Content
Growing cilantro from seeds at home on a windowsill is becoming increasingly popular. This makes it possible in winter to have fresh greens and a whole range of useful substances necessary for the human body. Cilantro is a unique seasoning used in cooking in different countries. Has several names. Among them are coriander, calandra, hamem, Chinese parsley, chilantro. Latin - Coriandrum sativum. The only caveat is that the greens of the plant are called cilantro, and the seeds are called coriander.
Is it possible to grow cilantro on a windowsill?
This popular type of green is traditionally grown by gardeners. However, any vegetable grower can easily grow cilantro on a windowsill from seeds. You just need to provide appropriate care and properly sow the crop. The taste and aroma of green cilantro will be the same as when sown in open ground. This is an annual crop, so the agricultural technology for growing greens on a windowsill cannot be called complicated.
A lush bush of spicy herbs grown on a windowsill serves as a source of nutrients in winter
How to grow cilantro at home on a windowsill
There are two main methods that produce the same result. Cilantro is grown in a pot on the windowsill. It's convenient and practical. You can collect ripened seeds or cut off green sprouts.
The cilantro harvest is obtained in two ways:
- Sowing seeds. This is a variant of seedless technology. Cilantro seeds need to be sown in a container and provided with proper conditions. The process is longer, but it is more reliable. It is important to sow high-quality cilantro seeds, then comply with all agricultural technology requirements.
- Growing plants obtained hydroponically. Planting material can be purchased at the retail chain. The advantage of this method is time, and the disadvantage is the poor survival rate of greenery, because cilantro reacts with a strong decrease in growth when transplanted.
Experienced farmers advise adhering to the order of sowing greens once every 12-14 days. There are also basic steps and rules for growing cilantro on a windowsill.
Preparing the soil and planting container
In order for the culture to feel comfortable and develop well on the windowsill, it is necessary to pay attention to the choice of containers. The root system of coriander is large and powerful. It takes up a lot of space and does not like to be transplanted. This is due to the very small number of adventitious roots. Injury to the main root leads to the death of the plant. Therefore, a pot for growing greens should be chosen taking these nuances into account. The container should be:
- Rectangular shape. The width of the flowerpot is no more than 25-30 cm, the depth is more than 40 cm. Such parameters will allow the gardener to place it on the windowsill with the most profitable use of space.The size of the pot depends on the amount of greens being grown.
- From a certain substance. Another important requirement for a container is the ability of the material to “breathe”. Ceramics, plastic, wood or clay without enamel are suitable.
- With the necessary equipment. The pot must be equipped with drainage holes to avoid moisture stagnation.
For sowing, you can use a regular flower pot with drainage holes
Now about the correct choice of substrate. For cilantro you will need loamy or sandy loam soil with a loose structure. You can buy this soil mixture for greens in a store or prepare it yourself. It is enough to mix garden soil with compost or humus, peat and sand in equal quantities. Add 3 tablespoons of wood ash for every kilogram of mixture. Warm the soil in the oven or spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate. Then use it to grow green cilantro on the windowsill.
Preparation of planting material
To sow greens, you need to purchase only fresh cilantro seeds. This is due to the fact that they quickly lose their viability. Having sowed material three years ago, you may not wait for the sprouts to appear. It is better to purchase it in specialized stores that sell high-quality seeds.
In spice departments they sell coriander seeds after heat treatment. If you decide to collect cilantro seeds yourself, it is important to give them time to ripen well.
You need to sow dry cilantro seeds. Some farmers advise soaking planting material for 15 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate to prevent diseases.To improve the quality of seedlings, you can soak cilantro seeds for 2 hours in plain water.
Before sowing, it is better to sort out the cilantro seeds to leave the largest ones.
Landing rules
The algorithm for sowing cilantro is not fundamentally different from other crops. But it still has its subtleties. The main stages of growing greenery on the windowsill:
- Place a drainage layer on the bottom of the container.
- Fill the container for cilantro with the prepared soil, which should be slightly moistened. The distance from the edge of the pot to the surface should be at least 2-4 cm. This will allow you to add soil as needed.
- Place cilantro seeds with a planting depth of 0.5-1.5 cm. There are several planting scheme options. You can put from 3 to 10 seeds in one pot with a distance between them of about 7-10 cm. It is very convenient to arrange them in a spiral. The second method is to place several cilantro seeds in one hole in the middle of the pot. You will get a lush bush of greenery. If you sow cilantro in a container or box, it is better in rows. The distance between grooves is 5-7 cm, between seeds 1.5 cm. If necessary, cilantro seedlings can always be thinned out.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of sifted peat on top and moisten.
- Cover the container with film or glass and place in a dark place.
- Moisten the soil periodically.
- Open the film to remove condensation and ventilate the mini-greenhouse.
The first cilantro sprouts will appear on the windowsill in 10-14 days. The film should be removed immediately and the containers should be exposed to light.
