Like many herbs, cilantro, coriander or dhaniya (Coriandrum sativum) is native to the Mediterranean area but has been spread wide across the world. Today, the herb is prominent especially in Asian and South American cooking.
Cilantro and its seed – coriander – have been used medicinally by cultures across the world for millennia.
Coriander can be easily grown at home in your gardens and in terracotta/plastic pots indoors, directly from seeds.
Growing coriander in Pots
Coriander is a fast-growing annual plant that reaches up to 12 – 22 inches in height. With a little extra care, coriander can grow indoors as well as it would grow outdoors. We recommend you grow coriander herb in a huge planter with rest of the herbs as herbs make great neighbours and encourage healthy growth for each other.
Follow the step by step instructions below for growing coriander indoors.
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Spot
Pick a spot for your container that exposes the plant to run for at least four to five hours. Prefer exposing the plant to morning sun as it enjoys a lot of light but not too much heat.
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Container
Take any container or planter (approx 10 inches) deep enough for the roots. Make sure that you have plenty of drainage holes in the bottom of the container.
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Soil
Coriander needs extra fertile soil if growing indoors. The root system range is limited and can’t access as much soil for nutrients as in the garden, hence the nutrition content in the soil needs to be higher.
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Sowing
Pre-soak the seeds overnight. Space the seeds 3 to 4 inches apart while sowing in the container. You can also sprout the seeds before sowing.
One of the easiest methods of sowing coriander seeds indoors is via sprouting method. Pre-soak the coriander seeds in a shallow dish overnight. Then place these seeds in a plastic sandwich bag and seal it. Place the bag in a spot receiving decent sunlight for a day or two until tiny white sprout appears. Add more water if needed to ensure that the bag retains moisture.
Now that the sprouts have been formed, add some potting soil to the unsealed bag. Plant these seeds in a container filled with fresh soil once the sprouts have expanded in size. Add a thin layer of potting soil on top of these sown seeds.
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Watering
Water the plants when the soil is dry to the touch. Water thoroughly until the water comes out the drainage holes. Keep the soil moist and not soaked. Avoid soaking the soil or the roots of the plant will rot.
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Harvest
You can plant new seeds every six weeks to keep a steady supply throughout the season. Follow the same steps for harvesting coriander as recommended under the Harvesting Coriander Herb.
