Harvesting Coriander

Still too green...

Did your cilantro bolt a few weeks ago?  Don’t tear it out!  Wait just a few more weeks and you’ll have coriander!

Let the flowers go to seed and let the seed pods and stems turn light brown, like in the image below.  One website says it takes 2-3 weeks after the cilantro has bolted for the browning to occur, but ours bolted 4 weeks ago and the pods are nowhere near brown, so we’re waiting a few more weeks…

Once the pods are brown, gently cut the whole plant off at the base and place it upside down in a large brown paper bag.  Fold the bag over a few times to close and hang it in a dry place for a

Alright, time to harvest

few weeks.  Pods will split open on their own, but it may help to shake the bag or rub them between your palms.

Once the seeds have dried fully, save them to plant next season’s cilantro or start cooking!

You can also eat cilantro root, which “Veggie Harvest” says tastes like cilantro leaves but has a “nuttier” flavor.  You want to harvest the roots while the plant is young, not when it’s already bolted, so this maybe an experiment for next year (Recipes)…

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