Cilantro is a delicious herb that can be grown outdoors as well as indoors. As it is an annual herb, it grows only for a few months before it flowers. In this post, we will discuss the reasons for cilantro drooping/falling over/wilting/not standing up well. Plus, what you can do to solve this problem. Additionally, you’ll learn how to prevent cilantro seedlings from wilting. Also, proper storage methods that can prevent wilting of coriander leaves in the fridge.
Most gardeners grow cilantro in their herbal garden. They consider it difficult to grow herbs but actually, you can make it easier if you avoid common mistakes with growing cilantro (coriander). A few of the most common problems with cilantro/coriander plants are drooping, falling over, and wilting. The cilantro fails to transpire and grow as a result of wilting. If your cilantro has the same problem, you are in the right place.
Let’s briefly discuss why cilantro droops/wilt/falls over.
The cilantro plants droop or wilt mostly due to overwatering or underwatering. Exposure to extreme temperatures also causes drooping or wilting in cilantro. If the plant is nutrient deficient or planted in the wrong type of soil, it is more likely to droop or wilt. Cilantro diseases may also be responsible for collapsing leaves.
Keep reading to explore further facts about wilting and falling over of cilantro (coriander).
Most common reasons why cilantro is drooping
Most herbs grow well unless proper growing conditions are provided. Cilantro is no exception. Wilted cilantro may represent several possible issues. Sometimes the revival of wilted cilantro is possible but on occasions, it becomes hard to fix, and the plant dies.
Here are 8 reasons for cilantro drooping/falling over/wilting. Let’s have a look.
Reason 1: Too much water
While cilantro plants love well-watered soil, too much water can cause problems too. If cilantro is receiving too much water, whether due to overwatering or excessive rain, the plant will wilt. Overwatered cilantro leaves become soft and limp. Excessive water in the soil removes the air pockets from the soil.
The roots can’t breathe in the absence of air pockets and fail to carry water to the stem and leaves. As a result, the plant wilts or falls over. If too much water remains in the soil for a longer period, it will result in root rot. It is a fungal disease that causes the roots to rot and eventually leads to the death of plants.
To prevent cilantro wilting/falling over due to overwatering, allow the soil to dry before watering. Make sure to plant cilantro in well-drained soil. Also choose the pots with drainage holes on the bottom for growing cilantro (coriander). Add some fungicide when adding potting mix to avoid root rot problems.
To check if the soil is wet, push your finger around 2 inches (5 cm) in the soil and see if it’s wet. You can also easily monitor moisture levels by using a simple pH/soil meter like this.
Reason 2: Lack of water
If you are underwatering your cilantro, it is more likely to wilt and fall over. The stem of the herb loses rigidity and turgor (pressure in cells) goes down to zero if soil moisture is lacking. Lack of water also leads to bolting in cilantro plants.
To check if the herb is getting enough water, press your finger a few inches (5-8 cm) deep in the soil. If the soil is dry, and your finger can’t enter the soil, it means that the cilantro is being underwatered.
Another sign of underwatering is when the potting mix shrinks and leaves the corners of the pot empty. Also, the cilantro leaves become light and crispy if they don’t receive enough water. To revive underwatered cilantro plants, water them until it starts coming out of from the drainage holes. Also, avoid watering during the hottest times of the day.
Reason 3: Lack of Nutrients
Pot-grown cilantro mostly experience wilting due to a lack of nutrients. The yellowing of leaves followed by wilting, falling over, and eventually the death of the plant indicates that the plant is nutrient deficient.
Feed your cilantro with a low nitrogen fertilizer. An organic seaweed fertilizer like this is great for fertilizing cilantro plants. Make sure to follow instructions on the product, to avoid damaging the plant.
What is more, use potting soil rich in organic matter. Coriander plants don’t really have specific soil needs, but slightly acidic soil is preferred (around 6.5 pH). Another option is, add diluted fish emulsion to feed the plants. You can also use compost or cow dung manure as a fertilizer once a month. At the same time, avoid overfertilizing your cilantro. See the fertilizer application details on the package.
