7 Easy Steps to Grow Cilantro in Pots

You’re very lucky if you want to grow cilantro in pots. With the proper potting soil and a sunny windowsill, this herb is pretty simple to cultivate inside. In this article, we will guide you through a few steps to grow cilantro in pots in the best possible way.

Good idea to grow Cilantro in Pots?

One of the simplest herbs to cultivate in pots is cilantro, particularly if you have a sunny balcony or patio. Its hardiness and ability to withstand a variety of situations make it the perfect option for newbies who don’t mind getting their hands filthy. Don’t worry if your home doesn’t currently have a greenhouse garden—cilantro will thrive in practically any pot with the right care and attention!

If you are thinking about setting up a greenhouse to grow cilantro in pots you can have a look at the guide we have prepared for you:

Let’s have a look at the most important points to grow cilantro in pots! Here are the steps to grow cilantro in pots:

• Which is the right pot?
• What soil do I need?
• How do I plant the seeds?
• When to water my plants?
• When must I snip off the plants?
• Do I have to bring my plants inside?
• How to care for my cilantro plants?

Choosing the Pot

The very first step to grow cilantro in pots is to choose the right pot. How deep the pot should be is a question that cilantro gardeners frequently ask. The answer is that to cultivate healthy plants, you need to pick a container that is at least 10 inches (25 cm) deep. Smaller pots can be used if your main objective is to grow a few plants, but if you want to maximize your harvests and cultivate multiple cilantro plants over a long period, it’s ideal to use something larger—possibly 12 inches (30 cm) or deeper.

To grow cilantro in pots, huge pots make sense for two reasons. First, they need a lot of soil, and second, they need to be watered more frequently than smaller ones. Aim for a container size between 12 and 14 inches (30 to 35 cm) to match these specifications while also being manageable enough to not be too heavy to lift or inconvenient to move around outside when necessary.

Filling the Pot with Soil

Add soil to the pot. Use potting soil that is of high quality and make sure it is well-drained. Compost can help plants retain moisture, which is beneficial for cilantro since it can become lanky if it doesn’t get enough water. Add compost to the potting mix. So that you won’t have to worry about nematodes or other pests like slugs, use sterilized potting soil.

Sometimes your soil can get hard. This may cause lots of problems when growing cilantro in pots. Therefore, we prepared an article about softening hard soil. Have a look:

Planting the Seeds

The next step to grow cilantro in pots is to plant the seeds. Place the seeds in a warm, sunny location, about 2 inches apart. Water them daily until they sprout, then maintain the soil’s moisture until they take root. Normally this takes about a week. To give your cilantro plants plenty of opportunity to develop strong, healthy roots, thin them out after they are about 2 inches tall, spacing them out to approximately 6 inches apart.

Watering the Soil to grow Cilantro in Pots

Water the soil every day. Every day you should water your cilantro, but make sure to do it in the morning or the evening to avoid watering it at night when the weather is cooler. If the plant is watered in these circumstances, it will develop mildew and other fungi-related diseases.

Don’t overwater your cilantro, as well! If possible, leave someone who lives nearby in charge of watering it for you if you frequently go on vacation or take a few days off. We suggest placing a small sign that reads “Remember me?” next to the plants. I’m alive!” and perhaps even include a picture of yourself so they will know what to expect when they come to visit after their vacation.

Snip off the Plants

Another important step to grow cilantro in pots is to snip them off. As soon as you notice the plant developing, you may begin to thin it down by removing any plants that are sprouting between the ones that are already there¹, spacing them 6 inches apart. If you’re unsure about which plants to remove, remove them all. The surviving plants will develop more cilantro and get stronger!

Avoid Pests by bringing your Plants inside

Bring pots inside at night and put them on a sunny windowsill during the day to prevent pests. This will assist you in maintaining the soil’s moisture and preventing it from entirely drying out, which might be harmful to cilantro plants.

Because cilantro plants are prone to root rot, you should always water them frequently and keep them away from animals and young children.

Additionally, keep cilantro out of direct sunlight. The leaves are delicate to heat damage, so if at all possible, keep them in some shade. Additionally, avoid placing your pots right next to kitchen counters because those surfaces might contain chemicals that could harm your cilantro plant.

Another method to keep pests away is companion planting²! If you have space and want to grow other plants too you must try this. Companion planting is a method where you grow plants together which benefit from each other. Sharing their nutrients and helping each other grow is one of the most common benefits. Have a look at the best cilantro companion plants:

Caring for your Cilantro in Pots

Never forget the last step to grow cilantro in pots. The hardy annual herb cilantro does nicely in containers indoors. It will grow to be approximately 18 inches tall and has leaves that resemble parsley but taste more strongly like anise. Because cilantro grows well in containers, you may grow it on your balcony or patio without worrying that it won’t get enough sunshine.

To avoid overwatering cilantro, which might cause root rot and other issues, she also suggests watering it carefully. Even while you might be watering cilantro less regularly than you would type if you were growing it in your garden bed, a container packed with high-quality potting soil can assist avoid this by maintaining the moisture level surrounding the roots at a steady level.

We also talked about fertilizer in the articles below. Don’t forget that the use of fertilizer is beneficial for your plants. If you are not sure which one you should buy you can just make one yourself! Here are the constructions:

References

1. Bunning, M., Woo, D., & Kendall, P. Herbs: preserving and using. Service in action; no. 9.335.
2. Tavares, J., Wang, K. H., & Hooks, C. R. (2015). An evaluation of insectary plants for management of insect pests in a hydroponic cropping system. Biological Control, 91, 1-9.