Planting Coriander: Instructions for the Garden and Balcony

Coriander can be planted both on the balcony and in the garden. It tastes great in curry, salsa, and other dishes. Check out this article for a simple guide on how to do it.

Instructions for planting coriander

The coriander plant survives on the balcony and also in the garden if you take care of it properly and take the lighting conditions into account. In addition, there are other factors to consider as well.

1. Coriander can withstand the occasional light frost. You can therefore start sowing outdoors as early as April, but no later than June.
2. Alternatively, you can also grow the seedlings in a pot on the windowsill and then plant them outdoors in May. Here you should mix some sand into the soil.
3. If you have decided to sow outdoors, the soil must be loosened well beforehand. Also, refrain from fertilizing the soil immediately before.
4. Sow the coriander seeds 20 cm apart in the ground and cover them loosely with soil. The distance prevents the rapid spread of the occasionally occurring powdery mildew.
5. In the initial phase, you should always keep the coriander slightly moist by watering it regularly. Once fully grown, however, the plant prefers rather dry conditions.
6. For the same reason, a well-functioning drainage system is important when growing in pots to prevent waterlogging.
7. Fertilizing is usually not necessary with coriander. However, it is advisable to regularly remove weeds and loosen the soil around the plant.
8. After four to six weeks, when the seeds are light brown, you can start harvesting them and use them in numerous dishes after drying.
9. The leaves, on the other hand, are ready to be harvested at any time. Make sure you only remove the lower leaves so as not to restrict growth.

What you need to know about the plant

Coriander is one of the plants that is also suitable for beginners in gardening. However, there are some things you need to know about it.

• First of all, it is important to note that coriander is an annual plant. This means that it only survives for one year and needs to be re-seeded annually if necessary.
• The plant needs a sunny to semi-sunny location and rather dry, calcareous soil.
• Coriander is also one of the plants that have a relatively high nutrient requirement.
• It doesn’t take up much space. As a rule, a height of up to 100 cm, but usually more like 40 cm, is reached. The plant can grow up to 30 cm in width.
• You can harvest both the seeds, which can be processed into spice and leaves.
• In the garden, coriander is particularly suitable for mixed cultures, for example, next to the salad, as coriander attracts many beneficial insects, but also drives away pests.