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?

--
Abso [at] ukrm [dot] net - ignore header email address

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)

In article , "Abso" wrote:

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?


If it's the same thing that's called coriander in the US, it's a
biennial, like parsley. So it would be best to let it go to seed, if you
can get it to do so. Meanwhile harvest some leaves as long as they're
tender, but then stop when they get tougher.

cheers,

Marj

* * *
Marj Tiefert: http://www.mindspring.com/~mtiefert/
Mediterranean Garden Shop: http://stores.tiefert.com/garden/
In Sunset zone 14-mild

On 12/10/2003 at 19:25:12, Sacha typed:

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.
snip

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.

Thanks, I think I share your conclusion as after only a couple of days
it's looking decidedly wilted. Too much warmth and not enough light
here, I reckon (

--
Abso [at] ukrm [dot] net - ignore header email address

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 18:34:56 GMT, M. Tiefert wrote:

In article , "Abso" wrote:

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?


If it's the same thing that's called coriander in the US, it's a
biennial, like parsley. So it would be best to let it go to seed, if you
can get it to do so. Meanwhile harvest some leaves as long as they're
tender, but then stop when they get tougher.

Nah, it's an annual. I think it's known as cilantro in some parts of the
US. Maybe there's a biennal sort as well, but I've not come across one.

It does regrow a little bit if you cut it, to extend its usefulness.
Coriander likes it warm and moist, rather than hot.
You could leave some of yours to bolt and set seed, then use that as well,
but you'll have to do a bit of hand pollination then, I reckon.

Personally I'd use up what you have and plant some seeds from a shop for a
later crop if you have a mild, well-lit windowsill somewhere. It's pretty
easy to grow as ling as it's light, warm(or at least mild - it's growing
slowly here in around 4-16°C temps).

--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

The message m
from (M. Tiefert) contains these words:

If it's the same thing that's called coriander in the US, it's a
biennial, like parsley. So it would be best to let it go to seed, if you
can get it to do so. Meanwhile harvest some leaves as long as they're
tender, but then stop when they get tougher.

Buy a small bag of coriander seeds and in the early spring sow them
somewhere in the sun. They thrive.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

".........Buy a small bag of coriander seeds and in the early spring sow
them somewhere in the sun. They thrive ........"

Just remember that there are 2 main types of coriander, one which is grown
for it's leaves and the other grown for seed.
This latter one produces few leaves and runs to seed quickly, so don't be
tempted to buy Coriander "seed" in the hopes of getting a good crop of
foliage on the cheap.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 00:02:19 +0100, David Hill wrote:

".........Buy a small bag of coriander seeds and in the early spring sow
them somewhere in the sun. They thrive ........"

Just remember that there are 2 main types of coriander, one which is grown
for it's leaves and the other grown for seed.
This latter one produces few leaves and runs to seed quickly, so don't be
tempted to buy Coriander "seed" in the hopes of getting a good crop of
foliage on the cheap.

You're right, but the "seed" varieties also produce well enough for a
single kitchen. They tend to have more stem and the leaves are finer, but
they do just as well.
I normally plant that sort as they're easier to get here, and yes, they do
tend to bolt(but that's what they're bred for). Keeping them shaded and
well-watered, out of direct sunlight does help a bit.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

The message
from "David Hill" contains these
words:

Just remember that there are 2 main types of coriander, one which is grown
for it's leaves and the other grown for seed.
This latter one produces few leaves and runs to seed quickly, so don't be
tempted to buy Coriander "seed" in the hopes of getting a good crop of
foliage on the cheap.

But if you plant enough of it you get the best of both worlds....

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

On 13/10/2003 at 21:16:01, Jaques d'Altrades typed:

The message m
from (M. Tiefert) contains these words:

If it's the same thing that's called coriander in the US, it's a
biennial, like parsley. So it would be best to let it go to seed,
if you can get it to do so. Meanwhile harvest some leaves as long
as they're tender, but then stop when they get tougher.

Buy a small bag of coriander seeds and in the early spring sow them
somewhere in the sun. They thrive.

I wonder whether the coriander seed sold as a cooking ingredient (which
I've often dry roasted and ground) will germinate to produce plants?
No reason why not, I suppose. Perhaps I'll try it next spring.

--
Abso [at] ukrm [dot] net - ignore header email address

On 14 Oct 2003 19:11:19 GMT, Abso wrote:

On 13/10/2003 at 21:16:01, Jaques d'Altrades typed:

The message m
from (M. Tiefert) contains these words:

If it's the same thing that's called coriander in the US, it's a
biennial, like parsley. So it would be best to let it go to seed,
if you can get it to do so. Meanwhile harvest some leaves as long
as they're tender, but then stop when they get tougher.

Buy a small bag of coriander seeds and in the early spring sow them
somewhere in the sun. They thrive.

I wonder whether the coriander seed sold as a cooking ingredient (which
I've often dry roasted and ground) will germinate to produce plants?
No reason why not, I suppose. Perhaps I'll try it next spring.

It would depend on the manufacturer, wether they roast the seeds slightly
first, although I have tried this with great success - use the freshest you
can get, but the seeds seem to be able to germinate for a long time, at
least a couple of years.
They take a long tocome up, say around 2-4 weeks, so don't give up too
early. The warmer the better. Try it, what have you got to loose?

--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

The message
from "Abso" contains these words:

I wonder whether the coriander seed sold as a cooking ingredient (which
I've often dry roasted and ground) will germinate to produce plants?
No reason why not, I suppose. Perhaps I'll try it next spring.

Yes. I've used them for yearsandyearsandyears.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Jaques d'Altrades wrote:
The message m
from (M. Tiefert) contains these words:


If it's the same thing that's called coriander in the US, it's a
biennial, like parsley. So it would be best to let it go to seed, if you
can get it to do so. Meanwhile harvest some leaves as long as they're
tender, but then stop when they get tougher.


Buy a small bag of coriander seeds and in the early spring sow them
somewhere in the sun. They thrive.

Someone once warned me to pinch off any buds on stems I wanted to use
for their leaves. I was told the process of fruit production made the
leaves somewhat bitter. There was a very slight difference in the taste
of those leaves from stems with no buds and those without. Those stems
with fully-formed seed had rather bitter leaves, so I just used them for
seed to propagate more plants.

Sacha wrote:

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.
I don't know about you, but I find most of those pots purchased in a
super-market are so root bound they barely make it through a week.
There simply isn't enough soil for them to thrive. The only ones which
I've had survive were the ones I'd replanted immediately. I have one
sage plant in my home intensive care unit for plants. *Determined* am I
to get the poor thing to survive...just to prove I can! :-)

-
Al

The message
from The Hoopeses contains these words:

I don't know about you, but I find most of those pots purchased in a
super-market are so root bound they barely make it through a week.
There simply isn't enough soil for them to thrive. The only ones which
I've had survive were the ones I'd replanted immediately. I have one
sage plant in my home intensive care unit for plants. *Determined* am I
to get the poor thing to survive...just to prove I can! :-)

I used to work in a herb factory, and saved some stems of sage with the
beginnings of layered roots - now have a young sage forest.......

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm