Cilantro: Spacing, Yield & Planting Dates
Plant count & yield calculator
Pre-filled for this crop — adjust bed size or pick a different vegetable.
Enter bed size to count plants.
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Seed starting dates
Pre-filled last frost — change the date to rebuild the full crop schedule. For Cilantro with this frost date , direct sow ~Mar 25 .
Pick a last frost date for the schedule.
Your result
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Show the math & assumptions
Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
About cilantro
Cilantro is an essential herb for salsas, curries, and Vietnamese cuisine, producing fresh leaves quickly in cool weather and coriander seed when it bolts.
Spacing & yield
Cilantro wants 6×9 inches and about 0.2 lb per plant at ~50 days to maturity.
Growing tips
- Direct sow every 2-3 weeks from early spring through fall for continuous leaf supply.
- Grow in partial shade during warm months to slow bolting by a week or two.
- Crush seeds gently before sowing to improve germination of the round seed capsules.
- Let some plants bolt to produce coriander seed for kitchen use and self-sowing.
Common mistakes
- Trying to grow cilantro in summer heat without shade — it bolts within days.
- Transplanting instead of direct sowing; cilantro has a taproot that resents disturbance.
- Sowing only once; cilantro has a very short leaf-production window per planting.
Harvest & storage
Cut stems at the base when plants are 6 inches tall, about 50 days from sowing for leaf harvest.
Stand stems in water at room temperature for a few days, or chop and freeze in oil.
Companion planting
Good neighbors for cilantro: tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas. Avoid planting beside: fennel, lavender.
Planting calendar
Direct sow about 3 weeks before your last spring frost. Use the seed-starting calculator above with your real county frost date — the April 15 default is only a worked example (zone 6 style).
Estimates only — consult your local extension office for advice specific to your land and animals.
Frequently asked questions
- How far apart should cilantro be planted?
- Sow 6 inches apart in rows 9 inches apart for full leaf production; closer for microgreens.
- How much does one cilantro plant produce?
- Each plant yields about 0.2 lb of leaves before inevitably bolting to seed.
- How fast does cilantro grow?
- Leaves are harvestable in about 50 days; the bolt-to-seed cycle completes in 80-90 days total.