How to Grow Cilantro
Cilantro At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -9°C
Plant Family
Apiaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Cilantro handles light frost, so sow it from about 1 week before your last spring frost, and again in late summer for fall. Sow 2 to 3 seeds 0.5 cm deep every 15 cm, right where it will grow, since its one long main root hates being moved. They sprout in 7 to 14 days. Sow a fresh short row every 2 to 3 weeks, because each sowing gives leaves for only a few weeks before it flowers.
Cilantro grows fast but bolts (rushes to flower) as soon as days get hot and long, so it does best in the cool of spring and fall. That is not a loss: the flowers draw helpful insects, and the round seeds that follow are coriander, the spice. A slow-to-bolt variety like Santo Long Standing stretches the leaf harvest.
When To Start
First chance to plant
30 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Cilantro?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Cilantro Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Cilantro Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow cilantro outdoors now, then again every 2 to 3 weeks
1 week before your last frost· every year
Cut cilantro leaves young, and save the seeds once it flowers
30 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your cilantro seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Time to thin the cilantro seedlings: snip the extras at soil level so each one has room to grow.
About 24 days after you plant it
Hello from your cilantro! Keep the soil evenly moist, since dry soil makes it flower early.
About 31 days after you plant it
Your cilantro should be ready to cut. Pick often, and sow a new short row for a steady supply.
About 47 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your cilantro.
About 50 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Cilantro's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 7–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow cilantro in full sun in spring and fall, and in light afternoon shade in summer to delay flowering.
- 2Mix compost into loose soil, or use a pot at least 20 cm deep for its long root.
- 3Keep the soil evenly moist, because a dry spell makes it flower sooner.
- 4Feed with a little worm castings or compost tea every 3 to 4 weeks.
- 5If aphids gather on the stems, wash them off with a spray of water.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~50
Days to Maturity
30 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
21 days
When to Pick
Harvest leaves before bolting
How to Harvest
- 1Start cutting leaves when the plants are about 15 cm tall.
- 2Snip the outer stems 2 to 3 cm above the soil and never take more than a third of the plant at once.
- 3Pick often, since regular cutting slows down flowering a little.
- 4Once it flowers, the leaves get thin and stronger tasting, so let it go and use the flowers in salads, then the green seeds.
- 5When the round seeds turn brown, cut the heads, dry them and use the seeds as coriander spice.
- 6Keep fresh cilantro with its stems in a jar of water in the fridge, loosely covered with a bag.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Cilantro seeds come true as long as the variety is not a hybrid (hybrid F1 seeds will not). Bees can cross different cilantro varieties, so let only one kind flower at a time if you want it to stay the same. Leave the seed heads on the plant until most seeds are brown and dry, then cut the heads into a paper bag. Rub the heads between your hands to free the seeds, and let them dry another week. Store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they sprout well for about 3 years, and use any extra as spice.
Seed Production
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