When to plant · 29 cities · zones 6a–6b
When to plant cilantro in Michigan
Direct sow cilantro around Apr 19 — the Michigan statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of May 3 across 988 ZIP codes and 196 NOAA stations.
The rule: Direct sow in 60–70 °F soil, a short row every two weeks from four weeks before the last frost until the heat arrives, then again from late summer.
Michigan cilantro, by step
Statewide median last frost May 3, first fall frost Oct 14, 2027 season. Each cultivar's own indoor lead time and days to maturity, same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Cultivar | Start indoors | Sow | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CilantroSlow Bolt (Coriandrum sativum) | Direct sow | Apr 19 | Jun 3 | 45 from sow |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost. Statewide dates are the ZIP-weighted median of every NOAA 1991–2020 station Michigan's ZIP codes resolve to; 4 of 992 ZIPs have no datable freeze and are left out.
Cilantro in Michigan, city by city
Cilantro, scheduled from each city's nearest NOAA station — the same dates as its frost page.
| City | Last frost | Sow | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroitzone 6b | Apr 27 | Apr 13 | May 28 |
| Grand Rapidszone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | May 30 |
| Warrenzone 6b | Apr 21 | Apr 7 | May 22 |
| Sterling Heightszone 6b | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | May 31 |
| Ann Arborzone 6a | May 5 | Apr 21 | Jun 5 |
| Lansingzone 6a | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 1 |
| Dearbornzone 6b | Apr 27 | Apr 13 | May 28 |
| Livoniazone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 1 |
| Troyzone 6b | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | May 27 |
| Farmington Hillszone 6a | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 1 |
| Westlandzone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 1 |
| Flintzone 6a | May 3 | Apr 19 | Jun 3 |
| Wyomingzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | May 30 |
| Rochester Hillszone 6a | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | May 27 |
| Southfieldzone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 1 |
| Kalamazoozone 6a | Apr 28 | Apr 14 | May 29 |
| Novizone 6a | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 1 |
| Pontiaczone 6a | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | May 27 |
| Taylorzone 6b | Apr 20 | Apr 6 | May 21 |
| Dearborn Heightszone 6b | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 1 |
| Royal Oakzone 6b | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | May 27 |
| St. Clair Shoreszone 6b | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | May 30 |
| Kentwoodzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | May 30 |
| Battle Creekzone 6a | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | May 31 |
| Portagezone 6a | Apr 28 | Apr 14 | May 29 |
| East Lansingzone 6a | Apr 28 | Apr 14 | May 29 |
| Rosevillezone 6b | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | May 30 |
| Saginawzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | May 30 |
| Midlandzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | May 30 |
What these cilantro become
What Michigan cilantro need
Cilantro / Coriander Seed
Bolts in a heartbeat and there is nothing you can do about it — so you succession-sow instead of fighting it. Non-negotiable in salsa verde and zhoug.
Organic Seed Starter Potting MixMust have
Seed-starting mix is not potting soil with a nicer label — it is finer, lighter, and low in nutrients on purpose, because a seedling's first roots want air and moisture, not fertiliser.
Ocean Forest Potting SoilMust have
Pre-charged with enough nutrition to carry a transplant for its first month without feeding, which is exactly the window when most container plants stall.
5-Gallon Fabric Grow Bags, 5-Pack
Fabric pots air-prune roots and drain faster than a plastic pot can, which is the entire reason container tomatoes fail. Five gallons is the honest minimum for a pepper; a tomato wants ten.
AG-30 Frost Protection Row Cover
AG-30 buys roughly 6 °F of frost protection while passing about 70% of light — enough to carry a crop through an early-October cold snap that would otherwise end your season two weeks short.
6" Micro-Tip Pruning SnipsMust have
Ninety percent of sauce-garden cutting is snipping a pepper stem or a basil node, and a fine-tipped snip does it better than any pruner. Pulling peppers by hand tears the branch.
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Cilantro in Michigan: questions
When should I plant cilantro in Michigan?
Direct sow around Apr 19 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Apr 12 in the warmest tenth of Michigan's ZIP codes to May 9 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from May 20 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in Michigan?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is May 3. In the warmest tenth of Michigan's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Apr 26; in the coldest tenth, on or after May 23.
When will Michigan cilantro be ready to harvest?
Cilantro planted on the statewide date is ready around Jun 3: 45 days from sow.
More for Michigan
- When to plant tomatoes
- When to plant peppers
- When to plant tomatillos
- When to plant basil
- When to plant onions
- When to plant carrots
- When to plant mustard greens
Cilantro in every state → · Michigan frost dates → · How frost-date math works →