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chiiiives

Coriander (Cilantro) Help

chiiiives
14 years ago

Hi,

I sowed some coriander seeds about a month ago and they have gone very leggy and are falling over. They are growing fine otherwise and are producing leaves fine, but they just don't stand up. I know coriander is very lacy, but is it normal for them to grow like this?

I am in the UK and they are on a south facing windowsill so get direct sun all day. I've read that they prefer partial sun and slightly cool conditions so I have moved them to a different windowsill to see if that helps them.

Has anyone got any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Comments (2)

  • Daisyduckworth
    14 years ago

    Coriander can be a bit floppy, which is why, in a garden situation, it's best to plant lots of coriander close together so they help each other stand up nicely. And, like all plants, coriander is always going to be happiest outside.

    When the leaves of coriander turn lacy, it's an indication that it's nearing the end of its life. Before it dies, it will produce flowers, then seeds. When a plant does this so quickly, it's called 'bolting to seed'. That's what your coriander plant is doing.

    Coriander is a very short-lived annual. In a hot climate, it can live out its entire life cycle in about 2 weeks! If your plant has been sitting next to a glass window, that's quite a hot environment for it (YOU try sitting near a sunny window all day!). That sort of stress will hasten the bolting process. So, in hot climates, coriander can be considered a winter crop, and is best planted in a cool place with filtered sunlight. It will get leggy in those conditions. It really prefers a cooler climate where it can take the full sun - as wishy-washy as it is compared with hotter areas!

    There is nothing you can do now to stop your plant doing what Nature intended for it. The best you can do is to plant more seeds, and continue successive planting every 2-3 weeks so you can get a constant supply of leaves. Of course, let your plants go to seed, and collect some of it for propagation, and some of it for culinary use. Once your patch is established, you'll always have plants in various stages of their life cycle. Some to use now, some on its way, some making babies.

  • cyrus_gardner
    14 years ago

    Amen Daisy D.

    I am learning about cilantro/coriander. From my fall planting I have some that have resumed growing. They seem to enjoy our early spring weather with temp in 38F-55F range. But it is not warm enough for my direct sown seeds to germinate. So i will put cilantro in the same catagory as lettuceand aurugula.