Coriander(Coriandrum sativum) is an aromatic annual plant that has been cultivated by humans for over 3,000 years. Thehealing properties of corianderare highly valued, but its unusual taste and aroma madecorianderalso used in cooking and cosmetics. We suggest whatcultivating corianderin the garden looks like, as well as when it is worth using this herb and how to take full advantage of its properties.
Coriander - Coriandrum sativum
Fig. pixabay.com
What does coriander look like?
Coriander is an annual plantwith a straight, branched stem, growing up to a height of 50 to 120 cm, depending on the variety.
Coriander produces 2 types of leaves :
- the lower leaves of the corianderare single, long-tailed, lobed, with wide sepals, resembling parsley leaves,
- the upper leaves of corianderare doubly pinnate, with equilibrium sepals, similar to dill leaves, with a strong odor.
Tiny,white or pink coriander flowersbloom in umbel at the tops of shoots from June to July. The fruits are spherical, split-ribbed, consisting of two achenes.
Coriander - healing properties
The herbal raw material is the fruit of coriander , which is mainly used to obtain coriander oil.Fruits contain essential oil, coumarin compounds, flavonoids, phytosterols and protein compounds. Good quality raw material is light brown in color and has an intense spicy aroma and flavor.
White flowers of coriander
Fig. pixabay.com
Coriander fruit is usedas a gastric relaxant and stimulant. Restores normal intestinal worm movements, which allows the free flow of gases and relieves gas.Coriander oil is also bactericidal , which helps to restore the natural intestinal flora in the digestive tract. In medicinecoriander fruits are most often usedin mixtures with other herbs as a means of alleviating digestive and anorexic ailments.
Fruits of coriander
Fig. pixabay.com
Coriander seed - use
1. Coriander in the kitchen
In the kitchenthe leaves, seeds and fruits of coriander have been usedThe leaves and ripe seeds of coriander have completely different flavors. The seeds are characterized by a warm aroma, they give excellent flavor to vegetables (especially fried ones), as well as soups and cookies. Coriander fruit is also a spice added to some types of bread, cakes and cold meats. In powdered form, they are part of the more popular curry mix.The use of coriander can also be found in the spirit industryin the production of some vodkas and liqueurs.
Coriander leaves: A - upper leaves, B - lower leaves
Fig. pixabay.com
Fresh lower coriander leavesare added to stews, salads and sauces, the stems can be cooked with peas and soups, and the roots are served as vegetables.
Coriander fruit added to teaor another drink will aid digestion and have a slight calming effect.
2. Coriander in cosmetics
Pure coriander oilis a component of many mouth and throat rinses and products used in certain skin diseases, especially bacterial and fungal diseases, as well as in difficult-to-heal wounds and burns. Coriander oil is an important ingredient in many ointments that help with rheumatic diseases, muscle and joint pain. Coriander oil has a sweet scent, you can mix it with bergamot, lemon, orange or cypress oil.
Roots of coriander
Fig. Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
3. Coriander seed at home as a fragrant decoration
Dried coriander leavescan also be used for potpourri, which are dried plant mixtures that smell beautifully. Pour the preparedmixture with corianderinto a decorative vessel and place it in the apartment.
4. Coriander as a company for the potato
In the garden,coriander should be sown next to the potatoes , as the compounds secreted by the coriander have a positive effect on the taste of the obtained potato tubers. And in the herb gardengood company for corianderis rosemary and garden chervil.
Coriander - cultivation
Coriander requires sunny and sheltered positions . It has no special soil requirements, and it grows badly only in wet, cold and acidic soils.The pH of the soil for coriander cultivation should be 6.5-7.0 .
If the soil pH is too low, the soil should be limed with the use of calcium fertilizers, e.g. Dolomit, a calcium-magnesium fertilizer recommended for gardens.Organic fertilization is also recommended prior to planting corianderCompost is ideal here, which will not only enrich the soil with minerals but also fertilize it and enrich it with humus.
About 1-2 weeks before sowing coriander seeds, it is recommended to fertilize with phosphorus and potassiumNatural bas alt flour is perfect for this purpose, which additionally slightly deacidifies the soil, which helps to preserve beneficial pH for coriander.The soil for the coriander can also be enriched with manurebut this should be used in the year preceding the sowing of the coriander seeds. In amateur crops in gardens, we can use granulated dried manure available in garden stores, which is free from pathogenic microorganisms and weed seeds.
While discussingfertilizing corianderit is worth adding that nitrogen over-fertilization is very dangerous for this plant.Excessive doses of nitrogen make coriander easily susceptible to fungal diseasesTherefore, to prepare the soil for coriander, we recommend natural compost (minerals release from it very slowly and does not pose a risk of over-fertilization) and the above-mentioned bas alt flour, which is a nitrogen-free fertilizer. Fertilize the corianderusing natural vermicompost. It is a liquid fertilizer that is diluted with water and watered the plants with it.
Coriander seeds are sown directly into the ground , as early as possible (March - April) in moist but reasonably warm soil. Sowing should not be delayed as the time influences the later quality of the fruit. The sunrises appear after 2-3 weeks.
Young coriander seedlings
Fig. pixabay.com
Coriander needs a relatively large amount of water from the germination stage to the formation of the leaf rosette and is resistant to low temperatures. Thereforewatering coriander in the first stage of its development is extremely importantIn the later stage of growth, coriander requires much higher temperatures and low humidity. For this reason, , warm and dry summers are better for growing coriander
When growing coriander, it is very important to regularly remove the weeds that grow between the plants.
Good to know!
If we do not care about obtaining fruits and seeds of coriander, but we only want to have its leaves, it is worth removing the emerging inflorescences that slow down the development of leaves.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
Coriander - harvest and storage
Coriander fruits are harvested just before their full maturity stageie when about 1/3 of the umbels are completely ripe. During this period, the coriander fruits are light brown in color. Even a slight delay in the harvest date causes the seeds to fall off easily.
Coriander fruits need to be drained and cleaned before storage . In order to dry them, they are spread out in a thin layer in a ventilated room at a temperature of 15-18 ° C.
Young coriander leaves can be harvested at any time of the year . We can freeze the leaves or put the cut stems in a vessel with water and eat them on a regular basis. It is very similar to the leaves of leaf parsley.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
