Grow fresh dill
Growing dill in home gardens
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A quick guide to dill
- Dill grows best in a well drained, slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter.
- Dill does not transplant easily.
Sow seeds directly into the ground where the plants are to grow.
- Growing dill indoors is possible, as long as you provide enough light.
- Harvest green dill foliage anytime during the growing season until the umbrella-like flower clusters open.
- To harvest the seeds, cut the flower stalks just before seeds begin to ripen and turn a tan color.
Dill, Anethum graveolens, is a tender annual in the carrot family (Apiaceae). It is native to Asia Minor and the Mediterranean region. The tall, leggy plant is popular for pickling, but you may also use the foliage and seeds in soups, salads, breads, party dips and fish dishes. In cut flower arrangements, floral designers value dill as a feathery green filler.
Soil pH and fertility
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Planting
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Harvesting
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Jill MacKenzie and Shirley Mah Kooyman
Reviewed in 2018
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How to Plant and Grow Dill
Anethum graveolensThe smell of dill takes me straight to my happy place: Mediterranean-style meals, warm spring days, and soft feathery plants.
Life doesn’t get much better than that does it?
Luckily, those of us who love this aromatic herb don’t have to rely on the market for a fresh supply, as we can easily grow our own.
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I’ll take you through every step in the process of growing this wonderfully ornamental and tasty plant.
And so you know what lies ahead, here’s what I’ll cover:
What You’ll Learn
- Cultivation and History
- Propagation
- How to Grow
- Growing Tips
- Cultivars to Select
- Managing Pests and Disease
- Harvesting
- Preserving
- Recipes and Cooking Ideas
- Quick Reference Growing Guide
Cultivation and History
If dill makes you think of tasty Mediterranean dishes like it does for me, there’s a reason for that.
While its exact origin is not entirely certain, this herb is likely native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia – places where it is widely used in the local cuisine.
These days, it easily naturalizes in other locations with Mediterranean-type climates, such as California.
But it also escapes cultivation and grows like a weed in places with decidedly non-Mediterranean climates, such as the northeastern US.
Growing to a mature height of 3-4 feet tall on average, this annual plant has branching, hollow stems graced with soft, fern-like leaves.
These feathery leaves are a cool toned, bluish-green hue.
This herb holds its tiny yellow flowers up in a flattened cluster called an umbel, which is about six inches wide.
Although dill looks a lot like fennel, these two aromatic plants are in the same family, but are not as closely related as you might think.
In addition to fennel, dill has many other tasty and fragrant relatives, including caraway, parsley, anise, and cilantro.
These herbs and spices are all members of the Umbellifer (Apiaceae) family, so called because of their umbrella-shaped flower heads.
Dill’s genus name Anethum comes from the Greek word for this plant, which means “strong smelling.”
The English name refers not to its smell, but to its medicinal use.
The word “dill” is thought to have Norse origins, coming from a word that meant to lull or to soothe, referring to its reputation as a stomach soother.
But dill goes back even further in time than the Vikings, having been used as food and medicine for thousands of years.
The name anethum is mentioned in the Bible, and it was used as a flavoring in ancient Egypt, tracing its culinary use at least as far back as 5,000 years ago.
Like its cousin cilantro, both the foliage and the seeds of this plant are used culinarily.
The leaves are used as an herb referred to as dill weed, distinguishing it from its dried fruits, which you’ll find on spice racks labeled as dill seed.
Essential oils are extracted from both the seeds and the leaves, and are used by herbalists for medicinal purposes.
Remember the soothing origins of the English word for this plant?
Its medicinal use has been widespread, to treat gastrointestinal issues in Asian, European, and Native American traditional medicine, and the medicinal properties of various parts of this plant are still being studied today.
Modern research backs up its traditional use as a carminative, to reduce or prevent flatulence.
The essential oil from this herb has antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, and it is even used to help preserve food in industrial food manufacturing.
