When to plant cilantro / coriander in San Francisco

Cilantro / Coriander is cold-hardy, so every date keys off San Francisco's frost dates.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Dec 20 – Jan 10
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Feb 3 – Feb 28
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
45 – 70 d
From sowing to first pick.

Common questions

When can I sow cilantro / coriander outdoors in San Francisco?

Direct-sow around mid December (Dec 20–Jan 10) in San Francisco, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 81%.

When will cilantro / coriander be ready to harvest in San Francisco?

Expect to harvest from around early February (Feb 3–Feb 28) in San Francisco, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.

How long is the growing season in San Francisco?

San Francisco has roughly 365 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 San Francisco's frost dates.

Confidence 84/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.