Download Santo Cilantro - The Market Standard!

Santo Cilantro - The Market Standard!
Cilantro (a.k.a. Coriander) is a double-duty herb and spice. The seeds,
harvested from the matured flowers, are dried and sold whole or
ground as the spice coriander, while the leaves are harvested and used
both fresh and dried as the herb cilantro.
Among other trendy greens, cilantro stands above and Santo is considered
today’s market standard.
A member of the carrot family, Cilantro has an unmistakable and
unforgettable scent. It is strong and sharp and it is either loved or
hated. Recent research even suggests that we may have a genetic
predisposition to react so strongly to the complex flavor profile.
Tips & Trends for Greenhouse Growers and Garden Center Retailers
A Santo Shift
Due to expanding consumer interest in cooking and vegetable gardening, now is the time to add or expand a vegetable line.
America’s love affair with cilantro really began to blossom when
salsa overtook ketchup as one of the most popular condiments
(mayonnaise often beats them both…). It was the first wide-reaching
use of the herb here and spurred the increase of cilantro use in all
types of ethnic cooking.
More and more growers are packaging fresh cilantro, along with other trendy greens like arugula and mint, to fulfill the demand
created by chef-inspired recipes. The most basic packaging is bunched, where the cut product is simply tied and stacked for sale next
to bunch parsley. However, Cilantro is a great baby leaf item as well. Producers of salad blends in cello packs are starting to add baby
leaf cilantro for a bold flavor component. It is also now a staple choice available to home gardeners in starter plants (usually 4” pots)
and in seed packets (an ideal choice for successive sowings).
Growing Demand
According to most recent USDA statistics, the harvested acreage of commercially grown cilantro in California alone has increased from
3,519 acres (28,347 short tons worth $16.8 million) in 1996 to 6,483 acres (44,193 short tons worth $25.3 million) in 2011. ‘Santo’
is considered today’s market standard variety. Commercial growers and hobby gardeners alike find it the top choice for fast-growing,
yet remarkably slow-bolting plants that produce highly aromatic leaves with strong flavor. A uniform, sturdy selection with broad leaves
and an upright habit, it is sturdier than standard strains. Multiple cuts can be made under long days, providing maximum yields.
Santo grows best in warm weather and full sun to develop the highest level of aromatic oils. It will, though, perform well in cooler
temperatures too and can be successively sown every few weeks from last frost in spring into late fall. As cilantro plants are sensitive
to transplanting, the simplest way to grow is to direct seed. Baby leaves can be harvested in as little as 55 days and fully grown plants
can be cut when 12-16” tall, or in about 90 days.
Just the Facts:
• Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum
• Fast-growing, slow-bolting strain
• Suitable for multiple harvests
• Broad, dark green, flat, toothed leaves
• Harvestable for baby leaf at 55-60 days and bunch at 90-95 days
• Use leaves as cilantro and seeds as coriander
• Organic and non-organic seed offered
Did you know?
Sakata’s leafy greens are adaptable to most growing conditions and are
easy and fast-growing for quick turnaround? Many selections are brightly
colored and multi-textured. Varieties have been selected for heat &
bolting tolerance, vigor, and yield, and are eye-catching alone or when
combined with flowering plants.
www.sakatavegetables.com
Follow Us!
© 2014 Sakata Seed America, Inc.
Vegetables 101
Many growers have found that adding top-selling vegetable classes like tomatoes and peppers to their ornamentals assortment boosts
sales and adds product diversity. Due to expanding consumer interest in cooking and vegetable gardening, now is the perfect time to
add a vegetable line. But where do you begin? Tomatoes, peppers, herbs, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, and cool season varieties are
a good start. Consider the recommendations below:
MATCH YOUR TOMATO CHOICES to the consumers you are targeting. There
are almost as many tomato varieties as there are gardeners! If you sell plants into a
rural or suburban area where people have more space, then 6-packs of traditional
indeterminate (tall, continuously setting) tomato plants are a must. If your customers
are more likely to have only decks or balconies to work with you want to be sure to
include shorter, earlier determinate plant types. In a fairly traditional market you’ll need
beefsteak and red cherry fruit types. A more experimental consumer will be interested
in more diverse fruit colors and shapes. Try adding Sweet Treats pink cherry tomato –
the winner of taste-tests across America.
PEPPERS ARE A MUST and every good vegetable line needs a great green-to-red bell
pepper like Red Bull. Large fruit and early maturity are big selling points for gardeners.
