When to plant cilantro / coriander in Modesto
Cilantro / Coriander is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Modesto's frost dates of Jan 27.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Dec 26 – Jan 16
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Feb 9 – Mar 6
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Step 3 · Second sowing
Autumn / second sowing
Aug 22 – Sep 5
A second window for a fall crop, timed to mature before the first frost.
Step 4 · Second harvest
Autumn crop harvest
Oct 13 – Nov 7
Maturity window for the second sowing.
Window
Days to maturity
45 – 70 d
Modesto's 310-day season leaves this much room.
Cilantro / Coriander on Modesto's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN 27
DEC 3
Common questions
When can I sow cilantro / coriander outdoors in Modesto?
Direct-sow around late December (Dec 26–Jan 16) in Modesto, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 84%.
When will cilantro / coriander be ready to harvest in Modesto?
Expect to harvest from around early February (Feb 9–Mar 6) in Modesto, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 78%.
Can I plant cilantro / coriander in autumn in Modesto?
Yes — Modesto supports a second, autumn sowing of cilantro / coriander around late August (Aug 22–Sep 5), timed to mature before the first fall frost.
How long is the growing season in Modesto?
Modesto has roughly 310 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow cilantro / coriander to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow cilantro / coriander as soon as the soil is workable — it tolerates cool weather and light frost. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Modesto's frost dates.
Confidence 87/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.