Regular cutting of coriander delays flowering and thus extends the harvest time for the leaves. If you also want to harvest coriander seeds, you shouldn't overdo the pruning. Find out how to do it right here.
How should you cut coriander correctly?
To properly cut cilantro, remove whole shoots near the ground with a sharp, disinfected knife and harvest individual leaves from top to bottom with scissors. Shoot tips with buds or flowers should be cut out immediately to delay flowering and extend the harvest time.
Regular cutting delays flowering - here's how it works
After the coriander plants you have grown yourself or purchased ready-made have grown in the bed, they strive vigorously to flower. If you let nature take its course, the harvest of delicate coriander leaves is already over in June. By carefully cutting you can delay flowering and the resulting negative taste change until July/August:
- cut off entire shoots close to the ground with a sharp knife
- harvest individual leaves from top to bottom with scissors
- Immediately cut out every shoot tip with a bud or flower
Only use freshly sharpened and carefully disinfected cutting tools. This caution prevents lurking fungal spores, viruses and pests from having any chance of attacking a coriander plant.
Don't cut coriander from July onwards for lush seed heads
If you have a harvest of spicy coriander seeds in mind, the plant can bloom from mid/late July. This paves the way for numerous, spherical fruits. However, you can only achieve this goal if no more shoots are cut. Harvesting individual leaves is no longer necessary as the taste is now extremely bitter.
Always cut off the seeds whole
From August, experienced hobby gardeners will keep an eye on the coriander plants. The fruits with numerous seeds now develop here. To prevent them from bursting open prematurely and spreading the seeds uncontrollably throughout the bed, they are cut early. When the seeds turn light brown, the harvest can begin. Suspended on a string or spread out in a sunny, dry place, the grains ripen in peace.
If coriander seeds turn a dark brown color, they are ripe. Safely stored in a dark, airtight container, they are waiting to be used as a unique food seasoning.
Tips & Tricks
After cutting cilantro, do you end up with more leaves than you can use in the kitchen? Then preserve the surplus harvest by drying, freezing or soaking it in olive oil. In addition, strong shoot tips are ideal for propagation through cuttings.