Jalapeños are pretty standard in most parts of the country (salsa sales surpassed ketchup
a few years back). Look for an early variety that sets well; fruit should be large and have
a thick wall. Jalafuego fits the bill and is the hottest on the market! Snacking peppers
or mini sweet bells are a popular trend right now. Poblanos are mildly hot peppers that
are easy to grow and used fresh in chili, filled with cheese and baked or preserved for
winter use.
Many growers have found that adding top-selling
vegetable classes like tomatoes and peppers to
their ornamentals assortment boosts sales and adds
product diversity. Try compact, but super productive,
Red Robin tomato.
MANY HOME GARDENERS LOOK FOR HERBS. Herbs found in stores are never
as fresh and flavorful as those grown at home and eaten right after harvest. Basil, dill,
cilantro and parsley are some of the most popular. Healthier looking plants given
a little extra time to mature will sell the best. Herbs are a popular container item many consumers will pay a few dollars more for a larger pot that they won’t need
to transplant.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION! Crops like pumpkin, squash, cucumber and melon
are easy to grow from seed but many gardeners prefer the instant gratification they get
from a plant. Many plants in this category need other plants for pollen so sell them in
4 or 6-inch pots. Urban gardeners will want bush- type smaller plants while consumers
with more space will be more concerned about fruit size and set. These types of
plants grow very quickly so they won’t require as much lead time as the peppers and
tomatoes. They can get tall and leggy fast so plan a few extra sowing dates or try a few
sample plants to test timing.
A more experimental consumer will be interested
in more diverse fruit colors and shapes. Try adding
Sweet Treats pink cherry tomato–the winner of tastetests across America.
FOR A WELL-ROUNDED PRODUCT LINE you’ll want to include some cool-season
crops. Cole crops like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are popular transplant items.
These crops are slow to mature in the cool fall or spring months so your customers will
appreciate the head start healthy plants will give them. To further enhance your cool
season line, spinach, kale, lettuce and arugula are easy additions. Look for “bolt-tolerant”
or “bolt-resistant” varieties to ensure your customers have the most successful harvest.
Basil, dill, cilantro and parsley are some of the most
popular herbs. Santo cilantro is a top seller.
Vegetables for Small
Space Gardening
A small garden space should not be a
limiting factor! Sakata Home Grown
wants to see veggie plants in every
possible space, so we put together
a list of themes and varieties to help.
Vegetable gardening has become a
popular trend in recent years as consumers
cut back on travel and dining out. Many
people have turned to vegetable gardening
as a leisure activity and a source for fresh,
is early and productive. As one of the
hottest jalapeños on the market, a few
fruit go a long way. For folks looking for
a milder heat, offer Cheyenne cayenne
for fresh cooking or drying.
For gardeners with a little more
space be sure to offer some compact
pumpkins and squash. Kids will love
Rockafellow. Rockafellow pumpkin sets
2-3 lb pumpkins on a semi-determinate
vine in about 95 days. Tivoli is another
great choice. This medium-large AAS
winning spaghetti squash has a bush
habit (like a zucchini
plant) and matures
in 98 days.
Notes for Retailers
Small space gardeners may not be
used to buying vegetables so be sure to
place some “grab and go” containers in
high traffic areas. In addition to these
containers, there should be some lower
priced options, for example 4-inch pots
that people can easily transplant on
their own.
Also, offer good care instructions—
vegetables can require more care in small
spaces than they would in a traditional
garden setting. Place small watering cans
and water-soluble fertilizer blends
nearby; these customers don’t need 25
pounds of compost or large irrigation
systems. Gloves, small pruners and small
baskets or colanders (for harvesting) are a
nice touch.
Don’t forget to
recommend leafy
greens. Even the
smallest gardens
Recipes are a nice selling tool for both
can include a “cut
experienced and new cooks. There are
and come again”
many great cookbooks available that
leafy green garden
highlight vegetables by season or region
space or container.
that can be an inspiration. Either sell the
Some of our favorite
books or just set out a few store copies
varieties to add
for people to peruse.
color and texture
Seasonality is very important to those
to lettuce mixes
Use raised planters at retail to show customers the broad assortment of leafy
green varieties and their variation in height and texture.
looking for local produce options. These
include Bull’s Blood
customers strive to harvest at the optimal
beet, Fordhook Giant Swiss chard, Santo
local produce to prepare at home. In
time of the year for the plant. This means
cilantro, Vulcan lettuce and Topper
addition, many parents are looking for
you want to have plants in your store
turnip.
ways to encourage their kids to spend
during the appropriate planting period for
time outdoors and find that a vegetable
Notes for Growers
timely harvest in your area. For example,
garden is a great family project (and a
Tomatoes, peppers and squash are
leafy greens are a popular fall crop on the
healthy activity for Mom & Dad as well).
best sold in 4-inch or larger pots. Some
West Coast, so small plants should be
shoppers might appreciate a larger
sold late July through September.
