Coriander

Coriander is one of the most useful herbs you can grow. I use the leaves and roots for flavouring curries, stir fries and other hot dishes. The leaves are also chopped and put in salads. The seeds can be collected and dried for use as a spice.

I laugh internally when I see a coriander plant in a small pot in the garden centre. There's no need to pay the high prices asked for one plant, when you can grow tons of the stuff (fresh organic stuff too) for a pittance by sowing your own seed.

Some time ago, I was walking to my compost heap to discard the remaining contents of a packet of coriander seeds from my kitchen. The use by date had expired. As I walked past a bare patch of veggie garden, I decided to empty the packet there instead. All I did was make a shallow furrow with my finger and sprinkle the seeds along it. I then backfilled and gave it a sprinkle with the hose. Several months later we were still eating fresh coriander from the mass of plants that sprung up in that patch.

And that's exactly how I'll grow coriander from now on. I used to carefully place the seeds about 10cm apart. Not any more.

Coriander has only one drawback. It's sensitive and temperamental, and seems to go to seed with the slightest hint of neglect. Keep the soil damp and try not to disturb the roots with cultivation. Extreme temperatures seem to push coriander to seed.

As I've explained above, coriander can be sown in winter but most books I've read recommend that you sow seed in any other season bar winter. Still, as with most things to do with gardening, why not experiment. If you can get seeds to germinate in winter, then potentially you can have fresh coriander from your backyard all year round.