Cilantro is the herb people either love or love to argue about — the fresh, citrusy leaf essential to salsa, curries, Thai cooking and a dozen other cuisines, and one of the fastest herbs to grow. It is a cool-season herb that goes from seed to harvest in 45–60 days, and its great weakness is heat: it bolts at the first sign of summer, so the gardener's skill is in the timing, not the technique.
Cilantro is grown for its leaves, and if you let it bolt and set seed, those seeds are coriander — a different spice from the same plant, so nothing is wasted. It is direct-sown, hardy, and happiest in part shade in warm weather. This guide covers succession sowing for a constant supply, watering for tender leaves, and the moment to pick before the plant runs to seed.
Cilantro at a glance
| Growing factor | What this crop needs |
|---|---|
| Sun | part shade |
| Soil pH | 6.0–7.0 |
| Days to germination | 7–14 |
| Days to maturity | 45–60 |
| Spacing | 6–8 inches |
| Water needs | moderate |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Family | Apiaceae |
Starting seeds
Cilantro is sown directly where it will grow — it does not take kindly to being moved. Sow into prepared, raked soil and keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination, which takes 7–14 days. Sow in short rows and thin the seedlings to the final spacing once they are big enough to handle. Our seed-spacing calculator works out how many seeds you need for your bed.
This is a hardy crop, so it suits the cool parts of the year: in Zones 3–5 sow in early spring and again in late summer; in Zones 6–8 spring and autumn sowings do well, with summer sowings struggling in heat; in Zones 9–10 sow through autumn, winter and early spring; and in Zones 11–13, which are frost-free, grow it in the cooler months with afternoon shade. Check your dates with our frost-date calculator or the last-first frost lookup — and when in doubt, ask your local extension service.
Cilantro is direct-sown where it will grow — it dislikes transplanting, and its taproot resents disturbance. Sow thinly in rows, barely covering the seed, and keep the soil moist until germination, which takes 7–14 days.
Transplanting and planting out
There is no transplanting step for Cilantro — it is sown in place and thinned instead. Once seedlings have two or three true leaves, thin them to their final spacing of 6–8 inches apart, pulling the weakest and leaving the strongest. Thin on a calm, cool day and water the row afterwards so the remaining seedlings settle back in. Thinning feels wasteful, but crowded plants stay small and are far more prone to pests and disease. Our plant-spacing calculator shows how many plants fit your bed at 6–8-inch spacing.
Soil and feeding
Cilantro grows best in soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0, so test your soil before you plant — a cheap test kit tells you more than guessing ever will. Work in a little compost to improve structure, but keep the soil lean — herbs prefer soil that is not over-rich — and make sure the bed drains freely. Our soil-volume calculator and raised-bed soil calculator work out how much soil or compost your bed needs.
Feed lightly: herbs grown in soil that is too rich produce lots of soft leaf with diluted flavour. A little compost at planting time is usually enough, with at most a light feed in spring. Our fertiliser calculator works out how much to apply if your soil is genuinely poor.
Cilantro likes rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0. Dig in compost before sowing — fast-growing leaves need food — but do not overfeed: too much nitrogen gives soft, flavourless growth.
Watering
Water evenly and avoid letting the soil swing between soaked and bone dry. A deep soak once or twice a week beats a daily sprinkle, because it encourages roots to grow down where the soil stays cooler and moister. Mulch helps enormously here, holding moisture and keeping the soil temperature steady. Our watering calculator gives a starting point for your bed size and soil, and the watering schedule generator can build a routine around it.
Sunlight and temperature
Give Cilantro part shade — a few hours of direct sun, ideally in the morning, with shade in the heat of the afternoon. Too much harsh midday sun stresses it, and in hot zones afternoon shade is what keeps it productive through summer. Our sunlight calculator can check whether your spot gets enough sun.
It is hardy and copes with cool weather and light frost. In cold zones it dies back and regrows in spring; in warm zones it grows through the year, with a little afternoon shade in the hottest weather.