However, many people have limited
container that they won’t have to
space and finances, so it is vital for
transplant. For tomatoes and peppers,
those of us in the horticulture industry
use 2-3 gallon-sized pots with good
to make options available for everyone.
drainage. Half-wine barrels are great for
A small garden space should not be a
two to three plants.
limiting factor once folks think outside
Both tomatoes and
the rows of a traditional vegetable
peppers can be
garden.
under-planted with
Top Picks for Small Space edible flowers (such
as
nasturtiums),
Gardening
berries
(like
Start with tomatoes! Not just any
strawberries)
or
variety will do for a small space. Many
herbs (like oregano).
of the classic tomato varieties are huge,
Greens can be
sprawling plants that produce limited
planted more closely
fruit. Offer early determinate types. Sweet
and look lovely in
Zen and Sweet Canary grapes, or
8-inch bulb pans or
Red Robin cherry, are early, compact
rectangular windowand set fruit over several weeks. Offer
box planters. Be
Bella Rosa for full-sized fruit in just 70
sure to vary height,
days. All do well in large containers.
texture and maturity
seasonality is very important to those looking for local produce to extend the life of Remember...
Also, peppers pack a lot of fruit on one
they strive to harvest at the optimal time of the year for the plant. This means
retailers need to have plants in their store during the appropriate planting
the container.
small plant. Jalafuego jalapeño pepper
period for timely harvest in their regions.
Vegetables in the
Landscape: Plants in
your customer’s yard
can be pretty and taste
good, too!
There are many ways to grow edibles
when space or resources are limited.
Encourage consumers to look at their
landscape with new eyes; every little
open spot might be an opportunity for
an edible plant. Here are some ideas:
WINDOW BOXES are a very traditional
way to grow herbs and small vegetables
close to home. Vegetable plants that do
best in window boxes are very compact
and don’t mind being close together.
Our Red Robin dwarf tomato is a perfect
example. Red Robin sets loads of tasty
little cherry tomatoes on a cute little 6-12
inch tall plant. Large Leaf Italian basil
makes a nice companion plant for Red
Robin. At harvest time, home gardeners
can skewer mini fresh mozzarella, a
red robin tomato, and a basil leaf on a
toothpick. Drizzled with olive oil and
salted to taste… they are irresistible!
LARGER CONTAINERS work well on
patios, driveways, side yards and sturdy
balconies. Half wine barrels are a great
size. If they aren’t available - offer your
customers containers that are at least
12-18 inches tall and 18-24 inches across
with holes in the bottom for drainage.
Peppers and compact tomatoes will grow
well in containers this size - Jalafuego
jalapeño pepper is ideal for limited space.
Plants are study and productive and the
fruit are very hot, a few peppers go a long
way. Sweet Hearts grape tomato sets loads
of sweet red grape—shaped tomatoes on
24-36-inch plants. Gardeners can keep
tomatoes off the ground by providing a
small trellis for the plant to climb.
LEAFY CROPS are very ornamental and
do well in smaller containers, especially
when harvested at the baby stage- as early
as 21 days from germination. Bowl-shaped
and shallow bulb pots look pretty when
planted with an assortment of greens.
Lettuce is a nice start, but for additional
shapes and textures add mustard, spinach,
dill, arugula, beet greens and Swiss chard
and harvest at the baby leaf stage. Keep
a little pair of kitchen shears and some
dressing handy and you’ll have fresh salad
ready to go. For a full list of leafy green
possibilities see page 29 of the Sakata
Home Grown Catalog.
FLOWER BEDS can be another great
place to fit in edibles. Many cooks like
to have herbs close at hand and plant a
few plants right outside the kitchen door.
Basil, dill, and cilantro are all best eaten
fresh- why not encourage customers to
plant them a few steps from the kitchen?
Kale, Swiss chard, and turnip greens all
have very large ornamental leaves that
look nice planted under tall flowering
bushes or used as a backdrop for smaller
bedding flowers. The large leaves can be
harvested, chopped and sautéed in 5-10
Jalafuego jalapeño is ideal for limited space. Plants
are study and productive and the fruit are very hot - a
few peppers go a long way.
gardeners don’t realize that okra is in the
same family as ornamental hibiscus.
