Instructions

1. Sowing:
2. The soil needs to be warm, say around end of April, early May in UK. Sandy, loamy soil is best, but coriander is not too fussy. Select a sunny spot. In very warm climates, plant in shade.
3. Soak the seeds in water overnight and drain. This speeds up germination. Besides, my father always soaked them, so I follow his method! He actually broke them open too, before he soaked them, by wrapping seeds in an old towel or paper and gently hitting with a stone or roller. I don't do this myself, too scared to break the germ of the seeds!
4. Rake the soil so it's even and follow any of the following methods;
5. (a) Make shallow drills or furrows of about 1/2 inch depth. Sprinkle seeds close together in drills and cover with soil. Water immediately and then continue to keep the soil moist, but not water logged. They will take 2-4 weeks to germinate.
6. (b) Scatter seeds at random amongst other bedding plants, sprinkle some soil to cover them lightly, and keep them watered until they are small plants.
7. (c) sow in pots, using the same method; make circular drills in round pots, about 2-3 inches apart and sow seeds. Water plants regularly.
8. Coriander plant does not like to be too dry.
9. Try sowing a new batch every 3-4 weeks to get a continuous supply.
10. Harvesting:
11. Harvest when leaves are wide and fresh. As the time passes, it bolts and leaves and stems remain tender. They do not look as pretty in garnish, though flavour remains intense. In my opinion, you should ideally harvest leaves before the plant comes into flower. However, flowers and seeds are also edible.
12. Break or cut leaves, along with some of the stem. Tender stalks are edible. You can leave a few plants to seed, so you have your own seeds, but whole coriander is relatively cheap to buy from Indian grocers, so it is not worth making your own seeds.
13. Roots are also edible and frequently used in far eastern cooking, but not in Indian cuisine.
14. Repeated cutting doesn't usually give very good results, though you will get some fresh leaves. That is it is important to grow seeds at regular intervals to maintain a fresh supply.
15. Saving Seeds:
16. You can cut mature seeds and allow them to dry either by hanging the stalks upside down or by leaving on newspaper in a warm place. If hanging, place the heads in a paper bag and tie down near the stems, this will stop the seeds from falling out. Once dry, gently shake or strike on newspaper, seeds will fall off. Make sure they are fully dry before keeping in a sealed bottle/bag or plastic container.
17. Drastic change in temperature, dry soil and poor soil will lead to it bolting quickly.