Growing Coriander, also Cilantro, Chinese parsley

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11 Mar 12 Sue (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have tried many times to grown coriander with no luck. I keep persevering because I like it so much. Every time I plant it, it goes to seed within a very short time without giving me a crop. Have asked the "experts" who give me various bits of advice i.e. not too much water, not too much sun etc etc. We get heavy frosts in my area. How can I stop this plant from going to seed?
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24 Mar 12 Matthew (Australia - temperate climate)
Coriander is one of those herbs that doesn't do well in the searing heats of summer, and I can imagine it is having the same effect from the intense cold as (despite what a plant label will say) it is obvious from looking at it that it has a very sensitive and paper-thin structure and it needs to be handled accordingly. I wouldn't bother growing it in a soil bed for personal use as (like Rocket or Lettuce) it is harvested immediately once grown and it can only go downhill once at the harvesting stage. During the heatwaves, I will bring it indoors to a stable room temperature and I'd probably do the same during times of frost. Most people wouldn't care to put the effort in, however if it is a really sought after herb, I reckon this is the best thing you can do for it. I don't know what your using to grow it in, but I saw better results for Coriander (and all other herbs) using a Terracotta pot with a small amount of gravel at the bottom to improve drainage, than I ever did in a plastic pot. I would imagine it would work better in the cold as the Terracotta would 'pull' the excess moisture out of the soil, though to compensate for the Terracotta, I would give 2 light waterings per day. The only other recommendations I can give are Premium Potting Mix, and the usual recommendation of fast and slow release fertilizers.
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12 Mar 12 kylie (Australia - temperate climate)
I feel your pain! AS far as I know it doesnt like to dry out - so you get a crop much better in Winter, and I'd give up in the summer! It does bolt very quickly. My best crops are in winter (i get frost too).
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