The leaves are large, deep glossy green
and have an interesting shape. Okra
flowers are usually a creamy yellow with
a maroon interior. Jambalaya okra has a
nice compact plant that is very productive
and can fit nicely in an existing planting.
Enjoy the flowers and then pick the pods
often to maximize bloom.
LEAFY CROPS are very ornamental and do well
in smaller containers and raised beds, especially
when harvested at the baby stage- as early as 21
days from germination. Lettuce is a nice start, but
for additional shapes and textures add mustard,
spinach, dill, arugula, beet greens and Swiss chard.
Keep a little pair of kitchen shears handy and some
dressing handy and customers will have fresh salad
ready to go.
minutes for a healthy side dish. Kale is at
the top of our “Power List” of vegetables
on page 25 of our catalog.
GROW UP! Trellises come in a wide
variety of shapes and sizes and allow plants
to grow vertically so they require a very
small foot print. Slice More cucumber,
for example, is very happy and productive
when grown vertically. Fruit can be
harvested small for pickles or larger for
slicing. Nasturtiums, pansies, and dill all
have edible flowers that complement the
leaf shape of cucumber plants. With six
to eight hours of sunlight, indeterminate
tomatoes also perform well on a trellis.
Cherry tomatoes such as Sweet Million
are early and productive.
DRAMA! Edibles can have very dramatic
leaf and flower forms. Many home
HEIGHT! Corn is another interesting
plant that you don’t often see in small
garden spaces. However, the tall stalks
resemble some of the ornamental grasses
and bamboo that are so popular—with
the added bonus of fresh sweet corn. The
stalks can make a nice screen or backdrop
for shorter plants and make a lovely
sound in the wind. They can be planted
close and at irregular intervals, the only
side effect being smaller ears. Our K2
corn produces super sweet white ears
in about 78 days and prefers warm soil.
If your customers don’t eat it right off
the ear, recommend they cut the kernels
from the cob and freeze for making soups
and chowders. Fresh homemade soup is
a fall or winter treat that will drive them
back out into the garden (and the garden
center) every spring!
Edible plants add drama, versatility and
purpose to any landscape. Consumers
should be reminded that vegetable and
herb seeds and plants are readily available
and very affordable as compared to other
landscape choices. With a little ingenuity
and upkeep, any space can be beautiful
and edible- spread the word!
Santo Cilantro - The Market Standard!
Cilantro (a.k.a. Coriander) is a double-duty herb and spice. The seeds,
harvested from the matured flowers, are dried and sold whole or
ground as the spice coriander, while the leaves are harvested and used
both fresh and dried as the herb cilantro.
Among other trendy greens, cilantro stands above and Santo is considered
today’s market standard.
A member of the carrot family, Cilantro has an unmistakable and
unforgettable scent. It is strong and sharp and it is either loved or
hated. Recent research even suggests that we may have a genetic
predisposition to react so strongly to the complex flavor profile.
Tips & Trends for Greenhouse Growers and Garden Center Retailers
A Santo Shift
Due to expanding consumer interest in cooking and vegetable gardening, now is the time to add or expand a vegetable line.
America’s love affair with cilantro really began to blossom when
salsa overtook ketchup as one of the most popular condiments
(mayonnaise often beats them both…). It was the first wide-reaching
use of the herb here and spurred the increase of cilantro use in all
types of ethnic cooking.
More and more growers are packaging fresh cilantro, along with other trendy greens like arugula and mint, to fulfill the demand
created by chef-inspired recipes. The most basic packaging is bunched, where the cut product is simply tied and stacked for sale next
to bunch parsley. However, Cilantro is a great baby leaf item as well. Producers of salad blends in cello packs are starting to add baby
leaf cilantro for a bold flavor component. It is also now a staple choice available to home gardeners in starter plants (usually 4” pots)
and in seed packets (an ideal choice for successive sowings).
Growing Demand
According to most recent USDA statistics, the harvested acreage of commercially grown cilantro in California alone has increased from
3,519 acres (28,347 short tons worth $16.8 million) in 1996 to 6,483 acres (44,193 short tons worth $25.3 million) in 2011. ‘Santo’
is considered today’s market standard variety. Commercial growers and hobby gardeners alike find it the top choice for fast-growing,
yet remarkably slow-bolting plants that produce highly aromatic leaves with strong flavor. A uniform, sturdy selection with broad leaves
and an upright habit, it is sturdier than standard strains. Multiple cuts can be made under long days, providing maximum yields.
Santo grows best in warm weather and full sun to develop the highest level of aromatic oils. It will, though, perform well in cooler
temperatures too and can be successively sown every few weeks from last frost in spring into late fall. As cilantro plants are sensitive
to transplanting, the simplest way to grow is to direct seed. Baby leaves can be harvested in as little as 55 days and fully grown plants
can be cut when 12-16” tall, or in about 90 days.
Just the Facts:
• Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum
• Fast-growing, slow-bolting strain
• Suitable for multiple harvests
• Broad, dark green, flat, toothed leaves
• Harvestable for baby leaf at 55-60 days and bunch at 90-95 days
• Use leaves as cilantro and seeds as coriander
• Organic and non-organic seed offered
Did you know?
Sakata’s leafy greens are adaptable to most growing conditions and are
easy and fast-growing for quick turnaround? Many selections are brightly
colored and multi-textured. Varieties have been selected for heat &
bolting tolerance, vigor, and yield, and are eye-catching alone or when
combined with flowering plants.
www.sakatavegetables.com
Follow Us!
© 2014 Sakata Seed America, Inc.
Vegetables 101
Many growers have found that adding top-selling vegetable classes like tomatoes and peppers to their ornamentals assortment boosts
sales and adds product diversity. Due to expanding consumer interest in cooking and vegetable gardening, now is the perfect time to
add a vegetable line. But where do you begin? Tomatoes, peppers, herbs, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, and cool season varieties are
a good start. Consider the recommendations below:
MATCH YOUR TOMATO CHOICES to the consumers you are targeting. There
are almost as many tomato varieties as there are gardeners! If you sell plants into a
rural or suburban area where people have more space, then 6-packs of traditional
indeterminate (tall, continuously setting) tomato plants are a must. If your customers
are more likely to have only decks or balconies to work with you want to be sure to
include shorter, earlier determinate plant types. In a fairly traditional market you’ll need
beefsteak and red cherry fruit types. A more experimental consumer will be interested
in more diverse fruit colors and shapes. Try adding Sweet Treats pink cherry tomato –
the winner of taste-tests across America.
PEPPERS ARE A MUST and every good vegetable line needs a great green-to-red bell
pepper like Red Bull. Large fruit and early maturity are big selling points for gardeners.
Jalapeños are pretty standard in most parts of the country (salsa sales surpassed ketchup
a few years back). Look for an early variety that sets well; fruit should be large and have
a thick wall. Jalafuego fits the bill and is the hottest on the market! Snacking peppers
or mini sweet bells are a popular trend right now. Poblanos are mildly hot peppers that
are easy to grow and used fresh in chili, filled with cheese and baked or preserved for
winter use.
Many growers have found that adding top-selling
vegetable classes like tomatoes and peppers to
their ornamentals assortment boosts sales and adds
product diversity. Try compact, but super productive,
Red Robin tomato.
MANY HOME GARDENERS LOOK FOR HERBS. Herbs found in stores are never
as fresh and flavorful as those grown at home and eaten right after harvest. Basil, dill,
cilantro and parsley are some of the most popular. Healthier looking plants given
a little extra time to mature will sell the best. Herbs are a popular container item many consumers will pay a few dollars more for a larger pot that they won’t need
to transplant.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION! Crops like pumpkin, squash, cucumber and melon
are easy to grow from seed but many gardeners prefer the instant gratification they get
from a plant. Many plants in this category need other plants for pollen so sell them in
4 or 6-inch pots. Urban gardeners will want bush- type smaller plants while consumers
with more space will be more concerned about fruit size and set. These types of
plants grow very quickly so they won’t require as much lead time as the peppers and
tomatoes. They can get tall and leggy fast so plan a few extra sowing dates or try a few
sample plants to test timing.
A more experimental consumer will be interested
in more diverse fruit colors and shapes. Try adding
Sweet Treats pink cherry tomato–the winner of tastetests across America.
FOR A WELL-ROUNDED PRODUCT LINE you’ll want to include some cool-season
crops. Cole crops like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are popular transplant items.
These crops are slow to mature in the cool fall or spring months so your customers will
appreciate the head start healthy plants will give them. To further enhance your cool
season line, spinach, kale, lettuce and arugula are easy additions. Look for “bolt-tolerant”
or “bolt-resistant” varieties to ensure your customers have the most successful harvest.
Basil, dill, cilantro and parsley are some of the most
popular herbs. Santo cilantro is a top seller.