In addition to culinary and medicinal uses, this plant also has a well-deserved place in ornamental gardens.
Its feathery foliage provides a soft backdrop for garden plants with contrasting textures, and its bright yellow flower heads add a wispy layer of color – both of which are useful in designing one’s own charming little cottage garden.
Propagation
With all those wonderful uses, you’re probably ready to start your own patch of homegrown dill!
There are a couple of things you should know before you get started.
The first is that it is a cool season herb that is hardy to 25°F, and can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 2-11.
That means it is accessible to most of us North American gardeners, but is best grown in springtime – whenever spring happens to occur in your area!
You can sow seeds as soon as you can work your soil in the spring, provided temperatures don’t fall below 25°F.
The other thing you need to know before you plant this herb in your garden is that although it is an annual, it has a tendency to self-sow.
When seeds from mature plants fall on your garden soil, they are happy to grow into full sized plants next year without any help from you.
So if you plant this herb once, you may not need to plant it again.
This is even the case in my garden in northeast Utah where plants have to contend with extremely dry conditions, harsh wind, sub-zero winter temperatures, and short summers.
Since starting seeds a few years ago, I find volunteer dill plants scattered throughout my garden every year.
I consider this a boon instead of a problem since dill is one of my favorite herbs, and it seems I never have too much.
However, if free dill in future growing seasons doesn’t sound like something you want, I’ll make some recommendations on how to prevent these weedy volunteers a little later.
From Seed
The best way to plant this herb in your garden is to grow it from seed instead of setting out transplants.
This is because it has a long, sensitive taproot, joining a few other garden staples, like carrots and beets, that do not appreciate transplanting.
When dill is transplanted, it tends to immediately bolt – that is, if it doesn’t simply die. So do yourself a favor and go the best route by planting this herb from seed.
When you’re ready to sow your seeds, here’s how to do it:
- Plan to sow your seeds 2-3 weeks before your last spring frost.
- Prepare your soil by mixing in some compost, even out the surface of the soil, and then wet it down lightly.
- Press the seeds gently into the surface of the soil. Dill seeds need light to germinate, so they should either remain bare on the surface or cover very lightly with soil, about 1/8 of an inch.
- Plant a group of 3 seeds every 4-6 inches, in rows spaced 12 inches apart.
- Provide a gentle daily watering until seedlings emerge.
Just so you know, germination can take 10-14 days, or sometimes longer.
When the seedlings are a few inches tall, thin out the weaker ones so that there is one plant spaced every 4 inches.
And don’t forget to eat the thinned seedlings!
If you live in a dry climate like I do, growing your dill plants 4 inches apart will work great.
However, if you live in a more humid climate, leave 6 inches between each plant instead.
Providing plants with a little extra room will allow for better air circulation and help prevent disease, while still allowing you to maximize your harvest.
And despite its reputation, this herb is not an aggressive grower, so make sure to remove any weeds around your young seedlings.
How to Grow
Dill is pretty low maintenance as far as herbs go. It gives and gives, and it really doesn’t ask for too much in return.
But if you want it to give you all it’s got, do it a favor and provide it with the best possible growing conditions.
Sun
This herb grows best in a full sun location, with 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.
You can still grow dill if you’re working with part shade, but its stems will not be as sturdy, so you may need to stake it.
Another situation where staking can be helpful is if your area is prone to high winds.
In my garden, we frequently receive strong afternoon winds, and so far my dill plants – grown in full sun – have managed to remain upright without staking.
I think since they are trained from a young age to withstand these winds, they develop stronger stems as a result.
So consider your growing conditions and decide whether staking is prudent for your situation or not.
Soil
This herb’s main requirement is well-draining soil, with a slightly acidic pH of 5.6-6.5.
If you are starting with clay soil, work some compost into it, or consider growing in a raised bed or in containers.
Apart from requiring good drainage, dill is not very picky and can grow in poor soils, which is why it has such an easy time establishing itself without help from the gardener.
