How to Grow Cilantro From Seeds

Overview

Cilantro is a simple herb grown as much for its leaves for soups and salsas, as for the cilantro seed. The key thing to keep in mind as you grow cilantro is that it needs a well-drained soil, so avoid starting seeds in an area of your garden known for flooding or allowing water to pool for long periods. Once your cilantro is at least 6 inches tall, you're ready to begin harvesting as you need it.

Step 1

Prepare a full sun herb bed for the cilantro by breaking up the soil into a light and loose consistency and removing any weeds. Add compost, if needed, to lighten your existing soil to improve drainage.

Step 2

Plant two to three seeds ½ inch deep every 9 inches in a row. If you are going to grow a lot of cilantro and want to plant more than one row, space the rows 18 inches apart.

Step 3

Water the herb bed to thoroughly moisten the soil and keep the bed damp for two weeks by watering every other day. After two weeks, water once or twice a week when the soil is dry to the touch, skipping watering if you've had a heavy rainfall.

Step 4

Apply a water-soluble fertilizer to the bed a month after planting and then again midway through the season.

Step 5

Collect the cilantro leaves and stems as often as you want them by clipping stems 3 to 6 inches away from the soil with clean herb scissors. When you collect from the plant it will encourage new growth, so the more cilantro you use the more the plant will produce.