Coriander

[Frankie2008]

Hi, new poster here and a novice gardener.

I love coriander (I know a lot of people don't!), and found one which said it was suitable for growing in the UK. Well, it has been brilliant.

I staggered the growing and now have some 3 ft tall with flowerheads and am assuming these will turn to seed.

Can I harvest the seeds and use them next year?

Pics attached.

I have the same question! I have been thinking just wait and see if seed develops before the frosts, and try

Yes, you can.

You can also grow them from ordinary coriander spice seeds - a lot cheaper than buying a packet of seeds from the garden centre.

Yes you can harvest the seed.

@yamadori I might just try that. I am useless with the ones from a packet- although they say suitable for the U.K. mine always end up bolting. At least that way I save money and might get lucky.

@Frankie2008 seriously envious! That’s amazing, can I ask what seeds you used please? I planted some this year and it was pretty bad, stalks were all spindly ....

Mine are similarly flowering having produced an abundance of leaves through the summer. My seeds were from Chiltern Seeds.

[quote FlyingLoo]@Frankie2008 seriously envious! That’s amazing, can I ask what seeds you used please? I planted some this year and it was pretty bad, stalks were all spindly ....[/quote]
Seeds were Coriander Calypso from www.moreveg.co.uk.

You sow straight outdoors. Packet said to cut but always leave one set of leaves. That definitely worked as it went mad!

Also says you can grow in pots indoors for over winter and to dig up old plants ready for sowing next year. I'm going to try that also.

Re bolting, it was quite some time before that happened so I've had an abundance all Summer.

Something (I assume slugs or snails) kept obliterating mine, how did you keep yours 'safe'?

I grow mine in pots which have a large lip around the edge which bends down outwards iyswim. Seems to foil the slimy pests.

SardineJam - I have it in a raised bed as didn't want to be using any chemicals. Not had any pests on it, but a slug was eating my pak choi so I found him and fed him to birds!

If you keep pinching the tops out when they are small, it helps to stop them from bolting.

One single slug?!? Lucky you!! I examined my plants earlier - there are plump seeds developing 👍🤞👍

One slug created devastation in just 4 pak choi! I sprinkled cinammon around the base of the raised bed (I remembered my Dad doing this years ago). Not sure if it did the trick - ants were more of a problem.

I've been really happy with the produce from the raised bed. Red romaine, pak choi, beetroot and coriander were the most popular with friends. All taste so much better than shop bought and no waste.

I'm clearing another area to put in some extra raised beds for next year.

I wonder if the coriander seeds need to be dried out?

@Frankie2008 thanks so much, I will try again....

Just googled - you need to wait for the seed heads to turn brown on the plant, then cut them off and hang upside down in a paper bag. The seeds will fall into the bag when they're ready. Then they can apparently be eaten or down next year (or both if you've enough!

Yes I have seedlings just germinating from seeds harvested from my summer plants.

I have had no luck germinating spice seeds. I think some spices are irradiated to preserve them and that would prevent germination (not tried coriander but I blame irradiation for my zero percent success rate with fenugreek seeds)