What is Coriander?
Coriander (also known as cilantro) is an annual herbaceous plant, originating from Southwest Asia west to Africa.
Coriander is an herb with beautiful and unique leaves, flowers, and fruits, so it has a place to be planted in the nursery as a decorative ornamental plant. The plant has a coarse root with light brown color, like a carrot, averaging 4 inches long. Depending on the variety and soil conditions, roots can grow longer.
Types of Coriander (Cilantro)
Coriander is commonly grown for commercial purposes and they are often grown in large quantities. Depending on the type of coriander will provide different yields and quality. If you are looking to grow them indoors and the purpose is to increase the taste of your meals, you should choose ready-made seeds from manufacturers for convenience.
1. Culantro
This plant is of the same species as coriander, but its appearance differs. The leaves of this plant can grow up to 2 inches and have spines.
They are popular in Asia but not widely used in the world. They require high soil moisture and shade for growing, making them not often present in daily meals. Its application is used in medicine because of its effective analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
2. Parsley
Parsley is a spice used a lot in cooking or baking. Parsley is quite similar in appearance to cilantro but these are 2 different types, Parsley usually has a darker leaf color and thicker leaves, not as fragile as cilantro.
3. Leaf Coriander
You usually use them in your daily meals. They are easy to grow and are popular all over the world. Follow the article below to know more about the benefits and how to grow them
4. Vietnamese Coriander
This Vietnamese has a stronger flavor than regular coriander. They are called "rau ram" but it is not easy to incorporate them into everyday meals because it only matches a few dishes. Their leaves are narrow and dark green in color. When using you can use both the leaves and the stem.
How To Plant Cilantro Indoor & Outdoor
Prepare tools and soil
First, you need to prepare a thing to store soil such as pots, raised garden beds, especially with drainage holes. However, you can plant directly in the ground if you own the garden.
The soil suitable for coriander is loose and rich in nutrients because the plant needs a large of nutrients in the early stages to grow. Some fertilizers can be used to supplement nutrients for each stage of plant growth. You can use a mixture of coir, organic soil, and fertilizer
Put the prepared soil in the pot and do not overfill it with the mouth of the pot. Should leave the distance from the ground to the mouth of the pot from 2-3 inches so that after burying the soil on the plant, it will not overflow.
Prepare the seeds
There are many different types of coriander seeds, but you can refer to reputable brands to buy and use such as our suggestions below.
After buying seeds, soak them directly in warm water for 2-3 hours. Next, you take the soaked seeds, wash them, and then incubate them in a cloth to germinate the seeds (This will help you ensure this percentage of seeds germinates before they come into contact with the soil).
Let's start planting now
Water to moisten the soil and create trenches (if you use raised garden beds) and 2 inches distance between the gardens (this helps you control pests and weeds) then fill them in pre-trenches. However, if you want to save more soil, you can not make a trench, but sow the seeds evenly.
Then spread a thin layer of soil to cover the surface of the newly sown seeds and water. Remember to spread the seeds evenly, not too thick but not too thin. After sowing, you cover the seeds with sunlight to keep the seeds moist and stimulate germination.
How To Care
a. Light
If in your home you use raised garden beds without providing light, you should place them near places with lots of light such as next to a window because this is a photophilic plant. Avoid exposing the plant to direct midday light as it will burn the leaves.
b. Water mode
Keep the soil moisture at all times during germination to avoid dehydration as the seedlings may die. Average watering twice a day. When the plants are grown, they do not need much water, so reduce it to once a day, do not water too much because it will cause the plant to be attacked by fungal diseases. Pay attention to gentle watering to avoid crushing the plant.
c. Fertilization
As you know, when we fertilize too much, the plant will not absorb all and excess in the plant. This is a herb that can be eaten directly without needing to be cooked, so fertilizing is not necessary. You just need to prepare a soil mixture full of nutrients so that the plants have the best growing conditions. In addition, some other organic matter can also be used for this plant
d. Weeding, trimming
You must regularly weed in order for the plant to thrive. In the period of 7-10 days after sowing, if the coriander grows too thick, it can be trimmed. The distance between plants is 0.3 inches, if the density of vegetables is too thick, it will cause the plants to grow. not good.
Conclusion
This is a suitable plant for you to grow indoors thanks to its vigorous growth properties. With easy planting instructions, I believe anyone can grow them right in their own home
FAQs
1. Is it ok if we eat coriander daily?
This is a good herb with its ability to strengthen immunity, reduce bad cholesterol, soothe the skin, easy to digest. You should use them every day for good health and in your daily family's dishes
2. Should coriander be cooked or raw?
You should use coriander leaves in their raw because the nutrients will be lost if cooked. In cooking, it should be used at the last stage because its flavor will be destroyed by the high temperature of the dish.
3. What are the benefits when we eat coriander?
Coriander leaves have a very pleasant mild fragrance, so they are finely chopped and used fresh to deodorize as well as increase the deliciousness and stimulate the taste of dishes such as soup, porridge, and stew… Sometimes it is also eaten raw or mixed. in salads like other vegetables.
The seeds of this vegetable are used as a spice and are considered a very safe natural spice for humans. When used as a spice, the seeds are finely ground. To increase the aroma when using, it should be lightly roasted before grinding. Because of so many nutrients, coriander is a useful food, helping to enhance memory, prevent diabetes, lower blood sugar, limit fatty blood, and have anti-inflammatory effects. Oxidizes overcomes digestive problems, nourishes eyes, and strengthens bones…
