Cilantro is a popular herb to use in dishes and is also a great plant to grow yourself.
If you have the itch to grow something and it’s not quite warm enough to plant cilantro outside, growing them from seed can be a good idea.
We’ll cover some details on how to grow cilantro from seed and helpful information to keep in mind as your seeds germinate and grow into small cilantro plants.
Why plant cilantro from seed
There are a number of reasons you may want to grow your cilantro from seed.
The first, and already mentioned, is time. If you’re in the winter months, purchasing small cilantro plants to grow may not be possible.
You can also save money, as cilantro seeds are a fraction of the price of purchasing young plants at a nursery or garden center.
Finally, it gives you a feeling of satisfaction to grow the cilantro plant from seed all the way through to the end of its lifecycle.
Varieties of cilantro you can start from seed
You can plant most cilantro varieties from seed.
What temperature is ideal?
A cilantro seed requires a certain temperature range in order to germinate. Outside of this optimum range, germinating your cilantro seeds is still possible, but your success rate will be less.
Most plants’ ideal temperature range to germinate is 68 – 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
When to sow the cilantro seeds
Choosing the best time to sow your cilantro seeds depends on when you are planning on planting them outside.
Typically, cilantro seeds should be planted 6-8 weeks before you plant to plant them outside. Check your seed packet for the specific timing of your planting.
It’s definitely possible to plant cilantro outside of this window, but you may need to nurture the plant more inside before it’s warm enough to plant it outside.
Knowing when to plant an annual outside can be tricky, so make sure it’s not too early in the season when you plant your cilantro outside.
How long will it take for cilantro seeds to germinate?
Your cilantro seeds should germinate 7-14 days after they are planted.
This timeframe may change depending on how consistently you are keeping the soil moist and in the light. A seed that isn’t well taken care of will take longer to germinate or die before ever sprouting.
How to plant cilantro from seed
To plant cilantro from seed, you can follow the following steps
1. Purchase the cilantro seeds & potting soil
This can be done at many garden centers or greenhouses. If seeds are not available this way, many online stores offer cilantro seeds for sale.
Your cilantro seeds will grow best in potting soil rather than topsoil, so make sure to purchase some potting soil to plant the seeds in.
2. Find a container to plant in
You’ll need a container for your soil and cilantro seed. Seeds do not need much space to grow. In fact, you can plant multiple seeds in the same container and then separate the sprouts once they germinated and plant them in their own spot.
For a home solution, egg cartons or egg trays can be a good place to plant seeds and have them sprout. These containers provide more than enough room for a seed to germinate.
3. Plant your cilantro seeds
To plant the cilantro seeds, fill your container with potting soil. No need to fill it to the brim, as water runoff may overflow the container.
Now it’s time to plant your seed. The general rule of thumb with seeds is to plant them 2 to 3 times their length. You’ll want to error on the side of not planting them deep enough.
To plant the seed, you can poke a hole in the potting soil with your finger, or use a stick.
Cover the seed up with potting soil once you have placed the cilantro seed in the hole.
4. Water your newly planted cilantro seed
Water the cilantro lightly. Be careful not to overwater it. A cilantro seed only needs damp soil to begin its germination.
Transplanting cilantro seedlings
After the cilantro seed has sprouted, you can transplant it into another container.
To do this, push your finger down below the sprout and gently pull up so that minimal roots are damaged.
Once you have a free cilantro sprout, you can plant it in another container and gently water it in.
