Cilantro is the undisputed champion of herbs! And the only thing better than cilantro is cilantro grown in a home garden. Once you taste homegrown cilantro, trust me, there’s no way back.
From my experience, growing this herb isn’t rocket science. But one of the places where many gardeners fail is pruning. Of course, that isn’t a reason to call cilantro hard to grow. These gardeners probably don’t have any ‘true’ hard-to-maintain plants. 😉
So, your only goal is to learn how to prune cilantro and you’ll get a happy and healthy plant. Pruning isn’t tricky but you should know that it differs from pruning standard flowers or shrubs.
Herbs are more delicate, so we need to be more careful not to harm them. Don’t worry, with a few tips and tricks, you’ll get the gist in no time! But, before you start pruning…
Time It Right!
As with everything in the gardening world, timing matters. Cilantro is one of those plants that prefer cooler temperatures.
If the temperatures are higher, this herb could quickly bolt. This is definitely something you don’t want! Bolting causes cilantro to produce seeds too early and turn bitter.
Planting cilantro in early spring or fall is the perfect way to ensure healthy growth. And as soon as your cilantro reaches 6 inches, the time for pruning has come!
And Here’s How To Do It Like A Pro
First, you need to arm yourself with the right tool! I use a standard pair of gardening shears but any other cutting tool will work as long as it’s sharp.
Another essential thing is to sterilize the tool because you don’t want to spread any diseases or pests. I use rubbing alcohol for all my tools but bleach could also work.
Now, observe your cilantro plant closely and look for diseased, damaged, or discolored stems. If there are any, make sure to carefully cut them off.
Some of you may already see the flowers on your cilantro, and now is a good time to remove them from the base. Finally, you should snip the outer leaves.
When pruning, do not remove more than ⅓ of your cilantro plant!
A better option is to prune more often than to destroy your cilantro with hard pruning. I typically do it once a week and it seems my cilantro enjoys it!
If you can’t eat all the leftover leaves at once, simply store them in your freezer. Some claim cilantro can stay in the freezer for 2 weeks but, honestly, it loses its distinct flavor after a week.
Regular pruning and harvesting of your cilantro will ensure a continuous supply of fresh and delicious leaves all season long.
Ready to sprout success? Dive into pruning and enjoy watching your cilantro thrive! Your green thumb’s got this!