View Single Post
  #2   Report Post  
Old 12-10-2003, 07:22 PM
Sacha
 
Posts: n/a
Default Growing coriander

in article , Abso at wrote on
12/10/03 6:58 pm:

I've bought a small pot of coriander plants from Sainsburys, the type
that comes pre-potted and growing, designed primarily for use as an
ingredient.

What I'm not sure of is whether this just constitutes a handy way of
keeping the herb fresh until needed, or if I can actually get them to
regenerate to give me a continous supply.

If the latter, what is the best way of harvesting in order to encourage
future re-growth? is it better to just pick the leaves off the plant
or to nip the entire stem including leaves, leaving a short stub above
the compost level?


This isn't a good time of year to be doing the regeneration thing unless you
can provide high sun levels, warmth and very free draining soil or compost.
Herbs need all those - that's why they're herbaceous and (mostly) disappear
in winter. The exceptions are the woody herbs like some Rosemary, some
Lavender, some Thymes, Bay. My experience of those super-market plants is
that they seem to have a sort of built-in obsolescence! I suspect that
they're raised - or forced - quickly under artificial conditions and that
the 'real world' proves to be too much for them.
--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)