How to grow dhania (coriander) in under 40 days
Kelvin Wairimu 
Coriander commonly known as dhania is a delicacy in many for its sweet taste and pungency. Besides that, it’s the cheapest crop one can grow with good returns. Dhania has a short maturity period of 45 days, but under good management, one can harvest under 40 days.
It can be a good source of income for many unemployed youths as it can be done in kitchen gardens, cans, tins, sacks or even on the balcony.
How to start Dhania farming
We often advise before any farming one should identify an ideal market to sell his harvest and what price. The market tells the variety of dhania and management quality. Most buyers love light-shinny green dhania a strong pungent smell. It should also be fresh with no colour discolouration.
Read: Simplified way to grow Cape gooseberry from seeds to harvest
The planting medium should be fertile and well-drained. The planting area should be warm with direct sunlight exposure.
Coriander seeds from Royal Seeds are the best dhania to grow in Kenya.
Sow the seeds shallowly. Deep sowing can lead to late or no germination. From there, water regularly but sparingly.
Germination takes 7 days. After two weeks apply Ridomil gold 25g/20litre of water. One can also apply optimizer, citi shooter or easygrow starter after 14 days to boost growth.
With continuous watering, one can of Dhania is ready for harvesting for 40-45 days.
Dhania is sold per bunch which often costs fifty shillings. A 25g packet of dhania that costs Ksh 200 gives at least Ksh 2000 to Ksh 3000. The market for dhania is always there, from neighbours to grocery stores.
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