If you aren’t sure what type of soil you have, consider conducting a soil test through your local extension office to find out.
Water
Once established, this herb is fairly drought tolerant. Just make sure established plants receive about an inch of water per week.
And when watering, try to water at the soil level with a watering wand or drip irrigation lines.
Overhead watering, such as with sprinklers, can put your herb at a higher risk of infection since many fungal diseases thrive in wet conditions.
Fertilizer
As mentioned above, this herb will happily make itself at home in poor soil.
However, working an organic fertilizer such as well-composted manure or vermicompost into your soil will give you greater yields of both foliage and seeds – as well as more fragrant, tastier dill, thanks to an increase in essential oil content.
In my garden, I work well-composted sheep manure into my rows before sowing seeds. If you have a supply of comfrey in your garden, you can also fertilize with comfrey tea.
If neither of those options are available to you, you can feed your crop lightly with an all-purpose organic fertilizer.
Dr. Earth Home Grown Organic and Natural Tomato Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer
I recommend Dr.
Earth Home Grown Organic and Natural Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer, available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Growing Tips
This herb is pretty easy to grow – any plant that can self-seed so easily must be fairly flexible by nature.
But to help ensure a successful dill crop, here are a few more tips:
- This herb grows best when the soil temperature is about 70°F. Hot summer temps will cause it to bolt.
- Sow seeds every 2-3 weeks for a steady harvest.
- If growing in containers, make sure your pots are at least 12 inches deep to allow room for their taproots to develop.
- Remove flower heads as they appear, to encourage foliage production; let them grow if you want seeds.
- Avoid growing this herb next to other members of the carrot family, to discourage pests and keep disease from spreading.
- Grow with companion plants such as soybeans, garlic, leeks, and onions.
I mentioned earlier that dill self-seeds from one year to the next quite easily.
If you want to let this herb perpetuate itself, but not wherever it wants to, try sowing it into a dedicated bed and remove any seedlings that pop up elsewhere in your garden.
On the other hand, if you want to prevent self-seeding altogether, cut back flower heads while they are still yellow, to prevent mature seed from forming and potentially escaping into your garden.
These flower heads are extremely fragrant and can be used in cooking or in flower arrangements.
Cultivars to Select
Remember, this plant offers a variety of different uses – you can grow it for the foliage, for its seeds, or just for garden beautification.
Some cultivars are best suited to particular uses.
Some are slower to bolt, meaning you get a longer harvest of leaves. Others go to seed earlier, providing you with seed heads for cucumber pickling at an earlier date. And there are height variations as well.
Think about your preferred uses for this herb and choose your cultivars accordingly. Here are a few options:
Bouquet
‘Bouquet’ flowers early and produces an abundance of seeds. This is a great choice if you want a lot of fresh cut flowers or seeds to use in the kitchen.
This cultivar can grow to 24-36 inches tall at maturity and has a 4- to 8-inch spread.
‘Bouquet’
‘Bouquet’ is ready to harvest in 40-60 days.
Organic ‘Bouquet’ seeds are available for purchase in an assortment of packet sizes at Eden Brothers.
Elephant
‘Elephant’ is a late-flowering variety, which means you’ll have delicious fresh dill weed throughout more of the growing season.
This cultivar reaches 30-48 inches in height, and has a 16- to 24-inch spread.
‘Elephant’
‘Elephant’ comes to maturity in 60-90 days.
‘Elephant’ seeds are available in a variety of packet sizes at Eden Brothers.
Hera
‘Hera’ is considered a bunching dill, producing lots of fragrant foliage. It is slower to bolt than many varieties.
This cultivar is also on the smaller side, reaching 18-24 inches in height with a spread of 8-12 inches.
‘Hera’
‘Hera’ reaches maturity in 40-60 days.
Organic ‘Hera’ seeds are available for purchase in packs of 400 seeds from Burpee.
