How to Grow Cilantro (Without It Bolting in Two Weeks)

At a glance

Why cilantro bolts (and why timing beats everything else)

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is a cool-season annual. As days lengthen and temperatures climb, it stops making the broad, lobed leaves you want and sends up a tall stalk with thin, feathery leaves and white flowers. That is bolting. NC State Extension notes that cilantro grows best in cool spring and fall weather and bolts easily in hotter climates, and Oregon State University Extension notes that both temperature and day length influence flowering: in midsummer it typically bolts and sets seed within four to six weeks. University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension and Utah State University Extension likewise treat cilantro as a cool-season crop.

Once a plant starts to bolt, it cannot be reversed. Shade, extra water and cutting off the stalk only buy a few days. What works is:

• Sowing in the cool parts of the year: early spring and late summer to fall in most zones, fall through winter in the Deep South.
• Sowing small batches every 2–3 weeks so a new planting is ready as the last one bolts (succession planting; UW–Madison recommends 2- to 3-week intervals).
• Keeping plants unstressed. Dry soil, crowding and root disturbance all speed bolting.
• Choosing seed sold as "slow-bolt." UW–Madison notes these cultivars (such as 'Santo', 'Leisure' and 'Calypso') are less prone to early bolting, but none hold well under high temperatures and long days.

When to plant cilantro, by zone

Mature cilantro tolerates light freezing (Oregon State University Extension) but will not survive a hard freeze (University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension). UW–Madison recommends sowing in early spring, at the same time lettuce is typically planted, and seeding a fall leaf crop in mid-August in Wisconsin. Seeds germinate at soil temperatures of 55–68°F (OSU). Use the frost date lookup to anchor these windows to your ZIP code.

These windows apply the cool-season rule by zone and are approximate; a cool spring stretches the season and an early heat wave shortens it.

How to grow cilantro from seed: step by step

1. Pick the spot. Full sun to light shade (NC State). In spring, full sun grows plants fastest; OSU suggests a cooler or semi-shaded spot for warm-season sowings.
2. Prepare the soil. Utah State University Extension recommends well-drained, moderately fertile soil and working 2–4 inches of composted organic matter into the top 4–6 inches before planting.
3. Sow directly in the garden. Cilantro does not transplant well because of its long taproot (University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension). If you do use transplants, USU advises minimizing root disturbance.
4. Sow ¼ to ½ inch deep in rows about 1 foot apart (UW–Madison). Firm the soil and water gently.
5. Keep the seedbed moist until seedlings emerge. Germination is slow for an herb; USU puts it at about 3 weeks, and OSU gives 55–68°F as the germinating soil temperature.
6. Thin to 3–6 inches apart once seedlings are established (UW–Madison), or to about 12 inches if you are growing for coriander seed. Crowded plants are spindly. Eat the thinnings.
7. Sow again every 2–3 weeks while the season lasts.

For general direct-sowing technique (seedbed prep, depth, keeping the surface moist), see direct-sowing seeds outdoors.

Watering, feeding and mulch

• Water: UW–Madison advises keeping plants evenly moist through the season, and USU notes that once established, cilantro needs little water and does poorly in damp conditions. Aim for steady, not soggy, soil; drought stress speeds bolting. Water at the soil line to keep foliage dry.
• Fertilizer: Compost at sowing is usually enough. USU suggests a light nitrogen side-dressing once or twice a season and warns that over-fertilizing reduces flavor.
• Mulch: USU recommends mulching around seedlings as soon as they emerge to control weeds; mulch also keeps soil cooler and moister.

Growing cilantro in containers

Cilantro grows well in pots if the pot is deep enough for the taproot. UW–Madison notes it can be grown successfully in containers, and USU stresses using a container deep enough for the roots and keeping the soil below about 75°F. Sow directly in the pot, thin to 3–6 inches, and check moisture daily in warm weather: pots dry quickly, and dry mix pushes plants to bolt. Indoors, cilantro needs a very bright window or grow lights and still bolts eventually, so keep sowing small batches. More container picks are in best vegetables for containers.

