Growing Cilantro in NC

"I got a cilantro plant, replanted it, I got one good cutting from it, and then it started flowering, and I couldn't use it anymore. What did I do wrong?"

At the farmers market, I would say that this is by far one of the most common questions I get asked by booth visitors. Here's typically my answer, especially in July and August:

"You live in North Carolina." Period.

Yep. Contrary to what many believe, cilantro is not a plant that thrives in heat and humidity. It's definitely a cool weather plant -- which I've always thought is one of ironies of life, because I tend to use it more in the middle of summer, when it's growing poorly. It really doesn't dry well, either, so it's not like you can dry it and use it later (though you can ground up its seeds into a powder, whcih is coriander, but it's just not the same!).

A note here: Something many people don't know is that if you buy the plant and don't grow it from seed, remember that you MUST replant it when the plant is pretty small in the pot -- if it's even slightly overgrown, it will bolt almost immediately when you replant it and disturb its roots. This is something that many plant retailers won't tell you!

Unfortunately, chefs like to use it in the summer, too, and I have a really tough time trying to grow it for them. No matter what I've tried, I haven't been able to do it well in August. I'll put out rows of seed, the plants will come up more slowly, and then when they're just inches tall, BAM! Ferny leaves and flowers, no matter what I do -- whether in part shade, shade, or a breezy spot. So, unless I reseed every 2-3 weeks (which is a LOT of seed), I'm out of luck.

Right now is a GREAT time to grow some cilantro. I put down seed after the humidity passes -- usually in mid-August, though I didn't this year because of the brutal 3+ weeks of temperatures over 100 degrees. So I waited until September this year -- last week, to be specific! But in mid-October, I should have some really nice, lush cilantro. And with some minor pampering (such as covering it with Agribon -- or a thin sheet -- when night temperatures go below 40, which shouldn't be many), the plants will produce leaves nicely through December. Then I'll put out seeds again for early March (and grow the plants in the greenhouses for the winter).

Another option is to try culantro, or Mexican cilantro, which is better fitted for our hot, humid summers, as long as you plant it in part shade. The plant actually looks very different from cilantro (it's not quite as attractive), but they smell and taste the same, which is what matters! Also, culantro is a bienniel, so you'll at least get it back next year (vs. cilantro, which is an annual, though readily self-seeds). Just another option for consideration!

So, sorry. I don't have any brilliant answers, except don't be so hard on yourself! When it comes down to it, we sometimes forget plants are living things, and like all other living things, they only thrive where/when they have biologically developed to do so. So, try to work with the plants' natural cycles, and you should get optimal results.