Planting Cilantro
Cilantro is a cool season herb in the Apiaceae family. Getting the timing right is the difference between a strong stand and a disappointing one, so the windows below are given relative to your own last spring frost and first fall frost rather than a generic calendar date. Look up your local frost dates and count back or forward from there.
You can sow Cilantro directly into the garden 0–2 weeks before your last frost.
Spacing and Planting Depth
Give Cilantro room to mature. The figures below come from verified extension and seed-supplier data for typical varieties.
| Spacing in row | 6 inches |
|---|---|
| Row spacing | 6 inches |
| Plants per sq ft | 4 |
| Planting depth | 0.25 inches |
| Sun requirement | Full sun |
Plan a square-foot bed with Cilantro →
Calculate plants in a bed for Cilantro →
Days to Maturity
Cilantro reaches maturity in 45–70 days from sowing. Once ready, plants continue producing for approximately 21 days.
For a continuous harvest, sow a new batch every 14 days. Use the succession planting scheduler →
Cilantro is ready to harvest after about 58 days. Picking regularly over the roughly 21-day harvest window keeps plants productive and encourages a longer pick. Harvest before summer heat or, for fall crops, before a hard freeze, to keep quality high.
Conditions and Care
As a cool-season herb, Cilantro does its best growing in the cooler weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. It is half-hardy — it withstands light frost but should be protected from a hard freeze.
Cilantro needs full sun — give it at least six hours of direct light a day for the best growth and flavor. Sow seed about 0.25 inches deep — small seed is sown shallow and barely covered, then keep the soil evenly moist until seedlings establish.
Cilantro belongs to the Apiaceae family; rotating where you grow members of this family each year helps limit the build-up of soil-borne pests and disease. Because it matures relatively quickly, Cilantro rewards succession sowing: small, repeated plantings keep a steady supply coming rather than one short glut.
See Cilantro in the full planting calendar for your ZIP →
Plan crop rotation for Apiaceae →
Companion Plants
Pairing Cilantro with the right neighbors can improve growth and deter pests; a few combinations are best avoided.
Grows well with: Basil, Spinach
Keep away from: Fennel
Check Cilantro with other crops in your garden →
Related Crops
Other crops you might grow alongside or instead of Cilantro.
In the same family
Cilantro is in the Apiaceae family. Other Apiaceae crops in the Gardenable database:
Documented companions
These crops are listed as good growing partners for Cilantro:
Similar growing requirements
Crops with similar season and time to maturity — useful if you want a diverse garden on a similar schedule: