Grow Coriander: The Primadonna of Herbs

 THE KITCHEN GARDEN

SUCCESS WITH CORIANDER

Scientific name: Coriandrum sativum

I mentioned before that certain herbs that look alike and again I find myself talking about another herb that confuses people.

Australians refer to the seeds and leaf as coriander but in the northern hemisphere, the leaf is sometimes known as 'cilantro.'

Coriander is one of those herbs that people either love it or hate it.

Do you love it?

Coriander leaves

Coriander is easy enough to grow but being in the carrot family,(Apiaceae) its green leafy tops can look not only like other herbs, but other vegetables!

• My guest, Toni Salter in the podcast, calls it the 'primadonna' of herbs. 

There are many things it doesn't like and without a second glance, coriander will bolt to seed giving you not much leaf at all.

What causes it to bolt to seed?

• Soil is too dry
• Too little water at the right time.
• Poor or impoverished soil.
• Poor drainage in your herb garden.
• Temperatures too warm for it's liking.
• Temperatures too cold for it's liking
• Transplanting-the worst sin.

Problems with germination?

Try soaking the seeds for a few hours in a shallow saucer of water.

• TIP: Always sow the seeds directly into the position where it will grow.

Sow it into a container if you like, but keep it there.

Coriander loves rich fertile soil, much like your vegetables.

Coriander seedlings

When to Sow in Australia

For sub-tropical and arid zones, you have August to September;
Temperate districts, sow the seeds from September until the end of November,
In cool temperate zones, October to November,

• Sow your seeds about 1 cm deep, cover them and keep them moist.

Whether or not you sow them in rows, scatter them amongst your other veggies, or use them to grow as a shade plant for your lettuce, it really doesn’t matter.

Companion planting: plant coriander near your spinach to confuse the grasshoppers.

Let one or two plants go to seed. The flowers attract beneficial insects after which the coriander seeds can be harvested to use in cooking, once the seeds turn brown and crispy.

Coriander seeds drying on plant

A must if you like Asian cooking and even though coriander looks like parsley, as soon as you smell it, you know what you’ve got.

Heaps of Coriander seeds are used in curries, tagines and many other Asian dishes.
In fact the whole herb, including the roots can be ground up to make a Thai Green Curry paste.

Let’s find out more
I'm talking with Toni Salter www.theveggielady.com.au


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