Our desire for hardy coriander falls on deaf ears from Mother Nature. Due to its Mediterranean origins, the spice plant does not tolerate frost. We'll tell you here how you can still harvest tasty coriander leaves in winter.
Is there hardy coriander?
There is no hardy coriander because the plant comes from the Mediterranean region and cannot tolerate frost. An alternative is Vietnamese coriander, which can be kept indoors at 5-10 degrees Celsius or on a sunny windowsill in winter.
Planting perennial Vietnamese coriander – this is how it works
A herb plant immigrated to us from Asia whose leaves have the peppery and sweet aroma of coriander. Vietnamese coriander was therefore greeted with joy by the gourmet gardeners. In contrast to real coriander, the tropical herb plant thrives perennial. Thanks to its pink-red flowers, it is a feast for the eyes in the hanging basket and in the pot. How to plant Thai coriander correctly:
- place drainage in the planter above the bottom opening
- fill with high-quality vegetable soil (€14.00 on Amazon) up to half the height
- insert the young plant in the middle and plant it up to the bottom pair of leaves
After you have watered the Vietnamese coriander, it is given a sunny to semi-shady place on the balcony or windowsill.
How to care for and overwinter Asian coriander
Although Vietnamese coriander is not botanically related to coriander, there are no clear differences in care. The following aspects are important:
- water regularly when the substrate has dried out
- fertilize organically every 2 weeks from April to September
- repeated pruning encourages further branching
- constant harvesting attracts bushy growth
If temperatures fall below 10 degrees Celsius in autumn, Asian coriander moves indoors. You can choose to spend the winter warm on the windowsill in a sunny spot. In this case, continue watering at a reduced rate. Fertilization is carried out every 4-6 weeks. Alternatively, place the herb plant at 5-10 degrees Celsius. Here you only water now and then.
Tips & Tricks
The leaves of Asian coriander are very suitable for drying in the air or in the oven. The herbal plant loses some of its spiciness, which is not necessarily perceived as a disadvantage by a European palate.