Want more options? Get even more of our favorite cultivar suggestions here.
Managing Pests and Disease
Luckily for lovers of this herb, dill tends to attract more friends than foes in the garden.
Deer don’t care for it, and most of the insects that are attracted to it are interested in feeding on the nectar from its flowers, not munching on its leaves.
However, this herb is prone to the same diseases and pests as its close relative caraway – you can learn more about these in our in-depth article on caraway diseases and pests.
There are a few insects you’ll want to look out for as well.
Insects
Generally, dill is more attractive to beneficial insects such as pollinators than problematic ones, making it a good companion to have in the garden.
Since some insects can spread disease, make sure you inspect your plants for the following unwanted pests:
Aphids
Aphids sometimes colonize this herb, and if they do, they can transmit viruses.
Your first defense in keeping an aphid problem in check is to inspect plants regularly.
Aphids on dill plant.If you spot aphids on the foliage, wash them off with a strong jet of water from the hose to remove them.
To prevent aphids from setting up camp in your dill patch, work on attracting beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps, green lacewings, hoverflies, and ladybugs, all of which will prey on aphids and help keep populations in check.
Luckily, this herb attracts all of these beneficial insects.
But you’ll want them around before your dill blooms, so make sure you have other pollinator-friendly plants around to provide them with food and shelter throughout the gardening season.
Another way to prevent aphid problems is to use companion plants to repel them.
There are many research studies showing that alliums such as garlic and onions are effective at repelling various types of aphids to protect a wide variety of main crops – ranging from cereal crops in China to tomato crops in Zambia.
If aphids are a concern, try growing alliums with your dill.
Black Swallowtail Caterpillars
This herb is a host plant for black swallowtail caterpillars – which turn into black swallowtail butterflies.
Although it will nibble on your dill, many gardeners do not consider this caterpillar to be a pest.
Black swallowtail caterpillarThe caterpillar form has a few different stages – so before you squish any caterpillars you find on this plant, make sure you identify it properly.
Black swallowtails are also attracted to other members of the carrot family. The adult butterflies lay eggs on these plants, and when the eggs hatch, the caterpillars use them as food.
Most gardeners are willing to sacrifice a little dill to these guys if they show up, in exchange for the chance to view them flitting around in their beautiful mature form.
Black swallowtail butterfly and flowering dillHowever, if needed, the caterpillars can be relocated. A stand of Queen Anne’s lace, another member of the carrot family, would be a good alternative, providing them appropriate food and shelter.
Root-Knot Nematodes
Root-knot nematodes – not to be confused with beneficial nematodes – also affect carrots, kale, and many other broadleaf plants you may be growing in your garden.
Above-ground signs of these pests can be difficult to recognize – plants may appear stunted, or may wilt for no apparent reason.
Pulling up the plant will reveal knots on the roots, thus the name of this pest.
To manage an existing problem, try solarizing your soil to kill the pests, or giving the problem area a break from veggie growing and instead grow a cover crop of marigolds in the infested area.
You can learn more about dill pests and how to treat them in our dedicated article – coming soon!
Disease
In keeping with its easygoing nature, this herb isn’t particularly prone to disease.
Most diseases can be prevented by making sure you don’t grow these plants in overly wet or humid conditions. Don’t overwater, provide well-drained soil, and allow adequate spacing between plants to encourage airflow.
Dill affected by powdery mildewGenerally, gardeners in humid climates are more likely to have problems with disease than those in arid climates.
Here are some of the diseases that can affect this plant:
- Carrot motley dwarf
- Carrot redleaf virus
- Carrot mottle virus
- Cercospora leaf blight
- Damping off
- Downy mildew
- Powdery mildew
- Root rot
To learn more about managing diseases in dill plants, make sure to consult our article on this topic – coming soon!
Harvesting
Hopefully, your dill-growing adventure will take you straight to harvest time with no pest or disease issues.
