Coriander Failing From Seed and Red CloverTea Making
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Sheila
Posted on: May 27, 2007

I love the taste of cilantro (coriander) and I have tried and tried unsuccessfully to grow it from seed, what am I doing wrong ?

[If you are using coriander seeds from the spice rack that could be your problem because seeds from the spice rack rarely germinate because they are not handled with the care needed for seeding purposes. --Ed.]

Coriander seed must be kept cool to germinate successfully. Remember the plant is very short-lived and you should re-sow every two weeks.

If all this re-sowing is too much for you, try the very similar-tasting Vietnamese coriander. It is a tender perennial that likes constantly wet soil. It’s taste is more resistant to heat and many chefs prefer it to the annual type.

Another choice is the tender perennial Mexican coriander. This plant is a thistle and you have to cut off the spines from the edges of the leaves before chopping them for use. This plant does not like to be too wet and needs full sun.

Red Clover: Is the kind you use for tea, the same as the beautiful fields of red clover I see growing on the sides of the roads every where at this time of year ? And is the tea made from the flowers at the top?

Yes to both questions.

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