How to Grow Cilantro Microgreens

If you love gardening and are thinking of what you should plant next then here’s a suggestion, make your garden look exquisite by adding microgreen cilantro to it. These little bundles of nutrients can make your food healthy without having to pay a high cost. Most microgreens can easily be grown at home, but if you want to grow cilantro microgreens, just know they have a relatively slow-growth rate as compared to other microgreens. 

Cilantro vs. Microgreen Cilantro

You must be wondering about the difference between just cilantro and microgreen cilantro, well the difference can easily be detected by looking at the harvest time. Both of these are harvested a bit differently and that is what makes them different. Aside from this, cilantro microgreens are considered to be far healthier than full-grown cilantro. In this guide, we will be focusing on how you can easily and successfully grow cilantro microgreens by following few simple steps. 

How to Grow Cilantro Microgreens

Even though growing these Cilantro microgreens is easy but you would still need some necessary equipment that would aid you in planting the microgreens. (See complete list below) The very basic thing you need to know is that you will need to buy plant-growing trays, you can get these from a local store or order them online. Next, you need to find the Espoma seed starting mix, this mix ensures that the plant gets the right nutrients and will ensure moisture retention.

Aside from this, you will need some coconut coir for the healthy growth of the microgreens. Lastly, you will need to buy an agrobite T5 fluorescent light which will ensure that maximum light is being provided to cilantro microgreens so they can grow healthy. The seeds for the cilantro microgreen need to be evenly distributed in a shallow planting tray. Moreover, cilantro microgreens require a consistent supply of light therefore ensure that the tray is placed closed to the light. 

Soaking Cilantro Microgreen Seeds

Many people prefer to soak the seeds of the microgreens as it helps to speed up the germination process, but it is not evident that it will make the seeds grow faster. However, if you are soaking the seeds then place the seeds bowl full of clean water for about 13-24 hours. After this, you plant the seeds right away. An alternative to soaking the seeds is putting the seeds in a plastic bag and crushing the seeds, both these techniques will have the same effect. 

Planting Cilantro Microgreens

Make sure not to rush into things and be patient, before you start planting the seeds you would need to prepare the tray for growing the cilantro microgreens. Fill the tray with damp soil and ensure that it is smooth and evenly spread. Spread the seeds across the entire surface of the soil and try to spread them as close as possible, avoid overlapping the seeds as it can halt the growth process. Since cilantro microgreens are longer and they develop more leaves, they need more space for their growth as compared to other microgreens.

You do not need to cover the seeds with soil just leave them as it is, give the seeds and a soil a little spray of water and cover the entire tray. Ensure that the cover is able to block out all the sunlight so the seeds are able to germinate. The ideal temperature for the germination of these microgreens is about 70° F. Usually cilantro microgreens seeds germinate within 3-6 days, if the germination process does not start that means something went wrong. 

Growing

Once the seeds have germinated and the sprouts are starting to push up the tray cover you need to start the next step which growing these little ones. Start by removing the tray and now is the time that you start using the grow light. The grow light will trigger the photosynthesis process and the cilantro microgreens will be one step closer to the harvesting stage. The seed sprouts and leaves will be white initially due to the lack of light however they will quickly turn to green upon exposure to proper light. Mold can start growing due to the dark and wet environment, therefore ensure that the soil is as dry as possible.

You can avoid mold with the technique of bottom watering. Fill a dish with water and set the tray on top of it. The soil mix will soak up the water and will keep the sprouts dry. As the cilantro microgreens start to grow the weight of the tray will increase. You can use the weight to determine if the soil medium needs more water. During the growth stage, some of the cilantro microgreens will start pushing the seed hull upwards with the leaves, you can solve this issue by lightly brushing your palm across the top of the cilantro microgreens to remove the leaves.

When to Harvest Cilantro Microgreens

After 10-20 days the cilantro microgreen will be ready for harvesting. This will happen when the cotyledon leaves will be open and green, and the true leaves start coming out. During this time cilantro microgreens will have maximum nutrition and flavor. Notice that the greens will be an inch or taller from root to leaf. Stop watering the cilantro microgreens at least 12 hours before the harvesting process. This will ensure that there is no extra moisture left and therefore you can store the cilantro microgreens. 

Equipment Needed for Growing Cilantro Microgreens

Cilantro Microgreen Seeds

Growing Trays

Epsoma Mix

Coconut Coir

Grow Light

Grow Cilantro Microgreens – Conclusion

Cilantro microgreens are totally worth the effort. Now that you understand how to grow them, we have to share that there are microgreen starter kits to make it easy. If you enjoy cooking with cilantro then growing cilantro microgreens will be even more fun. These little bundles of nutrition add a very clean and sophisticated look to your food. Moreover, as microgreens do not take up much space you can even grow cilantro microgreens in your kitchen. This way your kitchen will have a very beautiful green element to it. The plant freshens up your dishes and also adds a nice vibe to the kitchen.