Cilantro is a highly aromatic herb used to enhance the flavor of many South-East Asian, Indian, and Mexican cuisines and as a dressing to improve the appearance of the meal served. If you follow all the useful information on How to Grow Cilantro in a Pot given here–You can easily grow it in your home garden!

Here are the best windowsill herbs you can grow

Propagating Cilantro 

If you’re planting grocery store seeds, gently crush the seed husk before sowing. Some seed companies sell whole seeds–If you find them unopened, slightly crush or rub the seeds between your hand or on the ground.

As coriander seeds are enclosed in a husk (covering), it’s important to remove this covering to improve the germination rate.

It is better if you sow the seeds directly in a final pot in which you would like to grow the plants later because cilantro has a long taproot, and it doesn’t transplant well, especially when the plant grows up slightly.

  • Sow seeds 1/4 inches deep and place them at a bright spot.
  • Keep the soil moist until the seedlings germinate.
  • If you have grown them in the seed tray, once the plants have formed 2-3 leaves, plant them in their final location in a pot.

Learn how to grow cilantro from stem cutting here

Choosing a Pot

Most people choose too shallow pots for growing cilantro, but that’s a mistake. Similar to dill, cilantro needs a pot that is deep and wide.

For growing lush and full cilantro in a container, choose one that is at least 8 inches deep. If you can get a window box or large plastic tub — this would be a perfect size.

Best Cilantro Planting Time

Start growing cilantro once all the dangers of frost are passed. You can grow it successively from spring to fall. In warm temperate parts and much hotter regions (USDA Zone 8 and above), you can grow cilantro in winters, too, with some care.

The herb can tolerate light frost easily. Below zone 8b, in much cooler regions, you can grow cilantro indoors, in cold frames and hothouses, and overwinter it.

In a hot tropical climate (USDA Zone 10 – 11), cilantro grows best in fall and winter. However, it can be grown year-round in such climates as in many tropical countries fresh cilantro leaves are available throughout the year, but you’ll need to cope with the bolting problem. You may need to harvest quickly and provide shade in spring and summer.

Here are the differences between cilantro and parsley

Requirements for Growing Cilantro in Pot

Location

The herb grows best in the sun. But be careful, too much heat will make it go to seed quickly. In summer (or in hot climates), place it in a position that receives shade in the afternoon.

Watering

Cilantro likes evenly moist soil, so water it regularly and thoroughly. When watering, make sure you never wet the foliage as it will make it susceptible to powdery mildew. Also, avoid overwatering and waterlogging.

Soil

Neutral soil that is very rich in organic matter and crumbly in texture helps this plant to grow really well. Also, the addition of aged manure or compost provides a good steady supply of nitrogen and other trace elements, which promotes vegetative growth.

Spacing

You can grow cilantro plants closely, but for optimum growth, space the plants 3-4 inches apart.

Find out the difference between cilantro and culantro here

Cilantro Plant Care

Fertilizer

Feed the cilantro bimonthly with any half-strength nitrogen-rich fertilizer to promote foliage growth. You don’t need to fertilize your cilantro plants too much if you’re side-dressing them with compost or aged manure.

Also, the application of fish emulsion is recommended. Make sure you don’t overfertilize, otherwise your harvest will be less flavorful.

Deadheading

Inspect your cilantro plants every now and then to see if the flowers are appearing. If they are, deadhead them regularly to promote the production of leaves. However, you can leave them if you want your herbs to seed.

Pests and Diseases

In pests, look out for aphids and mites. Mildew is the most common disease that kills this herb, more consistently occurs in humid, warm weather.

To prevent powdery mildew, keep distance between the plants, provide good air circulation and avoid overhead watering. Wetting the leaves also promotes the growth of many other fungal infections.

Problems With Coriander / Cilantro

The recurring problem with cilantro is bolting. The plant eventually seeds, but it does the same a lot earlier in hot weather. Flowers start to appear quickly, then give way to seeds, and after seeding, the plant dies.

The best solution for this problem is to sow seeds successively, and plant seeds every other week to get a regular harvest. Also, once the plant starts to bolt, pinch the top of it to slow down the process.

Have a look at the best herbs you can grow for eggs here

Harvesting Cilantro

You can start to harvest young cilantro leaves early, about 3-4 weeks after sowing seeds. Leaves can be picked from the plant when they have reached 5-8 inches in length.

