Planting the fast-growing and bold-flavored Vietnamese coriander – Orange County Register

Five things to do in the garden this week:

Herbs : Vietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata) has a taste somewhere between cilantro, mint, lemon, and pepper. Altogether, the flavor is bold and smoky as leaves are added to strong-flavored soups, stews, and curries. It is a fast-growing herb that thrives in warm weather. Pinch it back to encourage bushy growth. It is easily propagated from 4-6 inch cuttings whose bottom two inches have had their leaves removed before being submerged in water. Incidentally, ordinary cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) may also be propagated from cuttings in a similar fashion.

Fruit: Pick fruit before sunrise to extend its storage life. Once the sun rises, each additional five degrees of temperature will reduce the shelf life of your fruit by three days. If your