If you want to know how to grow cilantro indoors in summer or how to grow cilantro from cuttings, you’ve come to the right place. Cilantro is one of the most practical herbs with varied applications in the kitchen, and it also comes with a lot of health benefits that you will love. Before we head over to the steps on how to grow cilantro indoors in summer, take a look at the many ways that coriander can help you complete your dishes and snacks at home.
Uses of Cilantro
- Add cilantro to your sour cream or plain yogurt dip to add a flavorful dimension to it. Dips and sauces can easily be leveled up with herbs.
- Cilantro is very peppy, so adding it to steamed rice is a wise move. Cilantro gives rice character, and who knows how your dishes will taste once paired with rice flavor-boosted with cilantro?
- Salad dressings like vinaigrettes pair well with cilantro. Ditto for dressings that have freshly squeezed lemon juice as the base.
- Raring for some coleslaw? Cilantro may be used in place of cabbage. Al you need is a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Chop the cilantro well and add the dressing, and you can’t get salads any fresher than this.
- Stir fry food is fantastic with the right herbs. If you are practicing how to stir Asian fry recipes, cilantro will be your best friend. Cilantro interacts differently with each method, and it always plays a subtle, supporting role in any dish. Some people might not like it, but we sure do.
- Are you tired of your old bagel and cream cheese combo? Chopped cilantro just might be the answer. Chop the cilantro finely and just sprinkle on top of the cream cheese. Voila – you have a new bagel recipe that tastes fresh and unique.
Health Benefits of Cilantro
- Cilantro reduces the expression of certain genes in prostate cancer cells. This specific reduction in gene expression is thought to make prostate cancer less invasive in general. What scientists say is that the grouping behavior of prostate cancer cells was not as widespread.
- In animal studies, cilantro produces a viable analgesic effect, which reduced pain and tissue inflammation.
- Extracts from the cilantro plant showed significant anti-UVB properties. If you are into creating DIY salves for the skin, it appears that you can also add cilantro to create a far safer sunscreen effect.
- The essential oil derived from cilantro has been shown to have a significant effect on the naturally occurring yeast in the human body.
- Extracts from the seeds of cilantro have been shown to have promising antimicrobial and antifungal activity. These particular properties have many possible applications, from natural antibiotics to the preservation of food.
How to Grow Cilantro Indoors
The best type of cilantro for indoor growing are the ones that have been marked by the seed manufacturer as “slow to bolt.” The cilantro will grow just like other cilantro variants, but the seeding process will be delayed for a couple of weeks.
This is important because cilantro that grows too quickly and produces seeds too fast will taste bitter. What we are after with this effort is to be able to provide cilantro that has a fresh taste that will be great on dishes and salads. Now once the seeds come out, you can use the seeds to propagate some more cilantro at home.
To grow cilantro properly indoors, you will need an indoor pot that has a depth of at least eight inches. Cilantro is a relative of the carrot, and carrots grow long taproots. If you can get a pot that has 12 inches of depth, that would be more ideal. The pot should have a natural drain opening. For the soil, simply use any indoor potting mix, and you should get good results. The potting mix should always be moist but has to be well-drained as well.
Begin planting by spreading out six to eight seeds all over the potting mix. Cover the seeds lightly with soil (0.25 in-depth maximum). Mist the surface of the potting mix until the surface is slightly damp but not soaked.
To ensure that your seeds will grow correctly, be sure to soak them in a shallow platter of water for 24 hours. Soaking the seeds will promote the quicker growth of the first leaves and roots (sprouting).
Cilantro growing temperature is 50 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. During the summer, this should be no problem, but if you live somewhere naturally cold all year long, you may use an organic light to regulate the ambient temperature around your plant.
Will cilantro grow back after cutting?
When the cilantro plants grow to a height of four inches, you can use a sharp pair of scissors to remove some foliage for your salads and dishes. Take note that when the cilantro does begin growing, your pot is going to be covered with them, so there is no need to worry about cutting out too much. The cilantro will grow back, don’t worry. However, as we have mentioned before, once they start bolting, the current batch that you have may eventually turn bitter. You should self-propagate again in another pot if you want fresher-tasting cilantro.
There is another way of propagating cilantro: planting seedlings. You will be transferring seedlings to your pot and taking care of them from this point in the growth process, instead of starting directly from seeds. Seedlings are usually ready for harvesting in as short as two weeks. Cilantro that is sprouted from seeds can take as long 4-6 weeks before they are ready for collection. We understand that not everyone has access to available to grow seedlings; we are just making sure you are aware of your options. Transplant the seedlings with a trowel and mist them lightly with water. They will be ready the moment you transfer them to their individual growing pots.
