Coriander Seeds from Thailand Coriander Seeds on wet Tissue Thai Herbs & Vegetables at the Market
Thai Coriander
Coriander is basically Asian Parsley, it is also known as Chinese Parsley, Coriandrum Sativum and Cilantro, it is spicier than ordinary parsley and in Thailand it is used in many recipes, both the seeds and the leaves with stems can be used, a packet of seeds from a Thai nursery will cost around 20baht.
Now your probably here because your wondering why all those coriander seeds you planted haven't started growing yet, well they take between 10 and 20 days to germinate, these seeds on the left took 18 days with an ambient temperature of 80 degrees, so patience is needed.
Coriander takes between 40 - 60 days to mature but leaves and stems can be used for meals once the plant reaches 4 to 6 inches in height.
The fragrant leaves of the coriander herb are part of many types of cuisines such as Oriental, Middle Eastern and Hispanic and are used in meat, vegetable and lentil recipes. Growing coriander in your own garden is the best way to ensure the freshest supply for your cooking.
By becoming familiar with the growing requirements of this distinctive herb it will make growing coriander an easy task. To get good results one should prepare the soil by ensuring that the area intended for planting is weed free. I like to dig the soil and rake it, this way it removes any large clumps of dirt.
The small seeds can be sprinkled in rows no closer than four inches apart and lightly covered with a thin layer of washed river sand or seed raising mix. Then one should mist the area just planted being careful not to displace the seeds. When growing coriander it is important to keep the seeds moist by misting the soil on a daily basis until the seeds sprout.
Unlike many seeds that take about a week to germinate, coriander seeds take up to twenty-one days. Once the seedlings are 2 inches tall it is recommended to thin the plants to about 8 inches apart to ensure that you get tall plants with plenty of healthy leaves.
Growing coriander in pots is not recommended since this herb has a long taproot which develop best in an open garden. It also prefers a milder climate, for this reason if you live in a tropical or sub-tropical area it is best to grow coriander during winter, while early spring and late summer are the preferred seasons for growing coriander in temperate climates.
Most gardeners sow coriander directly into the soil because transplanting causes the plant to stress, in fact if transplanted the coriander plant will most likely bolt and cease to grow before it is mature. One thing to remember is that if you are growing coriander in hot weather, the plant will mature more quickly.
You should plan to sow in increments of every three weeks to obtain new seedlings. If you get a few hot days it is likely that your coriander will go to seed therefore growing coriander seeds every 3 weeks will produce lots of coriander plants over several months.
To harvest the tastiest coriander leaves, wait until the plants are mature, and snip the stems from the base of the plant. The leaves should be light green for the best coriander flavor for your salads, stews and soups. Be sure to leave a few stems and leaves on the growing coriander so the plant will keep producing and you can enjoy this fragrant herb all summer long.
About the Author
Lisa Summerfield is an herb garden lover and author of \"Secrets To A Successful Home Herb Garden\" - compulsory reading for anyone considering to grow a thriving herb garden. Her website contains valuable information on using and growing coriander... Even if you have never grown a garden before! For a FREE 10 part mini-course on \"The Secrets To Growing Delicious Herbs at Home!\" go check her site http://herbgardernsolutions.com
