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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Garden Manager on August 27, 2006, 10:11:59

Title: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: Garden Manager on August 27, 2006, 10:11:59
I have grown coriander for the first time this year. It ran to flower quickly in the summer heatwaves, but i understand you can harvest and use its seeds as a crop. My plants are now going to seed and some are starting to ripen, so I was wondering how best to harvest the seed. I dont want them all falling to the ground and growing again!

Thanks
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: calendula on August 27, 2006, 11:27:24
I usually take mine when they are still green and quite hard but you can leave them longer than this but they can tend to fall off and its just easier cutting them off before then - they then need drying off and will look like the original seeds you used
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: Tora on August 27, 2006, 20:12:39
I always save seeds from coriander plants. Mine tend to stay on the plants quite well, so I leave them to go brown before I harvest them. Even then I have to pull them off the plants.
The varieties I grow are Santo and Leisure.
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: Garden Manager on August 28, 2006, 09:47:08
Thanks.

Would it be an idea to cut the seed heads off the coriander. and hang them upside down in a paper bag to dry?

Once I have collected the seed what do i do about storing them for future use?
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: Grant on August 29, 2006, 09:00:37
Keep well in a dry and clean jar like empty jam jar.  Bet you still find next year some plants popping up from seeds you missed.
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: Tora on August 29, 2006, 09:26:11
Yes, they keep well if kept cool and dry.

It is a good idea to cut the seed heads and hang them upside down in a paper bag. :)

If you keep doing this every year you won't need to buy coriander seeds again! ;D
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: Garden Manager on August 29, 2006, 09:40:13
Thanks for replies.

Strange, not long after posting that reply I saw an old Gardeners World from 1997 on satelite tv. Bob Flowerdew was on it telling us about edible seeds, coriander beiong one of them. He basicaly told veiwers the same as you lot have - hang them up to dry in a paper bag and they will keep for ages. What he didnt realy day was how to store them after you had dried them off and separated them fron the plant.
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: greyhound on August 29, 2006, 10:01:36
That's typical of GW, they never finish a story.
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: jennym on August 29, 2006, 13:15:21
Like Grant, keep mine in a jar after they've dried out, they seem to keep ok.
Title: Re: Harvesting Coriander Seeds
Post by: calendula on August 29, 2006, 13:19:26
they can be kept well if you grind them to a powder as well (culinary purposes unless you are planning on sowing them again)