Growing Coriander, also Cilantro, Chinese parsley

Coriandrum sativum : Apiaceae / the umbelliferae family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
S S S S S     S S S S S
T T T T T     T T T T T
P P P P P     P P P P P

(Best months for growing Coriander in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: Thin to 45 cm
  • Harvest in 30-45 days.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dill, Chervil, Anise, Cabbages, Carrots
  • Avoid growing close to: Fennel

Your comments and tips

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23 Jul 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Plant outside Aug/Sept it says for sub-tropical
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30 Apr 18, Mohammed (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Tips for corriander leaf production in sydney
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01 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It says plant May June and Aug Sept. Good rich soil and water regularly. Read the notes on it. Check the internet also.
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01 Jul 17, georganne (Australia - temperate climate)
But andy Youre not suggesting that growing coriander from seed makes it less likely to bolt, are you? Yes...i agree..im finding it best to avoid growing it here in Wollongong as weather gets warm bc it bolts to seed very quickly.....and yes ive grown the sawtooth before...its not as nice. ...and much more chewy and tough....but it hives the fkavohr...just not the volume that normsl coriander does....mmmm....should try and get some to plant in october
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15 Apr 17, Sandra Truran (Australia - temperate climate)
I would like to know how to look after potted coriander please?
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15 Apr 17, Ken (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Coriander should grow easily in a pot. Use a good potting mix and ensure that the mix drains well so that the plant is not sitting in water. It is always a challenge keeping the water up to plants in pots especially if they are in a sunny spot.
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26 Nov 17, Sahezad (Australia - temperate climate)
Which is best soil mix ? I live in NSW
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10 Feb 17, Pat Mackay (Australia - temperate climate)
I have read that this Confetti Coriander will last longer that the ordinary coriander before running to seed. Has anybody in the temperate area experienced this. Thank you. Pat
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12 Dec 18, David Pritchard (Australia - temperate climate)
I grew it once in Sydney. Planted August 2018. Easy grow. Taste was just ok, but not as nice as common coriander. Not sure if it will bolt as readily as common coriander, but probably correct - at least mine didn't bolt before I finished eating it in early November.
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13 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Cilantro is, strictly speaking, the name for the leaves and Coriander is the name for the seeds. Just a little bit of trivia for you.
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Showing 21 - 30 of 135 comments
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Instructions for growing coriander depend on whether you want to grow it for seed or to use the green foliage as a herb. Like most gardeners I just grow it for the green foliage - after all you can buy the seed in Continental / Middle Eastern grocery stores by the kg at a very reasonable price. And the greens picked fresh straight from the garden are delicious - better than from veggie shop. Space plants at 10 to 15 cm if you just want the greens - That's because you will be harvesting when the plants are around 20cm high. You can treat it as a cut-and-come-again crop to some extent. I find that in Sydney I can plant coriander seeds from late March right thru the winter till about October. I plant a small patch about once every 6 weeks during that time. It is at its most tender during cool to mild weather, and actually very easy to grow. Once your spring weather warms to max in the high 20s or more your coriander will quickly bolt to seed and be not worth eating. Unfortunately there are some Australian gardening books and seed packets that still advise the opposite - ie to plant thru summer which has resulted in very many garden failures, even with "slow bolt coriander" seeds. Btw seed direct, coriander doesn't transplant well.

- David Pritchard

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