How to grow cilantro
Family Apiaceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 3a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun to part shade. Ready in 45-70 days.
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
6-8 in
Days to harvest
45-70 days
Hardiness
Zone 3a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant cilantro
- Direct sow: ~-2 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for cilantro
Plant with: Spinach, Bean, Tomato.
Avoid near: Fennel.
Common pests & problems
Aphids. Bolts fast in heat: sow in shoulder seasons.
Feeding & fertilizer
N-P-K ratio: Low N, higher P (3-6-6)
Organic options: Compost only in bed prep · Bone meal at sowing · Skip nitrogen top-dress
When to feed: Feed the bed, not the plant. Compost at bed prep is usually enough.
Watch for: Lush tops with weak flavor or poor roots = too much nitrogen; use only well-aged compost.
N = nitrogen (leaves), P = phosphorus (roots and flowers), K = potassium (fruit and disease resistance). How to read a fertilizer label →
Grower's tip
Succession sow every 3 weeks. Let a plant bolt at the end. The seed is coriander.
When to plant cilantro in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for cilantro
Soil & pH
6.0-6.8
Deep, stone-free, sandy loam. One rock or fresh manure lump = one forked carrot.
Fork the bed 12 in deep. Only well-finished compost, never fresh manure or high N (causes hairy roots).
Watering
1 in / week; keep the top 1 in moist for the first 14 days
Fine sprinkle until germination, then deep drip. A burlap or board cover for the first 10 days keeps seed from drying out.
Carrots and parsnips crack when a dry spell is followed by a big soak. Keep the top 2 inches of soil just slightly damp for the whole season, not bone-dry then flooded.
Knowing when to harvest
- Cut outer stems at 6 in tall.
- Bolts in heat: harvest heavily as flower stalks emerge.
- Once bolted, let some plants set seed for coriander and self-sowing.
Storing & keeping
Stems in water on counter, or wrapped damp in the crisper for 1 week. Freeze in cubes with olive oil.
What to expect
Per plant: 3-6 oz over 3-4 weeks before bolt
Troubleshooting cilantro
Fast bolting
Likely cause: Long days + heat
What to do: Succession sow every 3 weeks; plant slow-bolt varieties; provide afternoon shade.
Plants bolt to seed within three weeks of sprouting
Likely cause: Long days and soil above roughly 75°F trigger flowering
What to do: Sow every 2-3 weeks, give afternoon shade, and choose slow-bolting cultivars. Let one planting flower for coriander seed and for the beneficial insects it draws.
Lower leaves develop tan spots with dark margins
Likely cause: Bacterial leaf spot, spread by overhead watering and infected seed
What to do: Water at the base, thin for airflow, and remove affected plants. Buy seed from suppliers that test for the pathogen.
Varieties worth the space
Not every name in a seed catalog. These are the ones growers order again, with what each one is actually good at and what it asks of you.
Calypso
Open-pollinated · 50 days
Slowest-bolting cilantro; regrows after cutting instead of shooting straight to seed.
Santo
Open-pollinated · 50 days
Standard leaf type; sow every three weeks and let the last one go to coriander seed.
Growing cilantro in containers
8 in deep pot; succession sow every 3 weeks.
Nutrition
Beta-carotene, vitamin K, luteolin (parsley). A nutrient bargain per square foot.
Common questions
Why does cilantro taste like soap to some people?
A genetic variant (OR6A2) makes aldehydes in cilantro register as soap. Not a fixable growing problem.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.