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How do you harvest cilantro?
You harvest cilantro by cutting the outer stems near the base of the plant once they’re tall enough to use.
The best time to harvest cilantro is when the leaves are vibrant, tender, and before the plant starts to bolt.
You can harvest cilantro leaves at almost any stage, but timing matters if you want the best flavor.
If you’ve ever wondered how do you harvest cilantro without damaging the plant, the answer is simpler than you might think.
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how to harvest cilantro, when to harvest cilantro, and how to keep your plant producing more leaves for weeks.
Let’s get growing.
How Do You Harvest Cilantro the Right Way?
How do you harvest cilantro so the plant keeps growing instead of giving up?
Here’s how to harvest cilantro properly step by step.
1. Start With Clean, Sharp Scissors or Shears
Before you harvest cilantro, grab a pair of clean, sharp scissors or garden shears.
Sharp tools make clean cuts, and clean cuts help the cilantro plant recover faster.
Dirty blades can spread disease, so wipe them down before you harvest cilantro.
2. Cut the Outer Stems First
When you harvest cilantro, always start with the outer stems.
Those outer stems are the oldest and most mature, so cutting them first gives the younger inner stems room to grow.
This is the secret to how do you harvest cilantro continuously instead of just once.
3. Snip About One to Two Inches Above the Soil
As you harvest cilantro, cut each stem about one to two inches above the soil line.
Don’t cut all the way down to the crown, because that can stress the plant.
Instead, leave a little stem behind so the cilantro can push out new growth.
4. Never Take More Than One-Third at a Time
Here’s a rule that keeps your plant healthy: when you harvest cilantro, take no more than one-third of the plant.
If you strip it bare, the cilantro may slow down or stop producing leaves.
Harvest cilantro lightly and often, and the plant will reward you with a steady supply.
5. Harvest From the Top Down
Another trick for how do you harvest cilantro is to work from the top down.
The upper leaves are the most tender and flavorful, so harvest cilantro leaves from the top first.
Then move lower as the plant grows taller.
When to Harvest Cilantro for the Best Flavor
When to harvest cilantro depends on what you want from the plant.
Here’s when to harvest cilantro leaves, stems, and seeds.
1. Harvest Cilantro Leaves Early in the Morning
The best time to harvest cilantro leaves is early in the morning.
Morning temperatures are cool, and the leaves are crisp and full of moisture.
If you harvest cilantro in the heat of the day, the leaves wilt faster.
2. Harvest Before the Plant Bolts
Cilantro bolts when the weather turns hot, sending up a tall flower stalk.
Once that happens, the leaves turn bitter and the plant focuses on making seeds.
So if you want tender leaves, harvest cilantro before you see that flower stalk appear.
3. Harvest Cilantro Stems and Leaves Together
You don’t have to harvest cilantro leaves one by one.
Snip whole stems and use the leaves and tender stems together.
This makes harvesting faster and gives you more cilantro in every cut.
4. Harvest Cilantro Seeds After Flowering
If your cilantro has already bolted, don’t panic.
You can harvest cilantro seeds, which are known as coriander.
Wait until the seeds turn brown, then cut the stalks and collect the seeds.
How to Keep Harvesting Cilantro Again and Again
If you want to harvest cilantro more than once, a little care goes a long way.
Here’s how to keep your cilantro producing after each harvest.
1. Water Before and After You Harvest Cilantro
Give your cilantro a drink before you harvest cilantro and again afterward.
Water helps the plant recover from the cut and push out new stems.
Just avoid soggy soil, because cilantro roots hate sitting in water.
2. Feed the Plant Lightly
After you harvest cilantro, a light dose of balanced fertilizer can help.
Don’t overdo it, though, because too much nitrogen makes cilantro grow fast and bolt early.
Feed lightly and let the plant do its thing.
3. Pinch Off Flower Buds
If you see flower buds forming, pinch them off right away.
This tells the cilantro to keep making leaves instead of seeds.
It’s one of the easiest ways to extend how long you can harvest cilantro.
4. succession Plant for a Longer Harvest
The smartest way to always have cilantro to harvest is to plant in succession.
Sow new seeds every two to three weeks so you always have fresh cilantro coming up.
That way, when one plant starts to bolt, another is ready for you to harvest cilantro from.
5. Store Your Harvest Cilantro Properly
Once you harvest cilantro, don’t just toss it on the counter.
Wrap the stems in a slightly damp paper towel and place them in a plastic bag.
Store that bag in the fridge, and your harvest cilantro will stay fresh for a week or more.
So, How Do You Harvest Cilantro?
You harvest cilantro by cutting the outer stems one to two inches above the soil, taking no more than a third of the plant at a time.
The best time to harvest cilantro is early in the morning, before the plant bolts and while the leaves are tender.
Water, feed lightly, pinch off flower buds, and plant in succession to keep harvesting cilantro all season long.
Whether you harvest cilantro leaves, stems, or seeds, a little care keeps your plant productive.
Now you know exactly how do you harvest cilantro, so grab those scissors and start snipping.