“Say “cilantro” here in the Southwest, and most folks think of salsa. And while cilantro can get along with the heat of chilies in salsa, it quickly dies with the heat of a hot Southwestern summer day.” I said this in an article over a decade ago, and it still holds true. I was trying to be cute and catchy and submitted the article for a Garden Communicators writing award. Alas, I did not win. But enough about me! Time to discuss how to grow this tasty herb. (I mention this not to brag, but so I can quote myself without the AI bots saying I plagerized.)

Cilantro Planting & Care

Cilantro is a cool season crop, and is best planted in Low and Middle Desert areas in October. In High Desert areas, plant seedlings from the nursery in September or October. In Upper Elevations (USDA 7A and colder) plant in spring before it gets hot. A List of Cool Season Herbs is under Resources on this site.

Back to the Desert Zones, which is most of my readers. Cilantro should grow through the winter and into April before starting to flower (called bolting). Leaves are more flavorful before bolting. Once bolting begins, reconcile yourself to the fact that you will soon have ample coriander seed, plus seed to plant next year. Harvest the seed if you want it, because otherwise the lesser goldfinch and other birds will show up to clean it all up.

Light.

Cilantro does best with six or more hours of winter sun. Four to six hours of warm season sun. If you want to nurse your cilantro for as long as possible, plant it in a container and move it to the right amount of sun as the seasons change.

Temperature.

Plants can take frost to around 20F, so cover if a harder frost is expected. My cilantro tends to die once it’s over 90F in the day, no matter how much water and shade I give it. It is a cool season herb.

starting cilantro seed and care on gardening with soule — Cilantro seedlings quickly show their adult type of leaves.

Water.

Let cilantro dry a little more between watering once the plants get larger. Some people believe this makes their flavors stronger. In any case, avoid waterlogged soils.

Fertilizer for Cilantro

Cilantro gets very lush and full with some fertilizer. However, if you amended your soil at the start you don’t need to add fertilizer. This is important if you live in a cooler area. Avoid fertilizing anything when frosts are a possibility.

Companion Plant

Cilantro is considered a good companion plant to anise and potatoes. How to grow anise.

Pollinators.

Cilantro would be justified (IMHO) as a garden plant if only for the job it does in attracting pollinators to the garden. Bees enjoy the nectar-rich flowers and the resulting coriander honey is prized for its flavor. Third generation beekeeper and swarm removal specialist Monica King is in the Altar Valley of Arizona, and is my source for this information.

delfino cilantro on gardening with soule — Some cilantro have very finely divided leaves like this 2006 All America Selections winner, Delfino cilantro. It appears to withstand the dry air of the Southwest better than other varieties. Image courtesy All America Selections.

Harvest and Store Cilantro

Cilantro tastes great fresh but loses flavor when dried. Freezing the leaves retains more flavor. Select healthy leaves, rinse, gently pat dry. Chop into roughly quarter inch squares and freeze in a labeled plastic bag or other container. Use directly from the freezer. Best within a few months before “freezer-burn” occurs.

Here is my YouTube video (on Savor the Southwest channel) about drying and freezing herbs.

Use

Cilantro is used in cooking, but also medicinally. Some of those many uses are discussed in my article here. Do use your cilantro for cooking if you like the flavor!

Some people have a gene where cilantro tastes soapy to them. Sadly one of my brothers has this issue so I always make him his own dish of salsa without cilantro. Genetics are so interesting. More about using and cooking with plants is on my sister site Savor the Southwest (dot net).

Want to Grow More?

May I recommend my book? The Southwest Fruit & Vegetable Guide offers not just growing guides but some of the latest varieties – including ones specifically for raised bed and container growing. Price is what you would pay on Amazon – only when you buy from me you get a signed copy!

From the review:

“In this updated 2nd edition of Southwest Fruit & Vegetable Gardening, you’ll find much-needed advice and practical tips on growing an edible garden, no matter which part of the southwestern US you call home.

Growing in the Southwest isn’t easy. It’s either too hot or too cold and often very dry. The region hosts a range of soils and climate conditions that can be difficult for a gardener to navigate. That’s why this region-specific garden guide is a must-have for every Southwestern gardener!

Botanist Dr. Jacqueline Soule simplifies the ins and outs of gardening in the Southwest and serves as your guide to success. Regardless of whether you’re tending an in-ground plot, a small container garden, or a series of raised beds, Southwest Fruit & Vegetable Gardening is an invaluable resource.”

Profits from the sale of this book go to the Arizona-based Horticulture Therapy non-profit Tierra del Sol Institute.

Legal
© Article copyright Jacqueline A. Soule. All rights reserved. You must ask permission to republish an entire blog post or article. Okay to use a short excerpt but you must give proper credit. You must include a link to the original post on our site. No stealing photos.

Cilantro – A Cool Season Herb