This is usually the case.
When your plants reach maturity, you will have the choice of harvesting either the foliage or the seeds from this aromatic plant – or both!
Dill Weed
Your dill weed harvest can begin as soon as your seedlings are a few inches tall.
Harvesting leaves will encourage the plants to grow bushier and will help to delay flowering – this is important if you’re more interested in leaves than seeds.
Young leaves contain the most aromatic oils and are therefore the tastiest. So don’t wait for them to get bigger, go ahead and harvest the leaves regularly as it grows.
To harvest the leaves, simply pinch the stems off with your fingers – or use a pair of garden scissors.
Just make sure not to defoliate the plant – take no more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the leaves from each plant at harvest time.
This herb needs to keep some of its leaves so that it will be able to photosynthesize and continue to grow.
And keep in mind that leaves taste best when they are freshly picked.
So, during the growing season, harvest your herb just before you’re going to use it rather than picking lots at once and storing it in the fridge.
Another good time to harvest is right after flower buds form – that’s when new leaves will be the most aromatic.
At this point you can also cut the flower heads back to encourage your plant to keep producing foliage.
Or, you can let your plant go to seed, in which case it will direct its energy away from foliage production to seed production.
Dill Seeds
If you want to expand your homegrown spice collection, planting dill is an easy way to get started.
Let your plants flower and go to seed, but keep your eye on the flower heads as the seeds develop – when they turn tan colored, it’s time for action.
Cut off the umbel and place it in a paper bag.
As they dry, the seed heads will shatter and drop their seeds. By collecting them in a paper bag, you can maximize the number of seeds collected.
If you allow them to dry on the plant, the seeds will drop off and fall onto your garden soil.
Set the paper bag aside in a warm, well-ventilated spot to let the seed head continue drying out.
Alternatively, you can also spread seed heads on a window screen to let them finish drying.
To test if your seeds are dry, try pressing your fingernail into a few of them. If the seeds bend, they are not ready yet. If they break or shatter, that is a sign that they are nice and dry.
When seeds are thoroughly dry, store them in a small spice jar and place it – with pride – on your spice rack.
And you may want to package some to add to your seed collection for sowing next year too!
Preserving
Don’t wash the herbs until you are ready to use them.
You can store fresh leaves in the fridge. Place them in a plastic bag at 32-41°F and you can expect your harvest to keep for 1-3 weeks.
Like basil, dill is at its best when fresh. However, if you want to preserve some for later, drying and freezing are great ways to create a stash for yourself for the cold months when your garden is at rest.
My preferred way to preserve this herb is to mince it, place it in a small ramekin, cover with oil, put the lid on the ramekin, and then store it in the freezer.
I find that dill preserved in this way is nearly as good as when it is enjoyed fresh from the garden – and what a nice surprise it makes when I’m digging through the freezer looking for meal ideas. It can be used in a similar way to pesto, if you want to add some minced garlic and chopped toasted nuts.
You can read more about freezing fresh herbs here.
To dehydrate this herb, wash it first , and use a paper towel to pat the foliage dry. If you have a dehydrator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for drying herbs.
You can also dry this herb at room temperature or in the oven. Store the dried herb in a cool, dry location in a jar with a lid.
Learn more about drying and storing herbs in our full guide.
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
Although pickles may be the first thing that comes to mind when you start mulling over your options, why not return to its Mediterranean origins for the most enticing cooking ideas?
Dill is one of the star ingredients in the traditional Greek cucumber and yogurt dish, tzatziki.
You can find the recipe for a deliciously creamy tzatziki over at our sister site, Foodal.
And to go with your tzatziki, how about pan-fried potatoes sprinkled with dill and minced garlic? That’s another dish that will have you feeling as though you are steps away from turquoise Mediterranean waters.
Or if your culinary daydreams take a wintery turn, you might consider sprinkling it on top of a warming bowl of borscht.
