Flowering #cilantro, ripe and ready to pick. Fresh from my garden.

One of my favorite herbs to grow. Smells great, heat tolerant, attracts beneficial pollinators, and all parts can be eaten at any time as long as the plant is still alive and green.

About Growing Cilantro

Cilantro produces well in the hottest months of the year, and it likes to grow in a little bit of shade. That's why I grew mine between the arugula leaves in my outdoor growing bed, so it could keep the roots shaded.

Photo from my indoor grow area this past Winter.

Cilantro is not the easiest plant to grow indoors. It sends out a long central root deep into the cool earth, while the stem extends upward to seek out the hot sunlight. If that root is disturbed, it will die. It is very difficult to transplant without damaging the root.

It is better to direct sow the seeds into the ground and wait for the hottest month of the year to start growing cilantro, to avoid wilt and fungus problems.

To extend the season, like most herbs, picking the top of the stem may encourage it to back-bud into more future leaf and flower growth. Once it bolts, it will produce seeds that will be green, and slowly change to a lighter color as it dries out and the plant withers. Pick the flowers to make the plant last longer.

Make sure to leave a few flowers to attract pollinators, and enjoy the reward of more seeds.

Any harvested seeds can be dried out and saved for planting next year. Alternatively, plant the fresh seeds immediately into the earth to continue growing a new crop of cilantro in the same season. The seed pod can be crushed or scarified and then planted to slightly help it germinate faster. Each pod contains two seeds.

Fun Fact: Cilantro seeds are supposed to help Anise seeds germinate better. Plant them together. They will have similar leaves, but will retain their distinctive flavor differences, which makes one easy to identify from the other.

Source: Pixabay

Culinary Ideas

Fresh or dried seeds may be eaten or ground up and used as a spice for Mexican style cuisine. The fresh raw leaves are usually the part of the plant people enjoy eating the most. The green leaves make an appealing fresh garnish.

This week actually had time to cook, and so I harvested some of the leaves, flowers, and the green seed pods, which we also call #coriander. All parts have the same flavor. To me, it tastes like lime parsley. Other people say it tastes like soap, and they generally dislike it.

I made a delicious rice dish, called Mexican Rice. Find the recipe on Allrecipes.com.

Mexican Rice

It is made by frying rice in oil until it is puffed, then simmering the rice in chicken broth with onions, tomato sauce, garlic, cumin, salt, and any other vegetables you might enjoy. Sometimes I even add corn and beans, but usually green chili pepper and red bell peppers are best. Finish with some fresh cilantro and a squirt of lime juice for a fresh garnish.

Source: Pixabay

This is a great meal for gardeners to prepare their Summer harvest veggies and herbs.

Bonsai!

Friday, July 27, 2018

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Remember to enjoy the little things.