Our favourite Coriander Hacks

The way we wash +bunch coriander is a transferable technique across other vege.

HACK 1: We wash our coriander with The Terrateck Vegetable Wash Gun (available from Active Vista) suspended over a portable trolley in the outdoor washroom. The Vegetable wash gun has an ergonomic design and controls that can be adjusted easily to allow control over the width and intensity of the water jet using a trigger. We hang the water gun so the nozzle is upside down in position ready to go. Being hands-free makes it easy to drop + grab as you need.

HACK 2: Then to bunch the Coriander we put a few Size 30 rubber bands around our middle two fingers ready to go. This smaller-size rubber band only requires only 2 twists and saves more time at this stage. This is way faster than a rubber band on the wrist. Time is one thing you can never have enough of on the farm.

We leave the root on (as we do for dill) as this increases shelf life and chefs prefer it. We bunch everything (purplette onions, spring onions, parsley, dill) like this in the outdoor wash station out of the weather and not in the field.

Bunches are created by-eye to approximate weight of 85gms which we sell for NZ$5 in retail. Restaurants order by bunches of 5.

A 14 meter bed sown with 5 rows should produce a minimum of 100 bunches. We have had greenhouse beds produce 200 bunches.

Direct Seeding with the Jang Seeder

HACK 3: The letters on the names of Jang Seed Rollers indicate the hole size + the numbers indicate how many holes in the roller.

We label our rollers with printable stickers so we can easily see what they are. Storing them on a seed roller board makes it quick + easy to find just what you need.

Year-round for Coriander we use LJ24, except for in winter when we increase our seeding density by using LJ30. More holes simply increases your seeding density. This is the strategy we use for all of our direct seeding during winter.

In summer we direct seed small areas continuously (every week) + as the days shorten we sow several beds every 3 weeks. In summer we harvest before bolting. Processed Coriander will store for 3 weeks, however will bolt in the field in a matter of days.

During winter wet months we may cover with Redpaths Hoops + insect net from Farmlands (NZ). Winter greenhouse Coriander production is 30% faster than outdoors.

Summer DTMs (Days to Maturity) 45

Winter Outdoors DTM 90

Winter Greenhouse DTM 60