How to prune cilantro / coriander

Pinch flower stalks as soon as they appear; otherwise harvest leaves continuously. Snip leaves and tender stems from the top third of the plant regularly — this slows bolting marginally. Pinch the central growing tip when the plant reaches 15 cm (6 in) to encourage branching.

Ongoing harvest; replace plants every 4–6 weeks by succession sowing. Cilantro bolts quickly to seed in warm weather, after which leaf production stops. There is no pruning that prevents bolting — it is genetically programmed. Pinch out the central flower stalk early to slow it slightly and extend the leaf harvest. Once fully in flower, leave plants to ripen coriander seeds, then pull and resow.

Snip leaves and tender stems from the top third of the plant regularly — this slows bolting marginally. Pinch the central growing tip when the plant reaches 15 cm (6 in) to encourage branching.