Coriander – leaf selection

This is another herb we always, always grow so that it is fresh to hand when cooking. It is really easy and we sow short rows regularly throughout the season in the greenhouse or garden. It takes up very little space for the large amount of pleasure it adds to our meals. If you want to grow coriander for the fresh leaves (rather than for seed), it is important to grow a variety selected for this purpose – like this strain which is slower to flower, and produces nice bushy plants. Keep well watered and pick very frequently to maximise production, and make two or three sowings at monthly intervals to make sure you always have fresh leaves to pick.

Grows well outdoors from late spring through into summer. You can extend the season by sowing under fleece or (ideally) in a polytunnel in early spring or in autumn and then you can have fresh coriander almost all year round.