Cilantro is a popular herb used in many cultures and cuisines throughout the world, especially in Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Chinese, and more. It’s easy to grow and doesn’t require any special attention or care. With proper pruning, cilantro can continue to produce new leaves for many more harvests. Keep reading the article, you will learn about how to harvest Cilantro without killing the plant.
Harvesting cilantro is quite simple by using scissors or your hand, Using scissors, cut the stems just 1 to 2 inches above the soil surface. Otherwise, you can take some leaves by hand. Make sure, the plants remain healthy after harvesting, so they will keep growing. This article will tell about how to harvest cilantro without killing the plant.
How to Harvest Cilantro without Killing the plant?
Harvesting is a very important step in the growing process of cilantro. The first step in this is to understand how to properly harvest cilantro. To do so, you will need to remove the cilantro stalks from the plant, wash the cilantro and dry it thoroughly. Hold the few leaves of cilantro and tie them together. Take a scissor and cut the stem just above the soil surface and leave 1 to 2 inches of the stem. Make sure the plants remain healthy and will keep growing.
Cilantro Overview
Cilantro has long been used as a garnish and herb for food. It is also known as Chinese coriander and is a member of the Apiaceae family. It is a slender and feathery green herb that grows up to 20 inches tall (50 cm). The leaves differ in shape and size. They are lobed at the base, grow on long, tender stems, and are similar to parsley in appearance.
Coriander is the name of the plant and the seeds are known as coriander. Cilantro is the common name for the leafy green parts of the plant. The roots are also edible and can be used in many dishes. Cilantro is typically recognized as having a pungent, fresh, lemony flavor with peppery notes, whereas coriander seeds have an earthy, tart aroma with sweet and floral undertones and a slight curry flavor. If you’re looking to harvest cilantro, it’s best to know what to look for and what to expect before you pick any leaves. You can get all the info you need on how to harvest your cilantro and what to do with it.
How to Harvest Cilantro?
Depending on how much cilantro you need for your dish, you can either pinch a few leaves individually or harvest them in larger quantities.
- After about 4 weeks of growth, when the plants are at least 6″ tall, start by identifying the largest, outer leaves. Then, using a pair of scissors or your hands snip the stems of these leaves, about an inch from the surface of the soil.
- Harvest about a quarter to a third of the leaves, to allow new growth to develop for continuous production. If you’re cultivating only a couple of cilantro plants and you need to make sure they grow back new leaves for more harvests.
- This method is known as the cut and come again method and allows for multiple harvests.
- It takes around 120 days or 4 months (after planting the initial seeds) for the plant to start flowering and set seed. During this period, you can get multiple harvests which can extend throughout the spring and into the early days of summer, before it gets hot enough for the plant to bolt.
When to Harvest Cilantro?
Once your plants have reached the proper height, you should begin harvesting as soon as possible, but this is something you can also do from the start. It is best to do the whole thing in one fell swoop if you can, so it doesn’t take too much time, as some varieties will bolt within two weeks and others can continue growing for a couple of months.
You can tell when coriander is about to bolt by observing its leaves. When the plant begins to grow taller and produce smaller and more delicate leaves. It means that it’s about to bolt. The first time you see this, it’s a good idea to pick the plants and harvest the leaves right away. At this point, you can either harvest all your cilantro by pulling each plant out before the leaves become less desirable and lose their signature taste. Moreover, you can harvest as many leaves as you’d like and leave the plants to bolt, so you can harvest the coriander seeds.
You can also “save” some of the seeds that you leave in the field to help them mature into bigger, better plants next year. These plants will continue to grow and produce new fruit, and over time, will become more productive than the original plants.
How to Store Cilantro?
Cilantro is a delicious herb that is found growing all over the world. However, the fresh leaves are known to wilt quite rapidly, and they can quickly lose their color and flavor. If you don’t plan on using your harvested cilantro right away, you’ll want to be sure to store it properly. One way to help prolong its life is to harvest as much as you need for the recipe at the time and store the remainder of the cilantro in an airtight container. You can then use it later when needed.
This way you will not only get the best taste and flavor out of the herb, but you will also avoid wasting it. If you have harvested more leaves than you can use in your dish. Here are a few simple and effective ways to store those extra leaves for later use.
Keep it in the water
You can store a bunch of cilantro in a glass jar with water. Just place the cilantro in the jar and remember to change the water periodically to keep the herb fresh.
Store it in the refrigerator
To keep your cilantro fresh for a longer period. Simply wrap the freshly picked and washed leaves loosely in damp kitchen towels. Moreover, place them in a container that will go in the refrigerator. This method will keep the leaves fresh for days or up to a week.
How to Freeze Cilantro?
Another way to store fresh cilantro is to chop it up, place it in ice cube trays, fill the trays with water, and freeze them. Once the ice cubes are frozen, you can simply drop the cubes into resealable bags or containers. You can then use them as needed. Cilantro will keep in the freezer for up to four months.
How to Dry Cilantro?
To preserve the health and taste of cilantro in the winter, you can dry it. You can dry your cilantro leaves in the oven or, if you prefer, just hang them up to dry. Make sure to keep your dried herbs stored in an air-tight container to prevent them from being exposed to moisture. Store dried herbs in an air-tight container, like a glass jar, to prevent them from being exposed to moisture.
Conclusion
To harvest cilantro, it’s important to know what you’re harvesting. To avoid killing the plant, it’s important to harvest the herb at the right time. The plant grows leaves in the morning and goes into a resting period in the afternoon. So harvesting cilantro in the early morning will help you to avoid stress and damage to the plant. Harvesting cilantro will give you a longer shelf life for the fresh herb. It allows you to add extra flavor to the dish by adding the fresh herb just before serving. Read my next blog on the best way to harvest cilantro without killing the plant.
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