A quick answer from the garden notebook
How Far Apart to Plant Cilantro
By David Choi · Updated · How we source and review advice
Short answer
Sow cilantro seeds a quarter to half an inch deep in rows about a foot apart. Once the seedlings are up, thin them to 3 to 6 inches apart for leaves. If you want coriander seed, thin to 12 inches so each plant has room to flower.
The numbers
- Seed depth: a quarter to half an inch.
- Rows: about 12 inches apart.
- Plants grown for leaves: 3 to 6 inches apart. University of Florida Extension suggests 8 inches.
- Plants grown for seed: 12 inches apart.
- Full size: about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide.
Why close spacing works for leaves
Cilantro grown for leaves is picked young and often, so the plants never reach full size. Close spacing gives you more leaves from a small space, and the leaves shade the soil, which keeps it cooler and moister. Plants left to flower and set seed grow taller and wider, so they need the full foot of room.
Cilantro per square foot
At 3 to 6 inches apart, one square foot holds about 4 to 16 plants grown for leaves. A 12 inch pot can hold a small patch sown thickly, as long as you thin it and keep picking.
Do not pull thinned seedlings and throw them away. Snip them at soil level and eat them. The roots of their neighbors stay undisturbed.
Sources
- Cilantro / Coriander, Coriandrum sativum (University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension)
- Cilantro (University of Florida IFAS Extension)
- Coriandrum sativum (North Carolina State University Extension)
The full growing guide
Cilantro
A cool-weather herb with fresh leaves called cilantro and dried seeds called coriander.
- Harvest
- 45 to 80 days
- Effort
- Season
- Cool
More cilantro questions
- Does Cilantro Need Full Sun or Shade?
Cilantro grows best in full sun, but light afternoon shade helps it last longer in hot weather.
- How Long Does Cilantro Take to Grow?
Cilantro leaves are ready in 45 to 80 days from sowing, and you can start picking once plants are 6 inches tall.
- How Often to Water Cilantro
Keep cilantro evenly moist. In a garden bed, one deep watering a week is a good start. Pots need checking more often.
- What Temperature Can Cilantro Tolerate?
Cilantro is a cool-season herb. It grows best in mild weather, dies in a hard freeze, and bolts in heat.
- When to Plant Cilantro
Sow cilantro in early spring and again in late summer. In hot places, grow it in fall and winter.
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