Coriander a.k.a. Cilantro
Cilantro is one of those spices that seems to be all or nothing. People generally love it, and can’t get enough of it, or they can’t stand it at all. To a certain extent, that could be said about many things, but in the case of cilantro, your genetics may have something to do with it.
The fresh greens of the cilantro plant are used in many foods and recently have become popular in salsas. The seeds, which are better known as Coriander, are also used in many recipes.
Even if you are a cilantro hater, as a companion plant, cilantro attracts beneficial insects that feed on other bugs as well as repelling some pests. That’s reason enough to put it in your garden, plus you’re bound to be able to find someone who loves it. For those lovers of all things cilantro, to produce a lush plant, grow it near peas and beans. The nitrogen is well appreciated.
Personally, I don’t love cilantro, so adding it to my garden hasn’t been a priority. But I have enough people around me that do love it, which makes growing cilantro worth it to me. It grows relatively easily and doesn’t take up all that much space, so I sneak it in somewhere. Since it germinates slowly, be patient when starting from seed.
Until next time, grow on!
Jeanne
