Additional Video on Garden Box and Letting Cilantro Bolt | Seed Saving & Pollinator Benefits in the Greenhouse | JDK Ranchette
In this short and sweet 90-second video, I take you inside our off-grid greenhouse to share why I intentionally let my cilantro plant bolt and go to seed in our sunny window box.
This was no gardening mishap—it was a purposeful step toward building sustainability here at the ranch. I share the two main reasons behind this decision:
To invite pollinators into the greenhouse by letting the cilantro bloom (cilantro flowers are a favorite of beneficial insects like hoverflies and bees!).
To collect and save seeds for future planting—one more way we’re working toward self-sufficiency and closing the loop in our garden cycle. You’ll see how I dried the plant in place, pulled it by the roots, trimmed the branches, and shook out the seeds into the lid of a seed-starting kit—no fancy tools required! A simple kitchen colander helped separate the chaff from the seeds for easy, no-cost storage and reuse.
Seed-Saving Tip: Let cilantro fully dry before harvesting to ensure seeds store well. Store in a cool, dark place in a paper envelope or glass jar.
Pollinator Tip: Flowering cilantro attracts tiny wasps, bees, and hoverflies—nature’s pest control crew! Hit that like button if you’re working toward more sustainability in your garden, and don’t forget to subscribe for more homesteading tips from JDK Ranchette—where we work hard, play hard, and grow with purpose.