Skip to content
Garden Plot
Tools

Plan your beds

When to plant

What grows together

When to plant cilantro

Carrot family, Coriandrum sativum

Spacing
6″ apart
Per sq ft
4
To harvest
45–70 days
Frost
Light frost OK

Companion plants for cilantro

What to grow next to cilantro, what to keep away, and what is only tradition. Every pairing says how strong the evidence is.

Grow together 1

Helps, or shares the bed well.

Studied Field or lab research shows an effect, at least under some conditions.
Mixed Some studies find an effect, others don’t, or it only works in a narrow way.
Practical Explained by light, space, timing, support or a shared pest or disease.
Tradition Widely repeated, but with little or no evidence behind it.

See every pairing side by side in the companion planting chart, or try them in a bed with the garden planner.

When to plant cilantro by city

Sow cilantro outdoors from 2 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost. For a fall crop, sow 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost. Here is what that means for 2027 in cities across the US, using each city’s average frost dates (NOAA 1991–2020). Pick the city with the climate most like yours, or enter your ZIP code above.

City Last frost Sow outdoors Fall crop
Seattle, WA (9a) Mar 13 Feb 27 – Mar 20 Sep 22 – Oct 6
Portland, OR (8b) Feb 25 Feb 11 – Mar 4 Oct 6–20
Sacramento, CA (9b) Jan 12 Dec 29 – Jan 19 Oct 21 – Nov 4
Phoenix, AZ (10a) Jan 5 Dec 22 – Jan 12 Nov 8–22
Salt Lake City, UT (7b) Mar 31 Mar 17 – Apr 7 Sep 13–27
Denver, CO (6a) Apr 30 Apr 16 – May 7 Aug 17–31
Dallas, TX (8b) Mar 2 Feb 16 – Mar 9 Oct 4–18
Minneapolis, MN (5a) Apr 23 Apr 9–30 Aug 21 – Sep 4
Kansas City, MO (6b) Apr 4 Mar 21 – Apr 11 Sep 7–21
Chicago, IL (6b) Apr 10 Mar 27 – Apr 17 Sep 10–24
Columbus, OH (6b) Apr 20 Apr 6–27 Aug 29 – Sep 12
Nashville, TN (7b) Apr 1 Mar 18 – Apr 8 Sep 5–19
Atlanta, GA (8a) Mar 24 Mar 10–31 Sep 13–27
Raleigh, NC (8a) Mar 28 Mar 14 – Apr 4 Sep 13–27
Philadelphia, PA (7b) Mar 30 Mar 16 – Apr 6 Sep 22 – Oct 6
Boston, MA (7a) Apr 4 Mar 21 – Apr 11 Sep 14–28

In frost-free parts of Florida, southern California and the Gulf Coast, timing is about heat instead: grow cilantro from fall through winter.

Cilantro spacing

In a square-foot bed, plant 4 per square foot. In traditional rows, space plants about 6 inches apart with 12 inches between rows.

Bolts fast in heat. Sow every 3 weeks in spring and again in fall.

One square foot planted with cilantro, as drawn in the planner.

How to grow cilantro

Cilantro grows quickly in cool weather and bolts just as quickly when it turns warm, which is the main challenge. The trick is sowing small batches often in spring and again in fall. Plants that flower give coriander seed.

Sun and soil

Full sun, or light afternoon shade as weather warms. Well-drained soil with a pH of about 6.0–7.0. Keep it moist; dry, warm soil triggers bolting.

Planting

  1. Sow directly; cilantro has a taproot and dislikes transplanting.
  2. Sow ¼–½ inch deep from 2 weeks before to 1 week after the last frost, when soil is about 50°F.
  3. Thin to 6 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.
  4. Sow again every 3 weeks through spring, and 6–8 weeks before the first fall frost. In mild-winter areas, fall and winter are the best seasons.

Care

  • Water regularly and mulch to keep the soil cool.
  • Hold back on fertilizer; too much nitrogen weakens flavor.
  • Choose slow-bolting varieties for spring.
  • Let a few plants flower if you want coriander seed or plants that self-sow.

Harvest

Start cutting leaves when plants are 4–6 inches tall, taking no more than a third at a time. Once the flower stalk appears, the new leaves are thin and feathery. For coriander, let seed heads turn brown, then cut them into a paper bag to dry.

Common problems

  • Bolting: Warm weather, long days and dry soil push plants to flower. Sow in cool seasons, keep soil moist, and grow slow-bolting varieties.
  • Aphids: Clusters on stems and flowers. Spray off with water.
  • Aster yellows: Yellow, stunted, spindly plants, spread by leafhoppers. Pull infected plants.

Varieties to try

  • 'Santo' — slow to bolt, widely available
  • 'Leisure' — slow-bolting, good for spring
  • 'Calypso' — compact and very slow to bolt

Crop rotation

Cilantro belong to the carrot family (Apiaceae). Carrot rust fly and leaf blights carry over. Light feeders. Relatives that count as the same family for rotation: carrot, parsnip, celery, parsley, dill.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant cilantro?
Sow cilantro outdoors from 2 weeks before to 1 week after your last frost. For a fall crop, sow 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost. Type your ZIP code above for exact dates, or see the city table.
What grows well with cilantro?
Good neighbors for cilantro include spinach. Each one is listed above with the reason and how strong the evidence is.
How far apart should I plant cilantro?
In rows, space cilantro about 6 inches apart with rows 12 inches apart. In a square-foot bed, plant 4 per square foot.
How long do cilantro take to grow?
About 45–70 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on the variety and the weather.
Can cilantro handle frost?
Cilantro tolerate a light frost but not a hard freeze. Cover them if temperatures will drop into the mid-20s °F.

Sources

More free garden tools

Plan your beds

When to plant

What grows together