nitrogen fertilizer.
Seed preparation
It makes sense to plant only coriander seeds collected no later than two years ago. If they are old, you can count on single shoots at best.
To speed up the process of seedling emergence, immediately before planting, it is recommended to soak them in water at room temperature or in a solution of any biostimulant for 10-12 hours.
Only coriander seeds collected independently or produced by agricultural companies are suitable for planting.
How to properly plant cilantro (coriander) in open ground
Growing coriander seedlings is not popular among gardeners, although, in principle, it is possible. Most often it is planted directly in open ground.
Planting cilantro in open ground with seeds in spring
To ensure that there is enough space for the plants in the garden bed, coriander is planted according to one of the following schemes:
- in rows with an interval between plants of 8-10 cm and a row spacing of 12-15 cm;
- in the holes - they draw a lattice on the garden bed, dividing it into squares with a side of 12-15 cm; cilantro is planted in the corners of these “cells”.
Planting itself is an extremely simple process:
- Level the soil on the prepared bed, mark holes or grooves up to 2 cm deep.
- Sprinkle them moderately with water at room temperature and wait until it is absorbed.
- If possible, sow the coriander evenly. The “norm” if there are grooves on the bed is 2-2.5 g/m². Place 2-3 pieces in each hole.
- Fill the grooves and holes with a thin layer of soil and water moderately again.
Coriander seeds are quite large, so when planting they are easy to distribute relatively evenly.
Sowing cilantro (coriander) in the fall before winter in open ground
Sowing coriander before winter in those regions where there are no frosts below - 10-15 ° C is carried out according to the same algorithm as in the spring. “Insulate” the bed by covering it with spruce branches or covering it with covering material in 2-3 layers.
When enough snow has fallen, it is thrown over the cilantro plantings before winter with seeds on top of the shelter, creating a snowdrift up to 30 cm high. It must be periodically renewed, while simultaneously breaking the crust on the surface.
Features of growing cilantro in a greenhouse
No specific care is required for cilantro if it is planned to be grown in a greenhouse. The only difference is earlier planting dates and accelerated rates of crop ripening.
You also need to follow the planting pattern - in favorable conditions, cilantro actively grows. Greens can be cut 40-55 days after germination, it depends on the variety.
“Crowding” in a greenhouse is more dangerous than in open ground - there is a higher risk of developing diseases
Caring for cilantro (coriander) in open ground
To grow cilantro from seeds in the garden, you need to remember the main rule. Coriander requires approximately the same care as the more popular herbs - parsley, dill.
Thinning the sprouts
Coriander seedlings are thinned out at the stage of the second true leaf. A minimum of 5-7 cm is left between seedlings. Only in such conditions will cilantro, which is planted on greenery, form lush bushes with large, succulent leaves. When the garden bed is “crowded,” the greens noticeably turn pale, the leaves lose their tone and become thin.
Thinning seedlings when planting in open ground replaces picking seedlings when growing seedlings
Seedlings also need to be weeded. Weeds greatly weaken young plants. Adult cilantro practically does not need weeding; it is capable of “choking” and “displacing” most of its “competitors” from the garden bed.
Watering and loosening
Coriander cannot be called a very moisture-loving plant, but during the active growth of greenery it requires regular watering. The substrate is constantly maintained in a moderately moist state. The intervals between waterings are adjusted depending on the weather outside.
When it is not too hot, coriander is watered once every 3-4 days, spending about 4-5 l/m². If cilantro is planted by seeds, about a month before they ripen, the rate is reduced to 2-2.5 l/m². This stimulates the formation of flower stalks.
Top dressing
All necessary fertilizers when growing coriander from seeds in open ground are applied in autumn and spring when preparing the bed on which they are planted. Therefore, in favorable conditions, it does not need feeding during the growing season.
But if the substrate is very “poor” or “light”, depleted, the coriander is fed once every 2.5-3 weeks, watered with nutrient solutions. They use both store-bought fertilizers for herbs and natural organic matter - infusions of cow manure, bird droppings, and “green tea” from weeds.
Protection from diseases and pests
Coriander's immunity is generally quite good, regardless of whether it is planted in a greenhouse or in open ground. But there are several fungal diseases to which the crop is susceptible:
- powdery mildew - a grayish-white powdery coating on all parts of the plant;
Powdery mildew is a disease that affects the vast majority of garden crops.
- ramularia - brown spots on the leaves, quickly drying plants.
If you do nothing, a cilantro bush affected by ramularia will dry out completely in 7-10 days
To avoid the development of pathogenic microflora, coriander that is planted in the garden is regularly inspected.At the first suspicious symptoms, the plantings and soil in the garden bed are sprayed with a solution of any fungicide of biological origin.
Due to the high content of essential oils, coriander is inedible for most pests. The exception is the umbrella and striped bug. But this insect cannot be called very common; to prevent its attacks, it is enough to dust the plants and soil with a mixture of sifted wood ash and tobacco dust once every 2-3 weeks.
Umbrella and striped bugs are brightly colored, so they are easy to spot on plants
Harvesting and storage
Coriander (it doesn’t matter whether it is planted in open ground or in a greenhouse) is harvested several times during the season, waiting for new leaves to appear. Cutting is stopped after the formation of peduncles - they become noticeably coarser and taste unpleasantly bitter.
Plants that have begun to bloom are only suitable for collecting seeds.
For long-term storage, coriander greens are dried naturally or in an oven, microwave, or electric dryer. Keep it in a cool, dark place, in linen or paper bags, hermetically sealed plastic containers.
When coriander is planted with seeds, you need to wait until they are completely ripe. This can be determined by the brownish-brown tint of the shell and the characteristic smell typical of store-bought spices. Unripe seeds have a very unpleasant “aroma”; many people associate it with bedbugs.
First, they are dried under natural conditions by uprooting the plants and laying them out in an open place well blown by the wind. You need to wait until they fall freely from the peduncles.Then they are separated from plant debris and poured into small paper bags. Store them in the same place as dry herbs.
Seeds and dry coriander greens should be kept away from any products that absorb extraneous odors.
Conclusion
Coriander can be sown both in open ground and in a greenhouse. An unpretentious plant adapts to a wide range of climatic and weather conditions. But to get a harvest of greens and seeds, you need to choose the right planting date and place, and prepare the bed. Planting coriander is not difficult; agricultural technology includes only standard measures: you do not need to be an experienced gardener to care for the crop.
