Many herbs, spices, and vegetables are such basic ingredients in dishes that next thing you know, you don’t have it in your fridge anymore. One of these is cilantro, also known as Chinese parsley. It is a popular kitchen staple as it is widely used in dishes; mostly in Mexican, Thai, and Carribean cuisines. All parts of the plant are edible, but cooks mainly use its seeds and dried leaves in traditional cooking. It gives dishes that nice kick with the freshness it offers. Sometimes, it can go unnoticed; but, everytime you lose supply of these vegetables and buy them over and over again, it can definitely add up and lowkey hurt your budget.
But if you are a practical parent looking to save some money and wanting to always have cilantro available at the comfort of your own home, why not try to read on and learn how to regrow cilantro?
Growing Cilantro
Cilantro is an annual herb; so, do not expect it to root easily from cuttings unlike other woody herbs. It is always best to grow cilantro from seeds instead of transplanting it.
- Soil – Cilantro thrives in a light and fast-draining soil with an ample amount of sharp sand to allow for better drainage. If planted in a garden, add mulch around the plants once they have grown and are visible enough.
- Light – A bright light that is a bit filtered or indirect is what’s perfect for cilantro.
- Water – Maintain the soil’s moisture but be careful for it not to get soaked. An inch of water per week and a good drainage are necessary to have a higher rate of success in growing cilantro.
- Fertilizer – Make use of a liquid fertilizer or support the soil with controlled-release pellets.
- Temperature – Cilantro bolts easily in warm weather. Keep your plants in a location under 75 degrees to extend the harvest period.
Regrow Cilantro from Scraps
- Wait for the cilantro to reach 4-6 inches in height and then harvest them. It will take around 40-60 days for a cilantro to grow this tall.
- Other gardeners prefer to pull the entire plant out of the soil but to regrow cilantro from scraps, you have to cut it just an inch above the soil line.
- After these, you have to take care of your cilantro so it can successfully regrow. What’s left is to decide for a method in which you can regrow the plant again.
Food can get ridiculously expensive. Vegetables or produce can be one of the most expensive items on your grocery bill. This is especially the case if you repeatedly buy them to use as ingredients for your recipes. If the thought of having a continuous supply of your most in-demand vegetable excites you, you have come to the right place. Here are some of the methods on how to regrow cilantro; you can easily do these without any special equipment and only with a mix of dedication and keen observation:
Growing Cilantro Indoors
It is recommended to use a 12-inch (30 cm) deep with enough drainage holes at the bottom for this method.
When growing cilantro indoors, use enough indoor potting mix in order for the water to move freely. The cilantro would be in need of more nutrients in this case; there is a limited root system range indoors and the plant cannot access that much soil as compared to when it is planted to your garden. Place it in an area of your home that receives four to five hours of sunlight each day. Using a growing light is optional; however, it can definitely be an added factor in the success of this method.
Thorough watering is much needed than frequent watering at this point. Make sure to pour water deep into the plants until water comes out of its drainage holes. Check the soil regularly especially during the summer months as you need to water them whenever the soil is dry to the touch.
Growing Cilantro at Home in Water
Even though this method is not as good as the other in allowing cilantro to regrow, it is still the easiest and the most doable way to reset this plant. When growing cilantro at home in water, simply harvest the cilantro and make a clipping of around ½ to 1 inch of stem; then, put it in the water to allow it to grow again. Set the water container in an area with filtered sunlight like a windowsill. Remember to change the water whenever it gets dirty or murky. Regrow the clipping once it has grown a healthy set of roots at the bottom.
Growing Cilantro from Refrigerated Cuttings
Unlike other herbs of the mint family which can be rooted easily either in water or in a pot, cilantro, as what we said, does not grow easily from cuttings. It only reproduces large quantities of seed. After buying from the grocery store, consumers are often advised to store their cilantro in the fridge. But growing cilantro from refrigerated cuttings can only be possible if the plant was already rooted; or, if it was pulled from the soil with intact roots.
Just like many herbs, cilantro has been prominent around the world for a long time now. This is because of its incredible kick and fine taste that has helped enhance the flavors of a number of different cuisines. Even though its taste has been widely debated by its fanbase and antis, we cannot deny that it has pleasured our taste buds in one way or another; either as a garnish or as a main ingredient to our foods. Aside from it being an easy crop for gardeners, cilantro has also been proven to offer numerous health benefits; some of these include preventing urinary tract infections and protecting against cardiovascular diseases.
Finally, when learning how to regrow cilantro, a gardener must keep in mind that no matter which method you use, once it sprouts, time is of the essence to hurriedly harvest the leaves before the plant flowers as it is a fickle plant to grow.