If you want to harvest the entire plant, you should wait at least 45-70 days. Cut the entire plant at soil level or 2 inches above the crown.

  • jacqui c
  • June 13, 2018 At 3:41 pm
  • Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have addressed all of my issues with growing cilantro. Now I will go buy a couple of plants since I love to use it. It’s one of my favorite herbs. YEAH!!!!!
  • Reply
  • Leslie
  • July 5, 2018 At 5:31 pm
  • I am struggling but this article is very helpful. I love cilantro in so many dishes, and really would like to have a year round supply. Live in San Diego so now I see the sun is too intense in summer weather. Also, the info. about size and depth of planting pot. Thank you.
  • Reply
  • Kathi
  • November 5, 2018 At 1:48 pm
  • I have a question. I live in hot, humid South Florida in a condo. I have a screened porch where I was planning to put my pot for the cilantro growth. My problem is the porch is shady in the morning and very hot and sunny in the afternoon, which is the opposite of what you suggest in the article. I have no where to put the plant on the opposite side of the condo due to COA restrictions. Any advice?
  • Reply
  • Crybaby
  • April 26, 2020 At 10:40 am
  • Replant often to replace plants lost to premature bolting:)
  • Reply
  • Lehberger Frank
  • September 8, 2021 At 6:04 pm
  • Very helpful and informative post to share, I am visiting here for the first time and very much use the full article to write thanks to many dudes.
  • https://www.perfecttime.is/
  • Reply
  • CJJ
  • June 16, 2019 At 10:17 pm
  • i hope they reply you Kathi it is way overdue – I hate when they say comment and do not reply
  • Reply
  • Grishilde
  • March 26, 2021 At 4:40 pm
  • Seed-grown cilantro can transition from your seed-starting pot to its permanent home pot. Because cilantro is an annual, mature plants should never need repotting. A fully mature flowering cilantro plant can hit 24 inches tall, including flower stalks.
  • Reply
  • Balduin
  • April 11, 2021 At 8:15 am
  • Depending on the severity of the winter weather, rosemary, thyme and sage may continue to grow through cold weather allowing them to be harvested fresh all year in North Texas.
  • Reply
  • DAPHNE CURRY
  • May 26, 2021 At 2:56 pm
  • freeze what you cant use right away ! only way to get full flavor ,tried them all
  • even commercial dried does not have the flavor
  • i jus put in ziplock bag & put in freezer
  • if cutting it back alot stems have flavor too !
  • Reply
  • Martin rossow
  • June 7, 2021 At 4:12 pm
  • Great article.. it’s very informative for me thanks for sharing
  • Reply
  • Dalene Wood
  • July 6, 2021 At 4:36 am
  • so when you use this how much of the stem can you use?
  • Reply
  • Sandra
  • May 18, 2022 At 9:16 pm
  • The whole stem, especially if you are drying the cilantro. Otherwise, you may want just the leaves if using in a salad. Any time you are making a salsa type dish, again the whole stem, along with the leaves, adds great flavor.
  • Reply
  • Walter Cox
  • July 30, 2021 At 4:29 pm
  • Wow! Thank you so much for these gardening tips. This information has been really important thanks for sharing this fabulous post…
  • Reply
  • cookie clicker
  • August 23, 2021 At 12:35 pm
  • It’s so great!
  • Reply
  • Eleni Lee
  • December 9, 2021 At 8:41 pm
  • Tip for the scrooges like me: rather than purchasing coriander seeds showcased for cultivating, purchase coriander seeds sold as flavor. Same seeds, regularly a lot less expensive should in any case work for planting (absolutely worked for me a year ago)
  • Reply
  • Jessica White
  • March 4, 2022 At 12:00 pm
  • One word. Amazing! Your gardening tips are really helpful.
  • Reply
  • chrisgail104
  • March 8, 2022 At 4:43 pm
  • Rural women are very clever. They like to sow some seeds of different vegetables in a pot sot that they may get free vegetables from their homes.
  • Reply
  • dr
  • April 7, 2022 At 3:13 pm
  • Growing coriander in a pot is a good process in a pot for daily uses. I also use this process during the season. Through this blog, I learn something new and I will apply this process to pot farming
  • Reply
  • NY Dave
  • November 1, 2022 At 9:25 pm
  • Hi Kathi, I live in a condo in Westchester and I grow my Cilantro on my window sill. You can purchase a Fabric screen material at your local plant store or Home Depot that reduces the amount of light you receive on your porch. Good luck!
  • Reply
  • Jeffrey James
  • November 11, 2022 At 11:25 am
  • Excellent blog post. I certainly appreciate this website. Continue the good work!
  • Reply
  • anjileena
  • January 5, 2023 At 10:32 am
  • Excellent and amazing post I really appreciate, Thank you!
  • Reply
  • nuria martin
  • January 14, 2023 At 1:06 am
  • Wohh exactly what I was searching for, appreciate it for posting.
  • Reply

