Coriander, planting or vegetable - an annual herb and a multifunctional culture. Its greens, called cilantro, are used in salads and for decorating dishes, and the seeds are used not only for plant reproduction, but also as a spice. Therefore, it is not surprising that such a plant tries to grow in its area every hostess. How to do it correctly and tell you next.
Plant characteristic
To begin with, in order to understand what a plant is, we give a brief description of it:
- small plant, 50-70 cm;
- the stem is erect, and the upper part is branched;
- leaves pinnate, dark green, like parsley leaves;
- blooms in June-July with small white or pale pink flowers in umbrella inflorescences;
- bears fruit at the end of summer, the fruit is a box with a seed of rounded shape, with ribs, in a dense brown casing;
- seeds ripen in mid-September, have a spicy flavor.
Planting coriander in open ground
Cilantro is a cold-resistant culture, so it can be planted in open ground both in early spring and in the winter.
Soil for coriander
Coriander grows well on light and loose soil. The ideal land is fertile, light loam and sandy with neutral or slightly acidic reaction. If the soil is heavy, then you need to add sand, peat, manure. Plot for cultivation should be prepared from the autumn to the heights, in a flat place, where there is no close groundwater storage.
Important! If the soil is heavily depleted, then add 25-35 g / m² potassium and superphosphate.
The preparation procedure is as follows:
- Digging the area in bayonet.
- Removal of plant litter. If the precursors were sick, then the soil should be treated with fungicides.
- Adding sand, peat, compost.
- Introduction ½ bucket of humus, 1 tsp. superphosphate, 1 tsp. potassium nitrate for each m².
In the spring, before planting, urea is introduced, 15 g / m². Then the soil is watered with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. 
Terms of landing in an open ground
Coriander is able to tolerate small frosts down to -5 ° C, so you can sow it starting from April, as soon as the soil warms up. You can hook up right up to July every 2-3 weeks. At the time of the heat should stop sowing, and in August, you can resume.
Optimal growing conditions
To get lush greenery, coriander needs light. It is planted on the sunny side of the site. Permissible penumbra. In the shade, the plant will immediately release the arrow, the stem will stretch and weaken. Tastes will also be lost. Does not like cilantro and lowlands, especially those where moisture constantly accumulates. Wet soil and cool air adversely affect the root system of the plant. Seeds are capable of growing at + 6 ° C.
Did you know? To weaken the effect of alcohol on the body, you need to chew coriander (seeds). They also eliminate the smell of alcohol.
Seeding technology
For crops, you can use purchased and self-harvested seeds. The main thing is that they should be no more than 2-3 years old. The seed is not particularly needed for pre-soaking and disinfection, but it is better if the seed was harvested on its own, to disinfect it in a solution of potassium permanganate.
Sowing is carried out according to this scheme:
- The plot is loosened and moistened.
- Grooves are made, with an interval of 0.15 m or hole, with an interval of 0.1-0.15 m.
- Seeds are buried 15-20 mm into the soil. In the hole you can put 2 seeds.
- Crops sprinkle with soil and water.
- Shoots appear after 5-20 days. How much time it takes will depend on the variety of the crop, the freshness of the seed and the weather conditions.
You can grow cilantro in a greenhouse. The principle of landing is similar, and there are more advantages:
- The plant suffers less from the attack of pests, and hence its yield is higher.
- Vegetation period is shortened, which is why the crop can be obtained 14 days earlier.
- No need to specifically build a greenhouse for cilantro. It coexists well with most vegetable crops. You can plant it in the aisle.
- In a greenhouse, it is easier to maintain the required soil moisture, which is very important for the plant.
Coriander care in the garden
Coriander is an absolutely unpretentious plant. The most important thing for him is timely watering.
Did you know? In the southeastern lands of Britain, coriander grows everywhere like a weed.
Watering
Water culture about once every 8-10 days. A sufficient amount of moisture - a pledge of good aromatic herbs and no arrows. The volume of water that needs to be poured onto the garden bed depends on the stage of cilantro growth. So, before and after germination, you need to spend 3-5 l / m². In the phase of active growth of the aerial part, 8 l / m² is needed, and during seed ripening 2 l / m² is sufficient. 
Fertilizing
If in the spring the soil was well fertilized, then coriander does not need additional dressings. It is possible only before the emergence of seedlings to water the bed with a solution of urea (1 tbsp. L. / Bucket).
Pest Control and Coriander Disease
The main diseases attacking cilantro - powdery mildew and ramulariasis. Prevent the occurrence of the disease by observing the rules of care. It is important not to overwet the ground. If, nevertheless, the plant is sick, then you need to treat the site with fungicides. Unfortunately, after fungicides, greens are not suitable for human consumption. Attack cilantro and pests. Umbrella moth, bugs, winter scoop able to completely destroy the crop. For prevention, it is necessary to treat the bed with insecticides.
Important! If the season is wet, then watering is stopped so that there is no soil clogging.
Thinning
Beds are thinned out when a young plant has 2-3 true leaves. Between seedlings you need to leave about 10 cm. Deleted plants cannot be re-planted, since coriander has a very delicate root system and even minor damage to it leads to the death of the crop. 
How to harvest and store crops
Greens ripen in about 25-50 days from germination, depending on the variety. It is best to collect sprigs 10-15 cm long. Such greens can be consumed fresh, dried or prepared for sale. Cut the whole cilantro bush is not desirable. Removal of more than 1/3 of the foliage is fraught with a stunted plant growth. For continued growth, it is desirable to cut off the upper stems, and leave the lower shoots. When cilantro blooms, fruits are formed. In early autumn, they are ready to collect.
Learn about the features of coriander seeds and their use.
Ripe seeds are brown in color and begin to crumble. Store them in dark glass jars or paper bags in a cool place. Greens can be frozen or dried. Cilantro - a useful unpretentious culture, perfectly adjacent to vegetable plants. It will not be difficult to grow it, because the main thing for her is timely watering. If desired, the greens can be grown even on the windowsill.
