How To Cut Fresh Cilantro From The Plant

You can cut fresh cilantro from the plant by snipping the outer stems near the base with clean scissors or shears.
 
Not sure how to cut fresh cilantro from the plant without damaging it?
 
The good news is that cutting fresh cilantro from the plant is one of the easiest herb harvesting tasks you’ll ever do.
 
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how to cut fresh cilantro from the plant, when to do it, and how to keep your plant producing more leaves for months.
 
Let’s dig in.
 

How to Cut Fresh Cilantro from the Plant

Learning how to cut fresh cilantro from the plant starts with understanding the plant’s structure.
 
Cilantro grows in a rosette pattern, meaning the stems shoot up from a central base.
 
When you cut fresh cilantro from the plant, you want to take the outer stems first and leave the inner ones alone.
 
Here’s why that matters so much.
 

1. Snip the Outer Stems First

The outer stems of cilantro are the oldest and most mature.
 
When you cut fresh cilantro from the plant, grab those outer stems and snip them about one to two inches above the soil line.
 
This keeps the younger inner stems intact so they can keep growing.
 
If you cut fresh cilantro from the plant right at the soil level, you risk killing the whole thing.
 

2. Use Clean, Sharp Scissors or Shears

You can cut fresh cilantro from the plant with kitchen scissors, garden shears, or even a sharp knife.
 
Just make sure whatever you use is clean to avoid spreading disease.
 
The sharper the tool, the cleaner the cut, and the faster your cilantro recovers.
 
So before you cut fresh cilantro from the plant, give your scissors a quick wipe with rubbing alcohol.
 

3. Cut at the Right Angle

When you cut fresh cilantro from the plant, angle your snips at about 45 degrees.
 
This angled cut helps the plant heal faster and reduces the chance of water pooling on the wound.
 
It might sound fussy, but it makes a real difference when you cut fresh cilantro from the plant regularly.
 

4. Never Take More Than a Third at Once

One golden rule for how to cut fresh cilantro from the plant is to never remove more than one-third of the foliage in a single harvest.
 
If you cut fresh cilantro from the plant too aggressively, it’ll struggle to photosynthesize and regrow.
 
Give it a week or two between harvests so it has time to bounce back.
 

When to Cut Fresh Cilantro from the Plant

Timing is everything when you cut fresh cilantro from the plant.
 
The best time to cut fresh cilantro from the plant is in the early morning before the sun gets too hot.
 
That’s when the leaves are crisp and full of flavor.
 
You can also cut fresh cilantro from the plant in the late evening if mornings don’t work for you.
 
Just avoid harvesting during the hottest part of the day.
 

1. Wait Until the Plant Is at Least Six Inches Tall

Before you cut fresh cilantro from the plant, let it reach at least six inches in height.
 
This gives the plant enough established growth to survive a trim.
 
If you cut fresh cilantro from the plant too early, it may not recover properly.
 

2. Harvest Before the Plant Bolts

Cilantro has a short life cycle and bolts quickly in warm weather.
 
Once you see tall stems with lacy flowers forming, the leaves turn bitter.
 
So if you want to cut fresh cilantro from the plant for cooking, do it before those flower stalks appear.
 

3. Pick Leaves Regularly to Delay Bolting

The more often you cut fresh cilantro from the plant, the longer it stays in the leafy stage.
 
Regular harvesting signals the plant to keep producing foliage instead of flowers.
 
So don’t be shy about stepping out to cut fresh cilantro from the plant every week or so.
 

Tips to Keep Cilantro Producing After You Cut It

Once you cut fresh cilantro from the plant, a little aftercare goes a long way.
 
Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy.
 
Water at the base rather than overhead to avoid leaf diseases.
 
If you cut fresh cilantro from the plant in a pot, rotate it occasionally so all sides get sunlight.
 
Feed it with a light nitrogen-rich fertilizer every few weeks to encourage leafy growth.
 
And if your cilantro does bolt, don’t panic.
 
You can let it flower and collect the seeds, which are actually coriander.
 
That way, even after you cut fresh cilantro from the plant for the last time, you still get something useful.
 

So, How Do You Cut Fresh Cilantro from the Plant?

You cut fresh cilantro from the plant by snipping the outer stems about one to two inches above the soil with clean, sharp scissors.
 
The key is to take only what you need, never more than a third at once, and to harvest in the cool hours of the morning.
 
When you cut fresh cilantro from the plant this way, it keeps growing back and you’ll have a steady supply of fresh leaves for salsa, tacos, and everything in between.
 
Now that you know how to cut fresh cilantro from the plant, go grab those scissors and enjoy the harvest.