Cilantro

Susan W · Fri Nov 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Am I the only one who doesn't like cilantro?! It is a most requested herb, and again doesn't grow in the long hot summer. Trying to do right, started some seeds in Aug, peat pellets, potted several in 10" pots. I had enough to harvest a couple of bundles or more this last month (for the market). The pots are in, going out tomorrow to play for a week frost free.

I have an inner conflict as I don't like the taste, and less the smell when harvesting. So keep growing for market with clothespin on nose, wash hands over and over? Well, if there is a $, may persist.

gumbo2176 · Fri Nov 11, 2011 10:46 pm

Susan W wrote:Am I the only one who doesn't like cilantro?! It is a most requested herb, and again doesn't grow in the long hot summer. Trying to do right, started some seeds in Aug, peat pellets, potted several in 10" pots. I had enough to harvest a couple of bundles or more this last month (for the market). The pots are in, going out tomorrow to play for a week frost free.

I have an inner conflict as I don't like the taste, and less the smell when harvesting. So keep growing for market with clothespin on nose, wash hands over and over? Well, if there is a $, may persist.

No, you are not alone. I'm also not crazy about the taste of cilantro. I'd much rather use parsley in its place. My brother-in-law also feels the same way and we are both the main cooks in our respective households.

rainbowgardener · Sat Nov 12, 2011 12:31 am

I'm another, never have liked the taste of cilantro much and for that reason have never grown it.

PunkRotten · Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:03 am

Yeah Cilantro does have a funny taste. I like the stuff, I guess cause I like it in certain dishes. I make salsa a lot too and it is a main ingredient. But eating alone it is not the best tasting I agree. Also another one is Arugula.

DeborahL · Sat Nov 12, 2011 6:08 pm

I LOATHE cilantro, and washing it gives me a quick headache.
But I buy organic cilantro for two of my kids who love it. They're rabbits !

bg · Sat Nov 12, 2011 6:52 pm

Hm, can't say I've tried it just by itself. Like it was said, it is a main ingredient in salsa... and I use a lot when I make mine. Salsa just wouldn't taste the same if I made it without. Other than salsa I don't really use it much if at all. I normally use basil in my foods. Of course, I don't remember disliking anything about it, last few times I made salsa either.

I haven't had much luck growing it in the past, but I should probably give it another go right now since it's no longer too hot here.

Susan W · Sat Nov 12, 2011 7:00 pm

Thanks for comments. As the cilantro is profitable, may have to suck up. As it happened, got a couple of packs of seed in August, mark down to 20c, or was it 10c. I put part of one pack in peat pellets, then into the 10"pots (at least 6/pot). After the market today had taken in near $20 (over 3 markets) on that small investment of $ and time. Now that I see growing pattern have a better handle on how many/pot.

The 2 pots go out to play tomorrow for a few days, then back in when temps dip. When I picked yesterday looked like they may need a soap/water spray, which is best done outside!

DeborahL · Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:54 pm

I just bought two bunches for my rabbits. They were 50 cents each.

Runningtrails · Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:20 pm

I put it in my sleepytime tea. It's prescribed as a sedative in some Arab countries. We don't eat it plain, though. I've never really tried it raw. I should do so. We might like it!

Gary350 · Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:58 pm

I like to fill a 6" diameter pot with soil then sprinkle about 100 seeds on top. Then sprinkle about 1/2" of sand over the seeds. I set the pots in a pan of water and put a plastic bag over the top of the pot. The plants come up and it turns into a small forest. The plants are so crowded they grow very tall I cut them off with scissors before they get too large, they are great in just about every thing. I especially like pico de gallo with fresh garden tomatoes, onions, cilantro, black pepper, red pepper, salt, vinegar, after 24 hours in the refrigerator wow it is good I can eat a whole bowl of it all by myself.

PunkRotten · Tue Nov 22, 2011 12:04 am

Gary, if you keep trimming it does it keep coming back like Lettuce and Basil etc?

gardenscaper · Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:18 pm

I too dislike the taste of cilantro; however, I do enjoy corriander and so grew cilantro this year for the first time. A rather gangly looking group of plants, I cut back some of the flower spikes and left others to mature into seed, have harvested the seed and am now drying on a screen in a cool, airy spot. Has anyone any victories with harvesting corriander for cooking? Any tips you'd like to share? Success secrets?

Runningtrails · Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:33 pm

Mine grows like a weed, reseeds itselef all over the garden and comes up so thick I have to thin it. I get a lot of coriander seed from it early, what I don't harvest will reseed and grow the same summer into nice green cilantro for cutting before fall.

Susan W · Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:36 pm

I just looked at my 2 cilantro pots as the plants looked a bit droopy. They've got a nasty case of aphids! I just put the pots outside and will say bye-bye until spring. As we did get some snow, it seemed fitting to stick them out in this weather.
I don't like cilantro anyway, and need the space for other pots that moved in

Runningtrails · Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:59 pm

If you don't like it, then don't spend the time and space on it. I don't grow things I have no use for.

I grow few vegetables, actually. I find them a bit on the boring side and have so much space and time tied up in herbs, berries and flowers.

Susan W · Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:59 am

I was growing cilantro for the farmers market, as there is demand. I'll re-think this spring. Most likely I'll get big starts from the Box Stores, have it until it bolts (June).

applestar · Wed Dec 28, 2011 11:10 am

You know, cilantro is so easy I think it might be easiest to just dedicate a large pot or a deeper window box for them and plant once and forget.

They do bolt easily so just let some go to seed and self seed. They don't seem to need the full sun either. I'm thinking if I had a greenhouse, this would be one of those "forgotten" things that stay under the bench....

GardenRN · Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:29 am

Holy cow! can't believe this many people don't like cilantro! lol. I use it in salsa and pico de gaillo all the time!. (sp?) Sometimes add a little to spaghetti sauce. Maybe you're using it wrong if you don't like it. It adds a great "springy" taste to things. But you DEFINITELY have to be careful not to use too much. A little goes a long way.

applestar · Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:53 am

Oh! In case it wasn't clear, I LIKE cilantro and have liked it for quite a while. Maybe it reminds me of a special vacation in Cancun....

Tonio · Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:05 am

I love cilantro !!. Pico de gallo, salsa, salad, tacos.

As GardenRN says not too much !! It has almost a anise flavor?

Pperfect time to grow in SO Cal now!! Successive planting is recommended.

T

PunkRotten · Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:23 am

Yeah all my cilantro is growing great. I had one really nice plant that was huge and for some reason it wilted and died. I think this fertilizer I added killed it. But no other plant is affected including other cilantro plants.

PunkRotten · Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:15 pm

Tonio wrote:I love cilantro !!. Pico de gallo, salsa, salad, tacos.

As GardenRN says not too much !! It has almost a anise flavor?

Pperfect time to grow in SO Cal now!! Successive planting is recommended.

T

Do you grow yours year round?

Tonio · Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:57 pm

No PR, usually fall/winter/spring. Too busy during early spring think of toms, and chile, beans I let the cilantro fry..or bolt

I suppose if you have a partial shaded area, cilantro can grow throughout the year in SD (San Diego for you HG folk).

I have a short row - about 4' now-good enough for about 4 people through out the week pickings and keeping growth in check (salsa, garnish, salad etc ) , and another sowing about half of that starting to sprout. When the 4' row is bolting I'll pull the cilantro for compost and amend for toms/chile. I need to start considering having all growing in tandem..

T

PunkRotten · Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:29 pm

Well I hope to grow some cilantro all year cause I especially wanna make salsa and need cilantro to go with my tomatoes.

Susan W · Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:55 am

Cilantro update. I got a pack of slow bolt Cilantro seeds. I planted some in a pot, is inside, and will put some in a 10 unit peat pellet tray. I remind myself that once these get up to size, they'll be offered as starts at the box stores. My seed starting operation is limited at best, so try to keep to special or off season things.

I may take the suggestion to have one of the large outdoor pots on E side of house dedicated.

Susan W · Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:23 pm

Taking suggestions to heart and dirt. My cilantro starts aren't doing much, and the new ones coming in to the box stores. I have planted a few 10" pots, and did re-do a large 16" pot. This is on E side of house, so should do well with AM, mid sun. I didn't want what was in there, and dug out about top 1/2, put in fresh dirt. Perhaps these will do fine, go to seed in June and I may have babies again come September.

FWIW, tumped the old dirt out in 'the pile' and checked for worms. I had put a couple worms in every pot. Well, I did see one, nice sized, so some are surviving.