How to grow your own coriander (it’s quite easy)
You either love it or hate it, but if you’re one of the former, here’s how to start growing your own coriander. It’s easy to grow, requires little attention and means you’ll always have some on hand to add to your dishes.
When
While coriander plants love the hot, they hate humidity so summer isn’t the best time to grow coriander as they can change rapidly from leafy to seedy (called bolting to seed). Start growing during autumn, winter and spring, to maximise the success of your plant.
Conditions
Sunny spot with well-drained. Add some manure or compose to enrich chances. Keep soil lightly moist and fertilise monthly. Grows well in both pots or in garden beds.
Sowing seeds
Sow seeds one centimetre deep with plants around 10 centimetre apart. Germination rates can be quite low; 50 per cent is common but sowing seeds do give best results in the long run. If plants are a bit crowded, just pull out weakest seedling to use in the kitchen. Plants are best at 20 centimetres apart. Alternatively, sow a pinch of seeds in a pot but choose slow-bolting varieties and cover with shade cloth.
Harvesting
If your crop is bursting, snip off as many leaves as you need and more will grow back. You can also pull out the whole plant to use: leaves, stems and roots all can be used. Stems and roots actually contain the strongest flavour so add these in for flavoursome dishes.
Coriander seeds and seedlings are available at Plants Plus garden centre. Check out the latest catalogue here for some great prices as more tips and inspiration for your garden.