Reason 4: Pests and Diseases
Cilantro is susceptible to bacterial diseases like soft rot and coriander bacterial blight. The water-soaked lesions develop on the infected plant parts. The infected plant collapses as a result of these diseases.
Other diseases include damping off and powdery mildew. These are fungal diseases that are responsible for the stunted growth of cilantro. The damping-off causes wilting of newly germinated seedlings.
If you are sure that wilting or falling over is due to any disease, firstly, recognize the disease by its symptoms. And if it can be treated, go for the remedy. However, if you are having a hard time controlling the diseases and treating plants, get rid of them and plant new ones.
Anyways, to get a fresh supply of cilantro through the summer, make sure to sow new seeds every 2-3 weeks (up to the beginning of July). High heat causes bolting in cilantro (rapid flower and seed production, and eventual death of the plant). So, use newly produced seeds to plant new cilantro plants.
Bolting leads to loss of flavor in cilantro. The only solution is to discard the plant and start new seeds. Don’t plant new cilantro plants in high heat, but you can often resume after the end of high heat in summer (if it’s the case).
Only use natural pest controls for your cilantro plants. That’s because you will be consuming them. Once again, if natural controls don’t work for some reason, plant new cilantro plants. For fungal diseases, if the infection is only mild, use a spray of baking soda or a mixture of garlic crushed with water on the plants.
A few of the main causes of fungal or bacterial infections are overwatering, lack of light, too much nitrogen fertilizer. So, provide enough light (mostly full sun, with shade during hottest hours) and make sure plants are spread 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) apart, as they grow in clumps.
Aphids, beet armyworms, cutworms, aphids, and leafhoppers are the pest insects of cilantro. They damage the plants by feeding on the leaves and sap of the plants. Natural control options include neem oil like this – it azadirachtin, pest repellent and control. Another one is insecticidal soap – containing fatty acids to affect pests by paralyzing their soft bodies. Horticultural oils are also good for pests and their eggs.
Reason 5: Too much direct sunlight
Cilantro is mainly a cool-season herb, but it still needs 6 hours of direct sun to grow well. However, if you live in a warm climate, your outdoor plants are more likely to wilt or droop if exposed to too much direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day. Make sure to offer shade to cilantro plants in summer, otherwise plants will drop, wilt and bolt.
It is highly recommended to plant coriander in a location that has some afternoon shade. Also, add mulch around the soil to keep the weeds at bay and to retain soil moisture.
Reason 6: Transitions and temperature fluctuations
It often when you transplant the newly grown indoor seedlings outdoors, when the tiny seedlings wilt quickly. These newly grown seedlings need time to adjust to the wind, sunlight exposure and temperatures of the outdoors. It is the main reason for wilting and falling over of cilantro seedlings.
As a remedy, prevent sudden temperature fluctuations and gradually introduce the new seedlings outdoors. First, keep the plants in a bright shady location then gradually place them in the direct sunlight.
However, having said that, cilantro plants are generally bad with relocations/transplanting. If you plant to grow cilantro outdoors, sow the seeds outdoors straight away. And if you plant to grow them indoors, start indoors. Cilantro plants react negatively to being moved from outdoors to indoor and another way around.
Reason 7: Insufficient Sunlight
Cilantro is a sun-loving herb. Indoor cilantro plants are more likely to wilt due to insufficient light supply, especially during the winter months. Sunlight is crucial for the photosynthesis of plants. In case of lack of light supply, the cilantro wilts as a response, by reducing the surface area of leaves.
To prevent this problem, make sure to place indoor plants on the south-facing window where they can receive a sufficient light supply. If you don’t have enough sunlight for indoor plants, provide grow lights to the plants, like this LED one. Make sure to place the cilantro under grow lights for 12 to 16 hours, at around 4-5″ away from the plant (10-13 cm).