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have addressed all of my issues with growing cilantro. Now I will go buy a couple of plants since I love to use it. It’s one of my favorite herbs. YEAH!!!!!

I am struggling but this article is very helpful. I love cilantro in so many dishes, and really would like to have a year round supply. Live in San Diego so now I see the sun is too intense in summer weather. Also, the info. about size and depth of planting pot. Thank you.

  • Crybaby
  • April 26, 2020 At 10:40 am
  • Replant often to replace plants lost to premature bolting:)
  • Reply
  • Lehberger Frank
  • September 8, 2021 At 6:04 pm
  • Very helpful and informative post to share, I am visiting here for the first time and very much use the full article to write thanks to many dudes.
  • https://www.perfecttime.is/
  • Reply

I have a question. I live in hot, humid South Florida in a condo. I have a screened porch where I was planning to put my pot for the cilantro growth. My problem is the porch is shady in the morning and very hot and sunny in the afternoon, which is the opposite of what you suggest in the article. I have no where to put the plant on the opposite side of the condo due to COA restrictions. Any advice?

Replant often to replace plants lost to premature bolting:)

Very helpful and informative post to share, I am visiting here for the first time and very much use the full article to write thanks to many dudes. https://www.perfecttime.is/

i hope they reply you Kathi it is way overdue – I hate when they say comment and do not reply

Seed-grown cilantro can transition from your seed-starting pot to its permanent home pot. Because cilantro is an annual, mature plants should never need repotting. A fully mature flowering cilantro plant can hit 24 inches tall, including flower stalks.

Depending on the severity of the winter weather, rosemary, thyme and sage may continue to grow through cold weather allowing them to be harvested fresh all year in North Texas.

freeze what you cant use right away ! only way to get full flavor ,tried them all even commercial dried does not have the flavor i jus put in ziplock bag & put in freezer if cutting it back alot stems have flavor too !

Great article.. it’s very informative for me thanks for sharing

  • Sandra
  • May 18, 2022 At 9:16 pm
  • The whole stem, especially if you are drying the cilantro. Otherwise, you may want just the leaves if using in a salad. Any time you are making a salsa type dish, again the whole stem, along with the leaves, adds great flavor.
  • Reply

so when you use this how much of the stem can you use?

The whole stem, especially if you are drying the cilantro. Otherwise, you may want just the leaves if using in a salad. Any time you are making a salsa type dish, again the whole stem, along with the leaves, adds great flavor.

Wow! Thank you so much for these gardening tips. This information has been really important thanks for sharing this fabulous post…

It’s so great!

Tip for the scrooges like me: rather than purchasing coriander seeds showcased for cultivating, purchase coriander seeds sold as flavor. Same seeds, regularly a lot less expensive should in any case work for planting (absolutely worked for me a year ago)

One word. Amazing! Your gardening tips are really helpful.

Rural women are very clever. They like to sow some seeds of different vegetables in a pot sot that they may get free vegetables from their homes.

Growing coriander in a pot is a good process in a pot for daily uses. I also use this process during the season. Through this blog, I learn something new and I will apply this process to pot farming

Hi Kathi, I live in a condo in Westchester and I grow my Cilantro on my window sill. You can purchase a Fabric screen material at your local plant store or Home Depot that reduces the amount of light you receive on your porch. Good luck!

Excellent blog post. I certainly appreciate this website. Continue the good work!

Excellent and amazing post I really appreciate, Thank you!

Wohh exactly what I was searching for, appreciate it for posting.

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