Caring for cilantro at home on the windowsill
As soon as tiny loops of sprouts appear, competent care is immediately required. It consists of:
- thinning;
- watering;
- weeding;
- loosening;
- feeding;
- pruning
It is important to create comfortable parameters for the growth and development of culture on the windowsill.
Optimal conditions for growing cilantro on a windowsill
Cilantro can grow on a windowsill all year round. To do this, you need to take care of the environment appropriate for the culture. Basic requirements, without which it will not be possible to obtain a good coriander harvest:
- Ambient temperature. For the culture, the value should be maintained at least + 15 °C. The upper temperature should not exceed + 30 °C, otherwise the plant will begin to form flower stalks very quickly. In this case, there will be almost no greenery. Room temperature is ideal for cilantro.
- Humidity. The average value is the most optimal. In dry air, the plant looks depressed and growth slows down. High humidity leads to rotting and fungal infections on cilantro seedlings. Therefore, you should not place the pot on the windowsill above heating appliances. You also need to avoid places where there are drafts.
- Lighting. Indirect light is best, although cilantro can withstand direct sunlight well. If the containers are placed on the windowsill of a south, east or west window, then there will be enough lighting. It is not recommended to place plants on northern windows. Cilantro requires light for 10-12 hours. Minimum 6-8 hours. In winter and on dimly lit window sills, additional cilantro lighting or backlighting will be needed.
If cilantro does not have enough light or moisture, the bush will grow poorly
Watering
A specific watering algorithm has been developed for cilantro. From the moment the seeds are sown until the first leaf appears, it should be abundant. Then the intensity needs to be reduced and the soil must be moistened moderately for 1-1.5 weeks.As soon as the active growing season of cilantro begins, you can again switch to abundant watering. If you want the cilantro seeds to ripen on the bush, then at the moment of their ripening, reduce the amount of moisture again. It is important not to let the soil dry out and maintain the rhythm of watering. 15 minutes after irrigation, it is advisable to drain the excess water to avoid the development of powdery mildew. On hot days with increased dry air, you need to spray the leaves with warm water.
Top dressing
When growing cilantro on a windowsill, it is necessary to fertilize the soil. The frequency of feeding is once every 14 days. It is optimal to use complex mineral compositions and prepare the solution strictly according to the instructions. You need to start feeding the sprouts after the rosette has formed. You can replace chemical compounds with biocomplexes. In this case, it is necessary to combine any fertilizing with watering. Active growth of greenery requires complexes with a high N (nitrogen) content. When cilantro seeds ripen - phosphorus and potassium. It is not recommended to be too zealous with feeding cilantro on the windowsill. Fertilizing once every 2-3 weeks is quite sufficient.
In addition to watering and nutrition, when growing cilantro from seeds on a windowsill, be sure to follow other important procedures:
- Thinning. It is not always possible to accurately calculate the number of plants per pot volume. To get lush green cilantro, you need to thin out the seedlings in a timely manner. Too thick sowing will lead to a lack of green mass and the forcing of flower stalks. Plants on the windowsill will have to compete for light, water and nutrition. The first thinning is necessary at the stage of 1-2 true leaves. Of several cilantro seedlings growing nearby, you should leave one that is the most developed and strong.For the normal development of one bush, 35 square meters are required. m area.
- Weeding – another necessary condition. There should be no weeds around the plant that reduce the growth rate of greenery. This action also reduces the possibility of diseases and pests of cilantro.
- Loosening prevents an increase in soil density. Cilantro loves loose soil, especially when grown on a windowsill.
- Topping flower stalks are carried out if seeds are not needed. Then the green cilantro will be much more lush.
- Cutting. There is no need to cut off the stems at the root, just tear off the leaves of cilantro and eat.
In general, the process of caring for a plant on a windowsill is not considered difficult.
Thinning allows cilantro seedlings to receive enough light and nutrition
Useful tips
In addition to the generally accepted rules for growing cilantro on a windowsill, summer residents know some secrets and tricks. This allows you to get high-quality results faster and without much effort. For example:
- Cilantro should be sown continuously at monthly intervals. This way, fresh herbs will be on the table all year long.
- You can reuse the soil by adding a little compost and disinfecting it in any convenient way.
- Do not dry cilantro greens. It will not please you with either taste or smell. It is better to dry the seeds and grind them into powder before use.
- Add coriander powder to dishes before the end of cooking so that it does not lose its aroma.
- When cilantro blooms, the greenery smells like bugs. Then this smell changes to citrus. You just need to wait.
- It is recommended to plant several varieties of cilantro at once. They behave differently under the same conditions.The taste will be more varied, you can choose the variety you like for further cultivation.
- Pinch flower stalks in a timely manner to prevent the leaves from developing an unpleasant odor.
Another tip is that you should not sow cilantro in the same pot with other herbs. She doesn't really like her neighbors.
Cilantro should be grown separately from other herbs so as not to inhibit the plant.
Conclusion
Growing cilantro from seeds at home on a windowsill is accessible even to beginners. By following agrotechnical recommendations, you can have fresh spicy herbs with your favorite taste all year round.