Pests and diseases
The pests and diseases to watch for with Cilantro are carrot rust fly, aphids and wireworms.
Carrot rust fly maggots tunnel into roots.
Aphids cluster on tender new growth and under leaves, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew.
Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles and bore into roots and tubers.
Prevention beats cure: rotate crops so the same family does not grow in the same bed year after year, clear debris at the end of the season, and inspect the undersides of leaves weekly. Our pest identifier helper can help you name a pest from its damage, and the plant-disease checker can narrow down a leaf problem.
Companion plants
Good companions for Cilantro are tomatoes, peppers, marigolds and cabbage.
Tomatoes share this plant's love of sun and rich soil, and the pairing works well when both get enough space and airflow.
Peppers enjoy the same warm, sunny bed and similar watering, so they make a natural neighbour.
Marigolds are the classic companion: their roots and scent deter several soil pests, and their flowers bring in pollinators and beneficial insects.
Cabbage shares similar soil and water needs, and planting herbs nearby helps confuse the cabbage white butterfly.
Plant companions in the same bed rather than in a separate corner — that is how they do their work. Our companion-planting finder can suggest more pairings for your bed.
Harvesting
Cilantro is ready about 45–60 days after sowing, but start picking outer leaves as soon as they are big enough to use — the plant keeps growing from the centre. Cut the outer stems near the base with scissors, taking no more than a third of the plant at a time. Harvest in the morning, when the leaves are crisp and the flavour is strongest, and use them fresh — cilantro loses its flavour fast once picked and does not dry well.
Once the plant starts to stretch up and the leaves turn feathery and fine, it is bolting: the flavour changes and the leaves are soon not worth picking. Let it flower — the white flowers attract beneficial insects — and then harvest the seeds as coriander once they turn brown and dry. Shake the seed heads into a paper bag, dry them fully, and store in a jar. Or let the plant self-seed, and next spring you will have cilantro without sowing at all.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Plants bolt within weeks | heat and long days | Sow in spring and autumn, give afternoon shade, and succession-sow every few weeks. |
| Leaves taste soapy | genetics, not growing conditions | Nothing to fix — some people taste soap because of their genes; try flat-leaf parsley instead. |
| Seedlings fail to appear | seed sown too deep or soil dried out | Sow shallowly and keep the seedbed moist for the full 7–14 days. |
Plants bolt within weeks
Likely cause: heat and long days. Bolting is cilantro's nature in heat: long days and warm soil trigger flowering, and once it starts there is no stopping it. The answer is timing — sow in the cool season, give afternoon shade, keep the soil moist, and succession-sow so there is always a young plant coming on.
Leaves taste soapy
Likely cause: genetics, not growing conditions. The famous soapy taste of cilantro is genetic: some people have a gene that makes cilantro's aldehydes taste like soap. It is not a growing fault, and no amount of care changes it.
Seedlings fail to appear
Likely cause: seed sown too deep or soil dried out. Cilantro seed needs light and moisture to germinate — sown too deep or allowed to dry out, it fails. Sow barely covered, water gently every day, and be patient: germination takes 7–14 days.
Frequently asked questions
How long does cilantro take to grow?
Cilantro takes 45–60 days from sowing to harvest, and you can start picking outer leaves sooner. It is one of the fastest herbs, but it also bolts fast in heat — succession-sow every two to three weeks for a steady supply.
Why does my cilantro keep bolting?
Cilantro bolts in heat and long days — it is a cool-season herb. Sow in spring and late summer, give afternoon shade, keep the soil moist, and succession-sow.
Is cilantro the same as coriander?
Yes — cilantro is the leaves and coriander is the seed of the same plant. Let a bolted plant flower and set seed, harvest the seeds when they turn brown, and you have coriander.
Can cilantro grow in pots?
Yes, in a deep pot — cilantro has a taproot and dislikes shallow containers. Use a pot at least 20 cm deep, rich compost, and keep it watered.