Three for the price of one

Our cilantro plants. Notice how the one
in the center is bolting.

Who doesn't like to buy one and get two free? Well that's what you get when you plant cilantro, also known as coriander or Chinese parsley (people like to call the same plant different names just to confuse other people). Cilantro (Coriandrum sarivum) is a cool season annual herb in the Apiaceae family. This family contains many well known herbs and vegetables such as carrots, cumin, dill and parsley.

So what are the three things you can get when you grow cilantro? The most common part to harvest are the leaves. These are usually sold fresh at the supermarket in tight bunches. The second thing you can obtain from cilantro are the dry fruits or "seeds". These are used as a spice in various cuisines. The fruits are usually sold as "coriander" in Puerto Rico and can be found in dried whole form or as crushed powder. The last thing is one that you usually don't find in Puerto Rico since it is mainly used in Thai cuisine, cilantro root. To be honest I've never seen one myself.

So how do you grow cilantro? Cilantro is typically grown from seed since it doesn't transplant well. Seeds can be found almost everywhere in Puerto Rico.(Health advisory: Seeds sold for sowing are coated with a poisonous substance to prevent them from being eaten by ants and other animals. Therefore, it goes without saying, do not use them for cooking. Now back to your scheduled programming.) Directly sow your seeds about 2-3 inches apart in a well draining soil or potting mix. Once the seeds sprout move the plants into full sun and make sure the soil is kept moist. Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer or a high nitrogen fertilizer once in the season. Now, when should we grow cilantro? Well, it really depends on what part of the plant you wish to harvest. Since the plant tends to bolt quickly in hot weather (read: typical Puerto Rico weather) it is best to grow it in  late fall, winter, or early spring if you are interested in the leaves. After a plant bolts leaves become bitter and should not be used for cooking. If you are only interested in the fruits/seeds you can grow it in summer. The plant will quickly bolt and you will have flowers, and therefore fruits, faster. For roots you should also grow in late fall/winter/early spring since the roots will have more time to develop. 

Leaves are described as having a citrus flavor. They can be harvested at any time and are used fresh in dishes since heat tends to change its flavor. Sometimes they are just used as a garnish. (Jessica uses cilantro leaves in her patented "sofrito" recipe. Maybe she'll write a post about that later.) Seeds can be used either toasted or dried. Fresh, toasted seeds have a more potent flavor. They are used commonly used in Indian cuisine in curries and in other cuisines for seasoning meats and potatoes. Roots are used to flavor Thai dishes such as soups or curries.

Cilantro doesn't suffer from any major diseases but ours have been attacked by the dreaded aphids. As we've mentioned aphids are usually accompanied by ants. In order to control the aphids you first need to eliminate the ants. Then use insecticidal soap on the underside of leaves.

That's it for cilantro. What are you waiting for? Go out there, purchase some seeds and grow some cilantro. It will be well worth it.

Disease:Cucumber Wilt

Cucumber wilt

A few days ago I arrived to find one of our three cucumber vines extremely wilted. Instinctively, I thought "Did I forget to water them this morning? Did I accidentally skip them in my morning routine? Did I do it subconsciously? Do I hate cucumbers but haven't realized it yet? Am I such a horrible person that I can't take care of my plants properly? Imagine how you will do when you have kids. Nooooo!!! "<end rant>. Then the rational part of the brain kicked in. The other two vines which share the same pot weren't wilted so it couldn't have been lack of water. There wasn't anything wrong with this particular vine. In fact, it was thriving, already having produced cucumbers while the other two hadn't. A mystery. I checked my bible and there was no mention of anything that would affect cucumbers so suddenly. Google time. About 607,000 results (0.28 seconds). Answer - Disease:Cucumber Wilt.

Cucumber wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila)  is a bacterial disease transmitted by the cucumber beetle. This animal (actually these animals since cucumber beetle is a term used for various species of beetle) and its larvae can be found in various plants in the Cucurbitaceae family (squash, cucumber, pumpkin, watermelon, etc). They lay eggs on the underside of leaves. Once the larvae hatch they start feeding on the roots of a plant or on the soft stems of young plants. Today's lesson: "Always check the underside of leaves. Bad critters tend to dwell there. Example: cucumber beetles, whiteflies, the dreadful aphids." <end today's lesson> These beetles can also transmit another nasty disease called cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Hopefully we'll never have to write about that one.

The most obvious symptom of cucumber wilt is vines that have been well watered suddenly wilting. Before this happens though the leaves of your vines will exhibit dull green patches. However, the onset of the disease is so fast that you may never notice this dullness. I know we didn't. After a plant is infected slime clogs the water conducting tissue thus causing the plant to dry out and wilt. Fruits may become wilted themselves. Once a plant becomes infected there is no cure. The best thing to do at that point is to destroy the affected plant. (Doesn't it suck when you realize you are powerless to do anything to save your plants. Lesson: Nature > us)

Prevention is the most important step in controlling cucumber wilt. So how do you prevent it? Healthy plants are naturally more resistant to diseases. Water your plants regularly and inspect them every day. Plants that have been subjected to drought or water stress are more likely to be infected by this disease. If you find any eggs on leaves promptly destroy them by squashing them with your hands. Some sites on the internet suggest putting a cloth or barrier around seedlings and young plants to prevent adults from laying eggs on your plants. Personally, I find this very impractical if you are only planting two or three vines. As a last, last (and we mean last) resort pesticides can be used to kill the eggs and larvae. However, be mindful that at some point you will be consuming fruits from this plant so toxic pesticides should be avoided.

Now you know what to do (or not to do) when you encounter cucumber wilt. If you have experienced this let us know in the comments section. Until next time keep on gardening.