Cilantro Santo is also known as Coriandrum sativum, Vietnamese Cilantro, and Mediterranean Cilantro. This annual herb is native to parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia, dating back to ancient times, with culinary applications in many cuisines from Asian and Caribbean to Mexican salsas and soups. This standard Cilantro variety offers edible stems, leaves, and flowers with a mild, citrusy flavor. This plant tolerates heat and is slow to bolt compared to other cultivars, making it well-suited to warm climates. It flourishes in full or partial sun with an upright habit of 12-24" tall. Grow a versatile, diverse offering of herbs for your customer's garden by adding Cilantro Santo seedling plugs to your program.
Cilantro Santo Selling Tips
Sell Cilantro Santo to customers looking for a low-maintenance herb or a heat-tolerant Cilantro for the garden or a container. This plant is compact and slow to bolt, packing a mild, citrusy Cilantro flavor into an entirely edible plant. Customers appreciate access to healthy, established seedlings to jumpstart herb and vegetable gardens in the spring. Cilantro flourishes in containers and excels in many culinary applications, from salsa and guacamole to soup and Asian cuisine. Create a healthy and flavorful garden by pairing Cilantro Santo with Chives, Dill, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, and Parsley.
Coach Your Customer
1. This plant grows best in soil rich in organic matter. Prepare the soil by adding compost or well-rotted manure. Space seedling plugs 6-8" apart in the ground or 4-6" in containers in well-drained soil in full or partial sun.
2. Water regularly. Don't allow the soil to dry out or be waterlogged.
3. Apply balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.
4. Once Cilantro bolts, the leaves become bitter. Prevent bolting by harvesting the herb regularly and pinching off the outer leaves at the base of the stem. This cultivar is slow to bolt but continues to produce new foliage as you harvest it.
5. Watch out for aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies.
6. Remove plants at the end of the growing season.
7. Use this bright, flavorful herb to garnish dishes, flavor dressings or marinades, and season a variety of cuisines. Store leaves in a paper towel in the refrigerator or freeze Cilantro chopped and mixed with oil or water to use later.
General Growing Tips For Your Seedling Tray
For best results with Cilantro Santo, plant one seedling plug per 4-inch or two to three per 10-inch container. Use well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0, EC of 1.0-2.0 mS/cm, temperatures of 65-75 daytime and 55-65 nighttime, and moderate, balanced feed (150-200 ppm N). We don't recommend using PGRs on herbs or vegetables, but pinch this plant as needed to encourage bushy growth. Watch for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, damping-off, powdery mildew, and bacterial leaf spot.
Flowering
Small white flowers bloom when the plant bolts. Harvest regularly and pinch flowers off to encourage continued edible growth. This cultivar is slow to bolt even in the summer heat.
Pinching
Pinch if needed to discourage legginess and promote branching.
Spacing
Space containers for adequate airflow and sunlight penetration around the base and foliage of each plant. We recommend 6-8" between 4-inch containers. In 10-inch containers, space seedlings 4-6" apart and containers 6-8" apart.
Height Control
We don't recommend using chemical growth regulators for herb and vegetable plants. Instead, prevent leggy growth and encourage bushy, well-branched plants with proper cultural practices.
1. Pinch the plant as needed, removing 1-2" growth from the top.
2. Space seedling plugs and containers for adequate airflow and sunlight penetration so each plant can receive the water, nutrients, and air it needs.
3. Use proper temperatures, lighting, and fertilizer to meet the needs of Cilantro Santo. Too much or too little heat, light, and feed can cause the plant to wilt or grow too fast.
Pests
Scout for Aphids, Spider Mites, and Whiteflies on Cilantro Santo seedling plugs in your commercial greenhouse. Address signs of an infestation immediately and implement an Integrated Pest Management system to prevent irrevocable damage from pests and diseases to your crops.
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that cause damage by sucking sap from plant tissue. They reproduce quickly and are particularly attracted to young growth. Curling and yellowed leaves, stunted growth, and stickiness on leaves are signs of an infestation. These insects also spread diseases and reproduce rapidly. Use biological controls or horticultural oils to discourage and kill aphids.
Spider Mites are tiny pests that cause stippling, yellowing, and webbing on foliage by feeding on plant sap. They flourish in warm, dry environments. Use correct water and fertilizing practices; over-fertilizing can attract spider mites. Proper humidity levels, predatory mites or ladybugs, and insecticidal soaps or oils may prevent or address a spider mite infestation.
Whiteflies are small, winged insects that eat plant sap and cause yellowed leaves and stunted growth. Severe infestations can lead to plants dying. Prevent infestations by sanitizing surfaces and tools and removing debris. Introduce natural predators and use sticky traps to control populations. Insecticidal soaps and oils are also effective against this pest.
Disease
Watch for signs of Damping-off, Powdery Mildew, and Bacterial Leaf Spot on your seedling plugs.
Bacterial Leaf Spot results from a bacterial pathogen and causes water-soaked yellow or brown lesions on foliage. These may merge and cause leaves to turn yellow and drop. Prevent bacterial leaf spot by practicing sanitation and hygiene, watering at the base of each plant, and space plants for adequate circulation and light penetration. At the first signs of infection, remove the affected leaves and treat the remaining plants with a copper-based fungicide like hydroxide, sulfate, oxychloride, or octanoate. Use fungicides carefully according to the label's instructions, and be aware that applying copper-based fungicides at high rates or during hot, dry weather can lead to phytotoxicity.
Damping-off is caused by soil-borne fungi and typically affects the stems at the soil line causing wilted, yellowed, and collapsed stems. Prevent damping off with well-draining soil that dries slightly between waterings, sterilized media and containers, and adequate spacing and circulation. If damping off does occur, remove affected plants and treat the remaining plants with a fungicide. Choose a treatment option based on the pathogen, often Pythium or Rhizoctonia, which respond to products with active ingredients abamectin, spinosad, or imidacloprid.
Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease that thrives in humid conditions, appearing as a white or gray coating on foliage and flowers. Provide good airflow in your greenhouse. We recommend horizontal airflow fans to help control humidity levels alongside a dehumidifier or manual venting. Remove and destroy infected plants and apply fungicides as needed or preventatively. Look for the active ingredients myclobutanil, trifloxystrobin, or potassium bicarbonate to combat Powdery Mildew threatening your seedling plugs.
Planting Cilantro Santo Liners
We recommend planting one seedling plug per 4-inch or two to three per 10-inch container. Use well-drained soil and completely bury the ellepot centered or evenly spaced in the container. Water after transplanting.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
Cilantro Santo Quick Reference Guide
Tray Size: 288
4 Inch crop time
10 Inch crop time
| 3-5 Weeks
3-5 Weeks |
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| Bloom Period | Summer |
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| Habit | Upright |
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| Height | 12-24 Inches |
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| Light | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
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| Minimum Temp | 55 |
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| Water Needs | Moderate |
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| Patented Plant | No |
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