Reason 8: Hard water
If you use hard water or water treated with softeners, it is also a possible reason for falling over and wilting of cilantro. Heavy water causes a salt build-up in the soil. Due to increased salinity, roots can hardly absorb water from the soil. As a result, the herbs start to wilt.
To address this issue, make sure to use rainwater or distilled bottled water for plants. If you are using tap water, allow it to sit for 24 hours in a bucket then use it for cilantro and other herbs.
Reasons for falling over or wilting of cilantro seedlings
Most gardeners face the problem of drooping cilantro seedlings that are not standing up well. Let’s discuss a few reasons and solutions for this.
- Cilantro seedlings are too delicate and temperature and day-night cycle sensitive. When these indoor-grown seedlings are transferred outdoors, they suffer from stress and lose their turgor pressure. To prevent this problem, place the plant in a bright shady area then gradually increase the direct sunlight exposure timings.
- Damping-off is a fungal disease that affects the new cilantro seedlings. Overwatering and overcrowding are the main causes of this disease. The plant affected by damping off is hard to revive as it kills the plant. It is better to remove the affected seedlings from the soil and start new seeds. Sow seeds around 6″ (15 cm) apart, and allow 8-10″ (20-25 cm) or more between seedlings and bigger plants.
If you are having issues with cilantro seeds not germinating/sprouting, see this post for more information.
Cilantro wilting in the fridge?
Cilantro leaves have enhanced flavor and scent when they are fresh. But the wrong storage methods cause the wilting of cilantro in the refrigerator. Before harvesting, cilantro leaves receive enough moisture and stay upright due to increased turgor pressure in the cells. After harvesting, these plants lose moisture instantly and start falling over and wilting.
You can use these storage methods to keep the cilantro fresh for a longer time in the fridge.
- Place a bunch of cilantro upright in a jar filled with 1 inch of water. Loosely cover the leaves with an upside-down plastic bag. Make sure to refresh the water in the jar after every few days. This way, cilantro leaves can remain fresh for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
- Wash and dry cilantro leaves and then cut them. Put the leaves in an ice cube tray with some water and oil. Freeze them and use them occasionally in sauces and dips.
- Place the unwashed cilantro in an air-tight jar wrapped with a paper towel. The cilantro stored using this method can remain fresh for around a week.
Additional tips to prevent cilantro from drooping
Here are a few tips that can prevent cilantro from dropping.
Cilantro that is grown indoors can wilt due to the dry environment. The indoor heating and cooling systems are responsible for drying the moisture content in the air. Make sure to provide enough humidity to your cilantro. Don’t place the herb near heating or cooling vents.
Place a humidifier in the room if the air is too dry. The other option is to place the pot on a tray filled with water and pebbles. Place the pot on the top of pebbles. However, make sure to use well-draining soil for planting and growing cilantro (coriander).
The use of the wrong container/pot type can also be a reason for droopy or wilted cilantro. A small pot dries quickly and needs frequent watering. Besides, a small pot causes the plant to become root-bound (no more space for roots to grow). That eventually makes water absorption difficult for the plant. Use a pot of at least 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter and big enough to provide a large space for the growing roots.
A good quality soil mix matters a lot when growing herbs. So, use a potting mix specific for growing indoor herbs and rich in organic matter. For outdoor plants, use compost as a top layer to increase organic content in the soil. Slightly acidic soil (around 6.5 pH) is ideal for cilantro, but is not crucial.
What is more, cilantro often wilts after repotting. It happens because these plants have taproots that are more likely to get damaged during repotting. So, keep the plant in the shade after repotting and wait until it revives from repotting stress.
Final Words
Cilantro is a great addition to your indoor or outdoor herbal garden. If your cilantro (coriander) is falling over, examine the plant for any diseases or deficiencies, think about environmental changes, temperature, watering and more. If you try to treat your plants but nothing is working, don’t hesitate to plant new cilantro plants straight away.