Harvesting Cilantro Seeds

I just harvested coriander from my cilantro plant. I was pleasantly surprised by the abundant supply of coriander my small cilantro plant produced. "Cilantro" is an annual herb. The tender aromatic leaves are often used in the last stages of Mexican and Asian cooking. "Coriander" is the cilantro seed and it is also used in cooking. For example, I use ground coriander to flavor my meats and stews. I plan on using the bulk of my cilantro seeds for culinary purposes, but I will save a few to grow some more cilantro.

How to Harvest Coriander:
Harvesting coriander is simple and effortless. Your cilantro plant will eventually produce tiny white flowers with lavender accents (See Figure B below).

Once these flowers are pollinated, they will produce seeds (i.e., coriander) in its place (See Figure C below). Small flowers normally do not need help pollinating. However, if you are growing cilantro indoors, you will want to gently shake the cilantro plant or place it in a windy area to assist pollination. This will help the plant produce higher yields of coriander.

It took two to three weeks for my cilantro seeds to fully mature. You will want to pick the cilantro seeds when they are ripe. Cilantro seeds are ripe when the seeds are just starting to turn brown (See Figure C). Snip off the stems of plant, and place it in a paper bag. Allow the seeds to dry in a cool, dark place. After the seeds have dried out, collect the seeds and store them in a glass jar or other airtight container until you are ready to use them.




Figure A
Young Cilantro Plant



Figure B
Blooming Cilantro Flowers



Figure C
The round balls are cilantro seeds a.k.a. coriander

More Trash into Treasure: Diluted Brewed Coffee Fertilizer

I rarely drink coffee, but when I do I tend to make too much. I did a little research to find out what I could do with my left over coffee, and I learned you can turn brewed coffee into a fast-acting fertilizer by diluting the coffee with water.

The sites I visited suggested diluting the brewed coffee down to 1 part coffee to 4 parts water. I have been using a weaker solution (1:10 or 1:5 coffee-to-water ratio). I have about 1 to 2 cups of coffee left over so I just fill the coffee pot with water until it reaches the 10 cup mark, and use that to water my plants. Brewed coffee is acidic so I use this solution to water my acidic loving plants (e.g., blueberries, azaleas, hydrangea, roses, etc.).

I did not notice dramatic changes in my blueberries, but my 1 year old hydrangea noticeably perked up within a day after the first application.

Note: You should refrain from using this solution too often, especially if you use this on non-acidic loving plants.

Trash into Treasure: Coffee Fertilizer

If you drink coffee, save your used coffee grounds instead of throwing them away. Dried coffee grounds have essential nutrients that plants need for healthy development. Generally, used coffee grounds are composed of approximately 2.0% nitrogen (N), 0.4% phosphorous (P), and 0.7% potassium (K), but it also contains other beneficial trace elements. This natural fertilizer contains a good amount of nitrogen, which promotes lush, green growth in plants.

Some people may be concerned about the acidity of coffee affecting their soil pH balance, but unlike brewed coffee which is acidic, used coffee grounds are nearly neutral in pH (~6.9 pH). It appears that the brewing process strips away the acidity of the coffee grounds. Therefore, adding small quantities of used grounds to your soil should not dramatically change your soil's pH level.

My friend tells me her worms love this stuff so if you have a worm compost bin feed your worms your wet or dry used coffee grounds. I do not have a worm compost bin so I spread the dried used coffee grounds on the soil and work the grounds slightly beneath the surface. The plants will still get the nutrients, and the stowaway worms in my pots can enjoy a snack too.

I seldom drink coffee, but my coffee-loving friends are more than happy to give me their used coffee grounds. I have so much of it now that I give away extra used coffee grounds to other garden enthusiasts who have larger outdoor gardens.

Sources of Used Coffee Grounds:

• Your Home
• Your Office - Place a bag or jar beside the coffee machine and ask your co-workers to dump the used coffee grounds in the container.
  
• Friends or Neighbors
  
• Coffee Shops (See Starbucks as an Example)
  
• Starbucks gives away free used coffee grounds to its customers and local parks as a soil amendment through a program called "Grounds for Your Garden." To find out more about this program, visit Starbuck's website and look under about us > social responsibility > environmental affairs > store initiatives.