Cilantro

Add some flavor and potassium to your family meals with a bit of homegrown cilantro.

Plant transplants or sow seeds directly in the garden after the danger of frost has passed. Cilantro grows best in full sun, cool temperatures and well-drained soil. Gardeners in cooler climates can sow seeds every 3 to 4 weeks throughout the summer for continual harvest. Those with hotter summers will have the best results growing cilantro in the cooler temperatures of spring, fall and even winter in some areas.

Harvest the leaves back to the ground when they are at least 4 to 6 inches long. Only harvest a third of the plant to allow it to keep producing. After several harvests or as temperatures warm the plant will set seed. After the white flowers fade, green seeds appear and eventually turn brown. Harvest and use the seeds, they are the herb known as coriander, or allow them to drop to the ground and sprout new plants.

A bit more information: The 2006 All America-Selections Award Winner Delfino Cilantro has fine ferny foliage. It branches freely, producing more leaves to harvest and enjoy. Plus, it tends to form flowers and seeds later than other varieties.