How to harvest cilantro so it keeps producing

Start cutting when plants are about 6 inches tall (UW–Madison; UF/IFAS). UW–Madison puts the leaf harvest at about 45 to 80 days from sowing.

1. Cut the outer, older stems near the base with scissors, leaving the young center leaves to keep growing. UW–Madison notes removing the older outside leaves encourages new ones.
2. Or cut the whole plant about an inch above the ground; UW–Madison notes it can regrow for a second cutting.
3. Harvest more heavily as bolting approaches. When you see the central stalk stretch upward, the leaf harvest is nearly over; cut what you need.
4. Use or store quickly. Cut leaves keep about a week in the refrigerator, or stand them in water there. For longer storage, freeze them; UW–Madison notes dried leaves lose much of their flavor.

Cilantro does regrow from the center after you clip outer leaves, but each plant gives only a few cuttings before it bolts, which is why succession sowing matters more than harvest technique.

Let some bolt: coriander seed and next season's plants

Coriander and cilantro are the same plant: "cilantro" is the leaf, "coriander" is the dried seed. When plants bolt, leave a few to flower. The round seeds form green, then turn tan to brown. UW–Madison Extension advises harvesting when the seeds turn light brown and the plant has dried, usually 2 to 3 weeks after flowering, cutting the stems before much shattering occurs. A seed crop needs a growing season of at least 100 days. Snip the heads into a paper bag, finish drying indoors, rub the seeds free and store them airtight.

Seeds that drop to the ground often sprout as a volunteer crop when cool weather returns. Saved seed can be sown next season; see saving seeds from vegetable crops for drying and storage.

Cilantro vs. flat-leaf parsley: telling them apart

Seedlings of the two are easiest to tell apart by smell. For parsley and other kitchen herbs, see growing herbs outdoors.

Common problems

Common mistakes

Frequently asked

What's the trick to growing cilantro?

Timing. Cilantro is a cool-season herb that bolts in heat and long days, so sow it in early spring and again in late summer or fall, in small batches every 2–3 weeks. Direct-sow it, keep the soil evenly moist, and thin plants so they are not crowded.

When should I plant cilantro?

Sow in early spring, at about the time lettuce is planted (UW–Madison Extension), and again in late summer for a fall crop. In zones 9–11, fall through winter is the main season, as UF/IFAS recommends for Florida. Summer sowings usually bolt quickly.

Does cilantro grow back after cutting?

Yes. UW–Madison Extension notes that removing older outside leaves encourages new ones, and a whole plant cut about an inch above the ground can regrow for a second cutting. Each plant gives only a few cuttings before it bolts, so resow every 2–3 weeks for a steady supply.

How do you harvest cilantro without killing the plant?

Start once the plant is about 6 inches tall, snipping the outer, older stems at the base and leaving the young center leaves to keep growing.

Should I let my cilantro flower?

Let it flower if you want coriander seed or volunteer seedlings in fall. Leaf quality drops once it bolts, so cut what leaves you need first, then leave a few plants to set and dry their seed.

Is coriander the same as cilantro?

Yes. Both come from Coriandrum sativum. In the U.S., cilantro usually means the fresh leaves and coriander means the dried seed, which has a very different, warm and citrusy flavor.

Does cilantro grow well in pots?

Yes. UW–Madison Extension notes it grows successfully in containers, and Utah State University Extension advises a container deep enough for the long taproot, plenty of sun and soil kept below about 75°F. Pots dry out fast, so check moisture often in warm weather.

Sources

1. Coriandrum sativum (Cilantro), NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
2. How to grow cilantro for leaves — or coriander seeds, Oregon State University Extension
3. Cilantro, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
4. Cilantro / Coriander, Coriandrum sativum, University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension
5. Cilantro/Coriander in the Garden, Utah State University Extension

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