Pot size for Coriander, Basil and Chilly

[jacklyns]

I'm planning to plant the above mentioned herb seeds 'in-situ' in 19cm terracotta pots. Can you advise me if this size is large enough for the plants to grow. Are they likely to get root bound soon? Should the pot be larger? Appreciate your advice.

[SP8]

I grow mine in smaller black plastic pots so your set up sounds like it generally shouldn’t be a problem. In my experience however it's a constant battle to keep the right moisture balance going in pots to stop the coriander and basil from bolting to seed.

[rainbowgardener]

I've never grown coriander, don't really know what the plant is like. I have grown basil in pots about that size (19 cm = 7.5 in, for all us non-Metric Americans). It works but for me the basil tends to be a little stunted, plants never get as big as the ones in the ground. On the other hand the pots are on my deck which doesn't get as many hours of sun as the ones in the ground, so it may not be the fault of the pot at all. Basil always does want to go to seed. Just keep clipping the flower buds back to the next node as soon as they appear.

Peppers seem like a different question. Peppers are really good sized little shrubs, given the right environment. I'd put them in a bigger pot.

[Sage Hermit]

Corriander will do fine in small pots. Just fine. Basil and chillis will benefit from medium to large pots.

[Kisal]

Isn't coriander just the name used for the seed of cilantro?

[Sage Hermit]

Hey how do you get them to not seed? Mine seed very quickly but thats good right seeds are good right? Do you just like to prolong the flowering stage or whats the point of what you describes SP8 -san? Please explain what you mean by bolting to seeds.


< not as experienced.

[SP8]

Isn't coriander just the name used for the seed of cilantro?

Not in the southern hemisphere

Ask for cilantro down here and people would look at you like you had 2 heads.

[SP8]

Hey how do you get them to not seed?

By cutting off the flower heads as soon as you see them forming.

Mine seed very quickly but thats good right seeds are good right?

Not if you want to keep eating leaves.

Do you just like to prolong the flowering stage or whats the point of what you describes SP8 -san?

I hate it when my plants bolt to seed without my say so as it generally means they are about to die and I can no longer harvest any leaves.

Please explain what you mean by bolting to seeds.


< not as experienced.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19183

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolting_(horticulture)

[jacklyns]

Hey ... thanks everyone for your responses. They were very helpful.
Coriander is the same as cilantro, I just can never remember to call it by that name. I think I will start them off in the 19 cm pots. Cilantro doesn't take very kindly to transplants, so I'll leave them to grow in the 19 cm pots and hope for the best. As for the basil and peppers, if they need a larger pot, I'll move them once the plants are established. Once again, thanks for all the tips.

[Sage Hermit]

I went to Cub foods and purchased some corriender seeds from the spice isle for about 1 dollar. Got about 200- 250 seeds but I am not certain they will grow. I have started germinating or trying to at least.

[applestar]

Cilantro/coriander is a cool weather herb and will tend to bolt if the temp gets too hot. It's probably a good idea to give it less light than to basil and chili pepper. Basil and certainly the chili can take the heat.

[Zapatay]

Cilantro: (my humble experience)

The envelope says to place the seeds a certain distance apart.... never did it that way....

During the winter I grow mine in a shallow rectangular planter... I grab a pinch and throw it down the length of the planter.

Keep it moist ... and then water when it looks to be drying out.

They are super low maintenance.

My mother saved a patch in her garden for her simple toss of cilantro seeds... a flick of the wrist and a daily watering was all that was needed