But don’t just stick to the tried and true – this herb is also a welcome ingredient with unexpected pairings.
Fresh dill brightens up the earthier ingredients in this scrumptious recipe on our sister site Foodal for brussels sprouts with bacon and fennel seed.
You can also try using this herb to make a chicken soup feel light and fresh.
And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring this conversation back around to our beloved pickles.
Photo by Fanny Slater.Have you ever made fermented dill pickles from scratch? If not, now’s the time to give it a try.
You’ll find a recipe for lacto-fermented garlic dill pickles also on Foodal.
If that sounds great, but a bit too complicated for you at your current energy level, why not enjoy it as a simple herbal tea?
Just boil some hot water, place some fresh dill leaf or a flower head in your mug, and you’ll have your own homemade tummy-soothing infusion to enjoy.
Quick Reference Growing Guide
| Plant Type: | Annual, self-sowing | Water Needs: | Moderate |
| Native to: | Mediterranean, western Asia | Maintenance: | Low |
| Hardiness (USDA Zone): | 2-11 | Soil Type: | Average to poor |
| Season: | Summer-fall | Soil pH: | 5.6-6.5 |
| Exposure: | Full sun | Soil Drainage: | Well-draining |
| Time to Maturity: | 40-90 days | Companion Planting: | Garlic, onions, leeks, soybeans |
| Spacing: | 4-6 inches | Avoid Planting With: | Carrots, fennel, caraway, cumin |
| Planting Depth: | 1/8 inch, surface | Attracts: | Bees, parasitic wasps, green lacewings, hoverflies, ladybugs, black swallowtail butterflies |
| Height: | 8-48 inches | Family: | Apiaceae |
| Spread: | 4-24 inches | Genus: | Anethum |
| Tolerance: | Light frost | Species:: | graveolens |
| Common Pests: | Aphids, armyworms, chalcid flies, cutworms, root knot nematodes | Common Disease: | Carrot motley dwarf, carrot redleaf virus, carrot mottle virus, cercospora leaf blight, damping off, downy mildew, powdery mildew, root rot |
A Soothing Seasoning
Well, gardener, now that you have completed your education in all things dill, you could probably use a mug of that soothing and refreshing dill tea right about now.
I know I’m ready for one!
Do you have any of your own dill-growing tips or recipes to share? If so, please let us know in the comments below!
And for more information about growing your own herbs and spices, check out some of dill’s fragrant relatives next:
- How To Grow and Care for Cumin in Your Garden
- How to Grow and Care for Angelica
- Growing Lovage: An Uncommon Herb with Many Uses
Photos by Lorna Kring and Fanny Slater © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photos via Burpee, Eden Brothers, and Nature Hills Nursery. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock.
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Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/en/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: garden plants reprinted: Last amendments:
Content
- Planting and Conducting dill
- Dill - Description
- Planting dill
- When to plant dill Dill (lat.
Anethum) monotypic genus of herbaceous annuals of the Umbrella family, which is represented by the species fragrant dill, or garden dill. In the wild, the species is found in the central and southwestern regions of Asia, in the Himalayas and in northern Africa, and in culture it is grown all over the world. Just like its relative parsley, dill has been known to mankind since ancient Egypt, but dill was used as a spice in Europe only in the 16th century. Today, this unpretentious cold-resistant plant is in demand in cooking and medicine.
Planting and caring for dill
- Planting: sow seeds in open ground in early spring, and then you can sow it every 2 weeks. When growing dill at home, seeds can be sown at any time. Sowing seeds of bush dill for seedlings - in March, planting seedlings in the ground - in a month or so.
- Lighting: bright sun or partial shade.
- Soil: loose and well fertilized neutral reaction soil.
- Watering: frequent: in hot weather - twice a day. Water consumption -20-30 liters of water per m².
- Top dressing: when grown in pre-fertilized soil, top dressing is not needed; nitrogen fertilizers are applied to poor soil in the form of fermented nettle infusion. If there is a need for potassium and phosphorus, add them at the rate of 10-15 g per m².
