Cultivation of cilantro in a greenhouse: the right agricultural technology

A spicy herb grown for greens is called cilantro. If the plant is planted for the purpose of obtaining seeds, it will be called coriander. Cilantro feels great in the greenhouse, in the garden and on the windowsill. In greenhouses, the spice can be cultivated alone or as an intermediate plant, planted in the aisles of other crops. Growing cilantro in a greenhouse is possible with the organization of a competent heating system, additional lighting, and an irrigation system. It is advisable to use racks on which containers or pots are placed.

Cilantro - green mass, coriander - the fruits of the same plant.

Greenhouse benefits

Cultivation of cilantro (coriander) in a greenhouse has many advantages:

Cilantro can be harvested even in winter if heaters are installed;
under shelter, the greenery is protected from the invasion of slugs and other pests;
reduced vegetation period, two weeks pass from the moment of sowing seeds to cutting fresh herbs;
possibility of growing with other vegetable crops;
maintaining the required level of soil and air moisture;
opportunity to grow greens or fruits.

Seed Selection

The most popular varieties of cilantro for growing in a greenhouse today are:

Hybrid Caribe. A fragrant, one-year-old novelty with late shooting and resistance to low temperatures.
Amber. Fragrant plant. With systematic moderate watering, an accelerated formation of deciduous mass occurs, which is suitable for use for a long period due to the late formation of peduncles and seeds. The cut leaves are shown at a height of ten centimeters.
Borodinsky. The growing season is medium, the leaf is tender, it has excellent taste and aroma.
Incentive. Mid-late variety with a compact rosette up to 30 cm tall. Dark green glossy leaves form a mass on one plant at 40 g.
Venus. The variety is early, the greens are suitable for use a month after the emergence of shoots. It features a raised rosette with a unique smell and pleasant taste.
Alekseevsky 190. Not prone to shedding and lodging, frost-resistant, rarely attacked by pests.

Growing

Cilantro, sown directly in greenhouse soil, successfully germinates at a temperature not higher than + 20 ºC. If the crop is grown separately, sowing in rows is preferable. When sown to other vegetables, the seed material is scattered in a free place, without deepening. The soil should be loosened, moistened and lightly sprinkled with dry earth. This method significantly accelerates germination and shortens the growing season. With the advent of sprouts, the plants are thinned out, with the rejection of weak seedlings, at a distance of 6-8 cm. Sowing seeds is carried out year-round.

Insulated structures allow cilantro to be grown in winter - in January and February. On hot summer days, the growth of cilantro stops, the taste becomes inexpressive, and there is a risk of dropping peduncles.

The cutting of the leaf mass begins with the achievement of a growth of 15-20 cm, before the release of peduncles, which contribute to the coarsening of the greenery and the deterioration of taste. It is recommended to cut the cilantro in the morning with a sharp knife.After that, the soil is loosened and fertilized for subsequent overseeding of greenery.

Soil preparation

Growing cilantro in a greenhouse involves mixing the top layer of soil with sand and peat, and disinfecting with a solution of copper sulfate. Then humus is added. Avoid acidic soil. High yields are achieved with an annual change of soil in the greenhouse.

Planting seedlings

Cilantro seedlings in the greenhouse are planted at 8-12cm spacing with 30cm row spacing. This planting pattern simplifies maintenance and provides the bushes with enough space to develop effectively.

Temperature conditions

For successful germination in the greenhouse, cilantro seeds provide a moderate temperature: 18-20 ° C. With the advent of seedlings, the temperature regime may be increased.

Temperatures above +30 °C will significantly reduce the yield and quality of greens.

Irrigation

Optimal humidity when growing cilantro in an industrial greenhouse is maintained by installing an automatic drip irrigation system. Private traders use watering cans with a wide spray.

Bushes need to be watered abundantly twice a week with warm water. The intensity of watering should be increased during the period of formation of stems and growth of leaves. Mulching the soil with straw, sawdust, nutshells will allow you to water the plants less often. Mulch delays the evaporation of moisture from the soil, saves spice from weeds and warms the root system on cool days.

Fertilizers

Spice herbs love loose, generously fertilized soils.Top dressing is applied during the digging of the ridges. Mineral fertilizers containing superphosphate and potassium or rotted manure, wood ash are preferred. It is advisable to fertilize the soil after cutting the green mass, while watering, loosening the ground and removing weeds. The annual change of the top layer of soil to a new soil mixture is shown.

Diseases and pests

The most common fungal disease of cilantro (coriander) is ramulariasis. It can appear as brown spots during the growing season, affecting all organs of the plant and leading to its death. The cause of the disease is frequent rains and heavy dews. Preventive measures include dressing seed and getting rid of plant debris.

Sometimes the culture is affected by powdery mildew. To prevent this from happening, you need to follow the rules of crop rotation, dig the soil to a sufficient depth, destroy the remains of plants in the autumn.

Among the pests, it should be noted winter scoop, wireworm, striped and umbrella bugs and coriander seed-eater, causing damage to yields up to 80%.

Harvesting cilantro

Cilantro is a spice widely used in cooking as a seasoning for first courses and sauces. Pairs well with meat and fish.

Commercial height of green mass is 10-20 cm. Later cut is fraught with the beginning of flowering and coarsening of leaves. You can determine the harvest time by the rich green color of the greens. The cilantro cut early in the morning is washed with running water, dry stems, leaves, debris, insects are removed, dried with paper towels and tied into bundles. You need to hang spicy grass in the attic or in another dry room where direct sunlight does not fall, destroying vitamins and nutrients.

Proper drying of cilantro preserves minerals and vitamins, as well as flavor and aroma. Completely dried plants are crushed and placed in glass jars with hermetically sealed lids.

Greenhouse-grown cilantro can be a good financial aid. Young greens are readily bought up. You can start selling seasonings on your own or through shops and vegetable stalls. The size of the crop, and therefore the profit, largely depends on the area of the greenhouse.