When to plant Coriander in Cool Australia

Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Sow coriander direct in October and November, or again in March, and it will reward you more reliably in the cool zone than almost anywhere else in Australia. This is a hardy herb that actually prefers the mild conditions of a Ballarat or Orange season — heat is what ruins it. Seed is slow, taking 14–21 days to germinate, but plants race to harvest in 45–70 days. Sow 6 mm deep where the plants are to grow at 20 cm spacing; coriander resents transplanting and bolts if its taproot is disturbed, which is exactly why the method here is direct sowing.

Sowing calendar — cool zone

Green months are your sowing window: March and October to November.

Growing notes

Coriander's great enemy is bolting, and the cool zone blunts it better than any other climate. Being fully hardy, plants shrug off frost: a March sowing in Canberra or Armidale germinates in the last warm soil of autumn, then stands through winter frosts as a slow, sturdy leaf crop for months — often the best coriander of the year. Spring sowings in October and November are quicker but shorter-lived, because lengthening days and the first hot spell push plants to flower regardless of watering.

Given that, treat the two windows differently. Spring: sow small amounts every three weeks, harvest young, and accept each patch lasts a matter of weeks. Autumn: sow one generous patch in March and let the cold do the preserving.

Direct sowing is not optional. The taproot resents disturbance, and transplant shock is itself a bolting trigger. Sow 6 mm deep into moderately fertile, moisture-retentive soil, keep the bed damp through the slow 14–21 day germination, and thin to 20 cm. Afternoon shade helps late-spring sowings hang on longer.

The common failure is impatience — resowing or letting the bed dry out at day ten because nothing has emerged. Mark the row, keep watering, and wait the full three weeks.

Coriander at a glance

Common questions

When should I sow coriander in the cool zone?

Direct-sow in October–November for spring crops, or in March for a hardy autumn and winter patch. The March sowing usually lasts longest because cool weather stops the plants bolting.

Why does my coriander keep going to seed?

Bolting is triggered by heat, long days and root disturbance. Sow direct rather than transplanting, water consistently, harvest young, and favour the March sowing, which stands through cool-zone winters without flowering.

How long does coriander take to germinate?

It is slow — 14 to 21 days. Keep the bed moist the whole time and do not resow prematurely.

Will coriander survive frost in Canberra?

Yes. Coriander is hardy, and autumn-sown plants stand through Canberra frosts, cropping slowly across winter.

Keep exploring