Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Coriander (cilantro)
Easy and quick to grow, coriander is one of those tastes that immediately takes
your mind somewhere sunny. An essential ingredient in salsa, coriander leaves
are also excellent with fish and as a tangy garnish on salad. The mature seeds
have a completely different, almost lemony flavour, and when ground to a powder
are used in soups, curries, stews and even wine. A great addition to the tunnel or
a well-lit windowsill, coriander is well worth growing.
Coriander is hardy enough to cope with light frosts, so with some protection it
can be grown all year round in the tunnel. The pots of coriander sold as 'growing
herbs' in supermarkets have conditioned us to expect coriander to come as baby
leaves, but this is purely a solution to growing the herb for market, so don't waste
your time making lots of successive sowings trying to copy this at home.
Coriander has a tendency to bolt, particularly in spring and early summer, but
this is not a problem. Asian chefs know that this merely intensifies the flavour
and routinely use tender flowering stems in their cooking.
Preparation
Coriander likes light but rich, well-aerated soil with good drainage. For the best
results it prefers slightly acid conditions, so do not lime.
Sowing
Sow two or three seeds every 5cm along a shallow (0.5cm) drill, thinning to half,
then half again, as they grow. Germination is often poor, but can be improved by
gently rubbing to separate the seed halves and soaking in water for 72 hours
before sowing. This gives two quick harvests before the remaining plants are
ready.
Coriander is also a great container plant for a quick harvest. Scatter a dozen or so
seeds on the surface of a 15cm pot that's filled with a free-draining mix of com-
post and earth. Press them in gently so they're flush with the surface and barely
cover with a sprinkling of fine soil. Keep the surface damp at all times in a light,
warm place. If there is a tendency for the soil to dry out, cover with a plastic bag
until the seeds are up.
Growing
Coriander has a surprisingly deep taproot and will appreciate the depth a tunnel
bed can offer. To fully develop, plants also prefer about 20cm of space between
