Growing coriander
Coriandrum sativum · also called DhaniyaA quick cool season herb sown direct for its green leaves, which are cut or pulled young. Left to flower, the same plants give dhaniya seed.
South interior: Bengaluru, Mysuru, interior Tamil Nadu
At a glance
Coriander in the South interior
Across India
When to sow it
Twelve growing regions, January to December. Your region comes first.
Sow now
The window here is October to November.
- Sow
- Harvest
- Under cover
- Today
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See the dates as a table
| Region | Sow | Nursery | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South interior | June to JulyOctober to November | |||
| Temperate Himalaya | April to early August | Mid-May to early October | ||
| Cold desert | May to early July | Mid-June to early September | ||
| Sub-tropical foothills | Last week of October | |||
| North-west plains | First week of OctoberLast week of October to first week of NovemberLater sowings, up to the last week of DecemberUnder cover: March to April, under shade net | End of April | ||
| Gangetic plains | First half of OctoberMid-October to first week of NovemberUnder cover: March to April, under shade net | |||
| North-east hills and valleys | October to November | Mid-November to February | ||
| Arid west | Mid-October to mid-NovemberLast week of October to first half of NovemberUnder cover: March to April, under shade net | |||
| Central plateau | Mid-October to mid-NovemberUnder cover: March to April, under shade net | |||
| Deccan plateau | Mid-October to NovemberUnder cover: March to April, under shade net | |||
| West coast | Last week of October to first half of NovemberUnder cover: October to December, under a rain shelter | |||
| East coast | June to JulyOctober to NovemberFirst half of November |
From seed to harvest
One season, day by day
Days from sowing
Before sowing
Before the last ploughing
Farmyard manure
10 t per hectare
Apply as a basal dose for both rainfed and irrigated crops.
Day 0
Sow
Before sowing
Farmyard manure3
10 t per hectare · Apply as a basal dose for both rainfed and irrigated crops. · Before the last ploughing
Day 0
Sow
Day 7 to 20
Seeds come up1,2,3,4,5Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Day 30 to 40
First picking3
Day 30 to 110
Last picking3Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
On irrigated land, water straight after sowing and again on the third day, then every 7 to 10 days.3
What it needs
Soil, sun and warmth
Soil pH1,3,4
6 to 8
Grows on a wide range of soils. Well drained sandy loam or loam rich in organic matter suits an irrigated crop; a rainfed crop on stored moisture does well on black or heavy clay soil. Saline, alkaline and sandy soils do not suit it.
SunlightNo published guide covers this for the South interior, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
At least 5 hours a day
Full sun in the cool months. In warm weather, light afternoon shade keeps the leaves tender and slows bolting.
Temperature3Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Grows best at 20 to 25 °C
Takes light frost.
Monthly temperatures for the South interior aren't in the library yet.
Water and feeding
Watering3
On irrigated land, water straight after sowing and again on the third day, then every 7 to 10 days.
Weeding3
Thin to two plants a hill about 30 days after sowing and weed as needed.
| When | What | How much | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the last ploughing | Farmyard manure | 10 t per hectare | Apply as a basal dose for both rainfed and irrigated crops. |
Varieties and yield
6 to 7 tonnes a hectare
Yields vary with the plot, the seed and the season.
CO (CR) 4
Co 3
Dual purpose; rabi or kharif, rainfed or irrigated.
Co 2
Dual purpose, tolerates drought.
Co 1
Organic and cultural controls only.
Coriander aphid (Hyadaphis coriandri)
Signs
Colonies on leaves, tender shoot tips and flower heads suck the sap; plants grow twisted, leaves yellow and lose vigour. Worst from December to March.
What to do
- Spray neem seed kernel extract 5% or neem oil 2%.
- Spray the fungus Verticillium lecanii.
- Hang yellow or blue sticky traps.
Prevention
- Sow on time (15 to 30 October in the main seed areas).
- Keep the field and its edges free of weeds that host aphids.
- Do not overdo nitrogen or water.
- Protect ladybirds, which feed on the aphids in large numbers.
Seed wasp (Systole albipennis)
Signs
The larva feeds inside developing seeds; adults leave through an exit hole, and damage carries on into storage.
What to do
- Spray neem seed kernel extract 5% or neem oil 2%.
Prevention
- Sow on time; late sown crops get more.
- Keep to the advised spacing.
- Intercropping with sesame lowers it.
Thrips (Thrips tabaci)
Signs
Nymphs and adults gather between the leaf sheath and stem and feed on flower heads; leaves dry, and a bad attack dries the flowers and leaves shrivelled fruits.
What to do
- Spray neem seed kernel extract 5% or neem oil 2%, or the fungus Verticillium lecanii.
- Hang yellow or blue sticky traps.
Prevention
- Sow between 15 and 30 October where that is the local season.
- Keep the field and its edges clean of weeds.
Powdery mildew
Signs
White powdery growth on leaves and stems.
What to do
- Spray neem seed kernel extract 5% when it first shows, three times at 10-day intervals.
- The biocontrol bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens is an alternative.
Wilt
Signs
Plants droop and dry from the base.
What to do
- Treat seed with Pseudomonas fluorescens or Trichoderma viride and apply Pseudomonas to the soil.
Seed and the season's end
Saving seed1,4,5
Grow the seed crop as for leaves. A month after sowing, take one or two cuttings of green leaves, then let the plants flower. Coriander is mostly cross pollinated, so keep it about 1,000 m from other coriander.
When the seed is ready
Ready when about half the seeds have turned yellow. PAU harvests when the fruits are mature but still green, as green seed fetches more than brown, over-ripe seed.
Cleaning the seed
Dry the cut plants in shade, or hang them in bundles upside down out of direct sun, so the seed keeps its colour. Beat them lightly with sticks and winnow out the seed.
Dry the seed fully, then keep it in bags in a dry, airy store.
After the last pickingNo published guide covers this for the South interior, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
Pull spent plants after the last cutting or the seed harvest and compost them. Follow with a crop from another family.
Pull bolted or spent plants and compost them. Leave a few to flower if you can: the small white flowers draw ladybirds and other helpful insects.
Rotation
Summer ploughing and rotation cut wilt and stem gall. Common sequences are green gram or black gram, summer moong, or cluster bean or cowpea followed by coriander, and maize, then potato, then coriander.
Sources
Where this comes from
Our team has checked this guide against the sources at the end of the page.Reviewed by our team on 13 November 2026.
These published guides are the sources. Where none of them covers a detail for this region, the page shows an AI suggestion and labels it.
- Coriander (Horticulture: spice crops)TNAU Agritech Portal, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, CoimbatoreRead the source
- Coriander: Good Agricultural Practices (September 2019)ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode (with AICRP on Spices and ICAR-NRC on Seed Spices, Ajmer); hosted by the Spices Board of IndiaRead the source
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