What To Do When Cilantro Gets Too Tall

Cilantro gets too tall when it bolts, meaning the plant shoots upward to produce flowers and seeds instead of continuing to grow those tender leaves you love.
 
It’s a natural part of the cilantro life cycle, but it can feel frustrating when your once-bushy herb turns into a leggy stalk overnight.
 
The good news is that when cilantro gets too tall, you have several options to manage it, and you can even turn the situation into an advantage.
 
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly what to do when cilantro gets too tall, how to prevent it from happening again, and how to make the most of a bolting plant.
 

Why Cilantro Gets Too Tall

Cilantro gets too tall primarily because of a process called bolting, and understanding why it happens is the first step toward managing it.
 

1. Bolting Is Triggered by Heat

Cilantro is a cool-season herb, which means it thrives in mild temperatures between 50°F and 70°F.
 
When the weather heats up, especially above 75°F, the plant panics and rushes to produce seeds before the heat kills it.
 
That’s why cilantro gets too tall so fast in summer—it’s literally racing against the thermometer.
 

2. Long Daylight Hours Speed It Up

Increasing day length is another signal that tells cilantro its time is running out.
 
As spring turns to summer and daylight stretches past 12 hours, the plant shifts its energy from leaf production to flower production.
 
This is why cilantro gets too tall even when the temperature seems reasonable.
 

3. Stress Makes It Worse

Transplanting shock, inconsistent watering, and poor soil can all stress cilantro and push it to bolt early.
 
When cilantro gets too tall due to stress, it’s the plant’s way of ensuring its genes survive even if conditions aren’t ideal.
 

What to Do When Cilantro Gets Too Tall

When cilantro gets too tall, you don’t have to give up on it—there are practical steps you can take right away.
 

1. Pinch Off the Flower Stalks

The moment you see flower buds forming at the top, pinch or snip them off with clean scissors.
 
This buys you a little more time for leaf production, though it won’t stop the process entirely once cilantro gets too tall.
 
Keep pinching every few days to delay the inevitable as long as possible.
 

2. Harvest What You Can Immediately

If your cilantro gets too tall and starts flowering, harvest all the remaining leaves right away.
 
The leaves are still edible at this stage, though they may taste slightly more bitter than usual.
 
Wash them, dry them, and use them fresh in salsas, curries, or chutneys.
 

3. Let It Go to Seed for Coriander

Honestly, the best move when cilantro gets too tall might be to just let it finish its journey.
 
Those flowers will turn into seeds, and those seeds are coriander—a completely different spice you can harvest and use.
 
Wait until the seeds turn brown and dry, then collect them for cooking or replanting.
 

4. Save the Seeds for Next Season

Coriander seeds from your bolted cilantro can be planted next spring or fall.
 
This means when cilantro gets too tall, it’s actually setting you up for a free crop later on.
 
Store the dried seeds in a paper envelope in a cool, dark place until you’re ready to sow them.
 

How to Prevent Cilantro From Getting Too Tall

Prevention is the best strategy if you want a steady supply of leaves and don’t want cilantro getting too tall on you.
 

1. Plant at the Right Time

Sow cilantro in early spring or late summer when temperatures are mild.
 
In hot climates, fall planting works best because the plant can grow through winter without bolting.
 

2. Choose Slow-Bolt Varieties

Look for cultivars like ‘Santo’ or ‘Long Standing’ that are bred to resist bolting.
 
These varieties take longer to get too tall, giving you more harvest time.
 

3. Provide Afternoon Shade

If you’re growing cilantro in summer, plant it where it gets shade during the hottest part of the day.
 
This reduces heat stress and slows down the bolting process significantly.
 

4. Keep the Soil Consistently Moist

Dry soil stresses cilantro and encourages it to bolt faster.
 
Water regularly so the soil stays evenly moist but never waterlogged.
 

5. Succession Sow Every Few Weeks

Instead of relying on one big planting, sow small batches every two to three weeks.
 
That way, when one patch of cilantro gets too tall, you’ll have a fresh batch ready to take its place.
 

So, What to Do When Cilantro Gets Too Tall?

When cilantro gets too tall, you can pinch off the flowers, harvest the remaining leaves, or let it go to seed for coriander.
 
Cilantro gets too tall because of heat, long days, and stress, so prevention through timing, shade, and slow-bolt varieties is key.
 
And if all else fails, embrace the seed and enjoy your free coriander.