Question

Growing cilantro (called coriander outside the US) is one of the easiest crops that's hard to grow. What I mean by that is that it's very easy to get seeds to germinate and grow into healthy plants, but difficult to have a steady supply of fresh leaves as coriander more than other herbs has a tendency to bolt quickly in warm, dry weather. The solution is succession sowing. In your case as you want to grow in a small container, you should start by planting 4-5 seeds in one part (or one side) of the container. No special treatment is needed for the seeds. Space yours seeds a few inches apart, if you have the space. Cover the seeds with about .5-1 inch of soil and keep the soil moist. Your seeds should germinate in about a week. Keep your seedlings well-watered as too much dryness is one of the factors in bolting. Plant 4-5 more seeds every 10-14 days, rotating your container so that the newest seedlings aren't completey shaded by the more mature ones. Gently remove the stalks and roots of plants that have stopped producing to free up space for new plants. Photo credit: Henrique Vicente