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Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) has glossy parsley-like foliage that at times makes it hard to tell the difference between parsley and cilantro at the produce market. All you need to do is smell the light pungent aroma, and you’ll know the difference.

Grow cilantro in light well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Sow the seeds outdoors in late spring after the last frost date. Plant in rows in the garden or a container, cover with 1/2″ of soil and keep moist for good germination. Avoid heavy nitrogen feedings for best flavor. In the garden, thin seedlings 4″ apart. For continued supply, repeat sowing every two weeks until the hot weather arrives. Cilantro will start to mature quickly (bolt) and go to seed in the hot temperatures of summer. It may self seed or you can re-sow seeds in late summer for an additional fall harvest. Cilantro will tolerate a light frost.

Harvest the parsley-like foliage regularly to keep the plant producing more leaves. Cut the plant 2″ above the soil line. When the plant starts to produce feathery, upper foliage, it is an indication that it’s going to flower and will produce a round ribbed beige seeds. The seeds can be harvested and stored in a dark, airtight container.

Cilantro leaves are used in Mexican, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. Fresh leaves do not dry or freeze well. Stems are usually discarded but can be used to flavor soups and beans. The seeds are used in baked goods, curry powder and liqueurs. The Egyptians thought it was an aphrodisiac and Greeks used it to flavor wine.

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

A native of Mexico, also called Mexican Aster, Cosmos is a heat loving annual that provide abundant blooms all summer until frost. This airy plant produces tall, lanky stems with feathery leaves and colorful daisy-like flowers. The plants can grow up to 4-6 ft with dwarf varieties up to 1- 3 ft tall. The blooms come in assorted colors of white, pink, red, lavender and yellow, in single, semi-double and double forms making them an excellent cut flower.

Care
Grow them in full sun in a well drained, dry, poor soil. They thrive on neglect; rich wet soil will produce floppy plants with many leaves and little flowers.
Start them from seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date or sow directly outdoors after the last expected frost.
To start the seeds indoors: Sow seeds and cover lightly with soil. Germination should take 5-10 days at 70-85 degrees.
Plant seedlings outdoors 9-24″ apart. The taller varieties of Cosmos should be planted in the back of the flowerbed and may need staking. To keep tall varieties from falling over, plant them 9-12″ apart, so that they can interweave and support each other. For compact, bushier plants with more flowers pinch them back once or twice before flowers buds begin to show.

Deadhead spent flowers for continuous bloom and to prevent them from self-seeding. If you want Cosmos to self-seed next year; allow some of the seed heads to remain on the plant at the end of the season. You can also collect dry seed heads for next years planting.