A common problem with cilantro is that the leaves will often grow thin and tall without developing any flavor. It can be quite frustrating when you put weeks of hard work into harvesting these herbs, and they don’t taste any good. This issue is most commonly linked with poor environmental conditions and gardeners ignoring care tips.
Many people have recently been asking about the possible reasons for cilantro growing tall and thin. If you also can’t seem to figure out why your cilantro herb is behaving like this, the following reasons and solutions should help you better manage the harvest.
Cilantro Growing Tall And Thin
1. Hot Weather
One of the most common reasons why you’re struggling with the cilantro growing tall and thin is hot weather. It is true that cilantro can be quite easy to manage when it is provided with the right environmental conditions. However, if you live somewhere with extreme weather, it is quite common to run into similar issues with your herbs. So, if this situation applies to you, there are a few things that can be done to overcome this problem.
The easiest method is to just wait for early spring when the weather is cool and moist. That way, you won’t have to develop any specialized setup for your cilantro, and they will grow quite nicely. However, if you don’t want to wait for the spring, then try developing an indoor setup and keep the cilantro planted near a cool and moist location. You can further use terracotta pots or develop a raised bed indoors to manage the water requirements of the herb.
2. Poor Potting Mixture
Aside from the hotter weather conditions, many gardeners have reported a similar issue while using the poor potting mixture. So, if you didn’t start with a fresh potting mixture that had sufficient water retention abilities, then that is likely why your herbs are behaving like this. Unfortunately, you can’t fix this issue by supplying more water to the plant or adding in composting mixture.
The only thing that you can do is report the herbs or start with a fresh potting mixture and new seeds. It can be quite difficult to manage the growth of the herbs that have grown tall and thin, so you should divert your focus on starting new seeds and avoiding the issues that lead to this problem.
3. Insufficient Sunlight
Even though this plant prefers cooler and moist environmental conditions, it still requires adequate sunlight to grow properly. So, if you’ve planted this herb in an isolated location with little to no sunlight, then that is likely your cilantro is not growing properly. To fix this issue, you will have to relocate your plant near a well-lit window.
Partial exposure to sunlight is necessary for the growth of this herb. Otherwise, it won’t be able to produce food and start bolting. So, if your cilantro is growing tall and thin without any particular reason, try managing the location and potting mixture. Hopefully, the plant will show signs of recovery within a few days.