I love cilantro! I have only grown it where it gets sun most of the day, but I imagine it would grow in part sun, too, and perhaps go to seed slower. I always mean to plant cilantro and lettuce and so on at monthly intervals, so that I have it all summer long, maybe this year it will really happen . . .

Marcia

Cilantro self seeds for me and is spread (by birds?) in all differnt kinds of light from shade to full sun. I would space the plantings out 2-3 weeks apart over a long span and don't worry about the 85-92 days as that is for the corriander. The leaves are edible as soon as true leaves appear but lose their flavor as the flower starts to form. You'll know the flavor is degrading when the leaves start getting noticably lacier.

tj

I've tried spreading seeds at various times thru the season so that it would be up when the peppers are up. Hasn't worked. Cilantro seems to like it cooler, I can't get it to sprout when it gets hotter. You may need to follow a few of the techniques described for cooling the ground in the summer, but that hasn't worked for me.

I purchased my cilantro as plants but you can keep it from losing taste and going to seed by watching it and pinching off the flower buds before they start to rob the plant's energy.

I like that idea, I'll try it!
I would think at some point it's futile, like trying to keep spinach going or prevent asparagus from bolting. Eventually the plant wins or dies. But keeping cilantro around until the tomatoes are ripe will be my new quest, thanks for the inspiration. But if it fails you may see a grown man sobbing in the produce section at Pick 'N Save.