Repotting guide

When & how to repot Calypso Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum 'Calypso')

Also called Calypso Cilantro, Coriander, Chinese Parsley.

More about calypso cilantro

About Calypso Cilantro

Coriandrum sativum 'Calypso' · also called Calypso Cilantro, Coriander · herb

A PBR-protected slow-bolting cilantro variety bred specifically for maximum leaf production, reportedly 3 weeks slower to bolt than the benchmark 'Santo'. Features deep green, broad, bushy foliage with an upright, lush habit. Excellent for market growers and home gardeners seeking extended fresh harvests.

Mature size: 30–45 cm tall (12–18 in), 20–25 cm spread (8–10 in)

Watch for — Bolting in heat: Even with its enhanced bolt resistance, 'Calypso' will run to seed in sustained temperatures above 28°C. Use shade cloth, succession-sow, and mulch roots to keep soil cool.

How to tell calypso cilantro needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For calypso cilantro, watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot calypso cilantro on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot calypso cilantro

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Calypso Cilantrois grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Upright, bushy annual with dense, broad-leafed foliage and compact rosette form.

What size pot to step calypso cilantro up to

Pot calypso cilantro on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot calypso cilantro

Pot calypso cilantro on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting calypso cilantro

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check calypso cilantro regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh fertile, well-drained loam or sandy loam, ph 6.2–6.8 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water calypso cilantro in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for calypso cilantro

Calypso Cilantro wants fertile, well-drained loam or sandy loam, ph 6.2–6.8. Incorporate compost or well-rotted organic matter before sowing. 'Calypso' performs well in raised beds and containers with quality potting compost. Avoid compacted or waterlogged soil. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting calypso cilantro — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot calypso cilantro?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for calypso cilantro. Calypso Cilantro is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into fertile, well-drained loam or sandy loam, ph 6.2–6.8 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does calypso cilantro need?

When is the best time of year to repot calypso cilantro?

Can you put calypso cilantro straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing calypso cilantro should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise calypso cilantro after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting calypso cilantro. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.