when do i harvest cillantro

Question

my cillantro does not grow big and fluffy like the stuff i see in the market.  also should the white flowers be pruned back during growing

Answer 1

What you see in the market, takes usually about 3 years of growing time, as it is a 3 year crop.  Note that the flowers of the plant are also used as a spice, and very valuable in Japan, Korea and China (who imports many millions of tonnes each year). -Birdy

Answer 2

I generally just cut off a few stem as I need it after the stems are about 5-6" tall. When the leaves start to grow lacy instead of flat & the flowers appear your plant has "bolted" to begin forming seed (which is now called coriander & is used bother whole & ground).  You won't get much more of the flat-leafed cilantro then. Hot weather makes the plant bolt. I plant a bunch of seed in a pot instead of in garden rows so when it gets close to 90 outside I can bring the pot into my house where it's cooler for 1-2 days, or until it gets cooler outside.  If you can't do that you can try staggeringyour planting of cilantro several weeks apart. Don't know how much this would help tho'...