Easy to grow and great in Indian and Thai cooking.

How to grow 
Coriander doesn’t like being moved, so it’s best sown where you want it to grow, either in the ground or in large pots. Sow in late spring or early summer.

In August sow some more in pots on the windowsill for a supply during autumn and winter. Coriander is annoyingly quick to flower and set seed before it has produced much leaf, so it’s best to sow little and often. Watch out for fine, feathery leaves – a sure sign the plants are about to flower.

How to care for coriander
Well-drained soil in a sunny spot is essential. If you’re growing it indoors on a windowsill, give it plenty of light and don’t over water.

How to harvest 
Keep picking mature leaves as and when you need them. Regular cropping should delay flowering. Once the plants do flower, allow them to set seed. The seed is ripe when it stops smelling unpleasant. Collect it and use in cooking, keeping some to sow for another crop.

Recommended varieties

If you want the leaves choose ‘Cilantro’ and ‘Leisure’, which are slow to form seeds. If it’s seed you’re after, go for Moroccan coriander.