Plant – Coriander/Cilantro

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I am growing coriander, also known as cilantro, in my herb garden this year. Coriander leaves can be used in the place of parsley, in fact, one of the names for this plant is Chinese parsley. I would love to include a beautiful photograph of the plant, but alas, it has already bolted to seed. No worries though, the seed is also a valuable aid to cooking. The seeds are crushed when used in cooking and give a light lemony flavor to the food they season. The seeds lose their flavor when ground, so store them whole until ready to use. They can be roasted to enhance their taste. It is also possible to grow coriander on a windowsill.

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I’m drying my coriander seeds, along with some radish seed pods, for a few days before I store them. I want to make sure they are completely dry to ensure they do not develop any sort of spoilage.

More information on coriander/cilantro can be found here:
Coriander/Cilantro

Planting and Projects – Upcycled Mini-Greenhouse

A month or two ago my son brought me several empty yogurt containers and clear lids. I was touched that he thought of me and took the time to clean each one. (Thanks to his sweet wife too, who probably cleaned quite a few too.) He correctly guessed that they would make a perfect nursery for sprouting seeds. I planted six varieties of herbs in them. Five of them have sprouted within a week: cress, thyme, cilantro, basil, marjoram…I’m only waiting on the parsley to sprout now. Upcycling trash into treasure is one of my favorite pastimes.