Coriander is a plant loved by all Thai, they call it "pak chi".
Beneath you can find an extract about coriander from the book "Jekka's Complete Herb Book" from author Jekka McVicar :
description
Since 600 AC coriander is present in the Chinese kitchen and medicine.
Coriander oil kills fungi and bacteria.
Coriander is a vulnerable annual plant. Height 60 cm . In summer the plant has screens with white / pink flowers. The leaves are two or three times feathered; the one at the bottom have bigger lobes than the upper one. Mature seeds are 3 mm in size, brown and oval. The plant has a very unpleasant scent. However the mature seeds spread a nice scent because of the aromatic oil they contain. They serve as spice.
culture method
Sow coriander at the end of May in a light soil at a sheltered location. 2 grams of seed for each square meter is adequate. Seedlings must be thinned until there is a distance of 25 cm between each seedling. Only then the plants shall produce adequate seeds. You can harvest the seeds in August-September. If you are only interested in the leaves, a distance of 5 cm between the seedlings is sufficient. It is not recommended to sow in seed baskets. It is very difficult to transplant coriander. The pen shaped roots crack very easily, this stagnates the growth. Also restored plants have the tendency to flower immediately. They skip the phase of leaf formation.
maintenance
- Spring : sowing
- Summer: sow and cut leaf
- Fall: cut seed screens and remove old plants
- Winter: prepare the planting location for next year
harvest
Harvest young leaves when you want. They should be 10 cm long and fresh green.
Leaves and seeds can be used in the kitchen.
medicinal
Internally, coriander can help in case you have mild digestion problems. The herb stimulates appetite and reduces stomach burn. The oils dissolve mucus. The seeds reduce cramps that can be caused by the use of resources based on rhubarb and "Senna Alexandrina". Externally crushed seeds help against painful joints and hemorrhoids.