- Reproduction: seed.
- Pests: Umbelliferae, Italian bugs (striped shield bugs), carrot psyllids and flies, gourds, willow-carrot and carrot aphids.
- Diseases: blackleg, powdery mildew, fusarium, phomosis, cercosporosis and rust.
Read more about growing dill below
Dill plant description
Dill plant has a strong spicy smell. Its stem is single, straight, reaching a height of 40 to 150 cm, the surface of the stem is dark green and finely furrowed. The ovate leaves are dissected into three or four parts, the lobes of the last order are bristly or linear-filamentous.
Flowers with yellow petals are collected in umbrellas with a diameter of 2 to 9cm, which, in turn, are arranged in umbellate inflorescences with a diameter of 15 to 20 cm. The fruit is a vine. Broadly elliptical or ovoid dill seeds reach a length of 5 mm and a thickness of 3.5 mm. Dill grass blooms in June-July, and the fruits ripen in July-September. In the article "Sowing vegetables for seedlings in February" we wrote how to grow dill and parsley on the windowsill in the form of seedlings, and in the article "Sowing vegetables in the ground in March" we described how and when to sow dill in the ground, as well as how to grow dill and parsley outdoors. Today we will tell you in more detail how to properly grow dill at home, when to sow dill in open ground, how dill is grown from seeds, and what should be the care of dill growing in the garden.
Planting dill
When to plant dill
The first sowing of dill in open ground is carried out in early spring, but if you want to have green dill on the table in spring, summer and autumn, it is best to use the conveyor method of growing the crop - sow seeds every 10- 12 days from early spring to late August.
Planting dill in the spring involves preparing the site in the fall - digging the soil to the depth of the fertile layer, but it is better to apply organic matter in the form of manure not under dill, but under its predecessors, the best of which are cabbage, beets, cucumbers and legumes. Do not plant dill in areas where Umbelliferae - carrots, parsley, cumin, fennel and parsnips grew before.
The best neighbors of dill are cabbage and cucumbers, and the worst are Umbrella crops. Dill and carrots are an unfortunate neighborhood, just like parsley and dill. It is much better to grow dill and garlic in the same area. Dill and potatoes get along well with each other.
In early spring, before sowing seeds, loosen the soil with a rake and add 15-20 g of urea, 15-20 g of potassium salt and 20-30 g of superphosphate per m² of plot.
How to plant dill
Before sowing, dill seeds are soaked in water for 3-4 hours, changing it several times in order to wash out substances from the seeds that slow down their germination.
After that, the seeds are dipped for two hours in a strong solution of potassium permanganate, then washed, dried and sown in grooves 2 cm deep, located 15-20 cm apart. In the furrow, the seeds are laid out at a distance of 1-2 cm and, after planting the seeds, the crops are watered. Dill germinates at a temperature of 5 ºC, and in order to speed up the emergence of seedlings, the area is covered with agrospan. The first shoots may appear in one to two weeks. - Sowing early tomatoes for seedlings
Growing dill on the windowsill
Sowing dill
When to sow dill at home? Yes, at any time - on the windowsill this crop can be grown all year round. However, if you want to have green dill at home and in the middle of winter, you need to know which variety is suitable for this. At home, it is best to grow such early-ripening bush varieties of dill as Gribovsky, Grenadier and Richelieu.
Seeds are pre-treated as before sowing in open ground, after which they are sown to a depth of 1-2 cm in large containers with a drainage layer at the bottom and a wet substrate of one part of vermicompost and two parts of coconut fiber, after which the containers are covered with glass or film and placed in a dark place.
Do not forget to ventilate the crops and remove condensation from the glass. Shoots appear in two weeks, after which the coating can be removed, and the containers must be moved to the light. Care of dill at home
Densely sprouted sprouts are thinned out, because dill does not tolerate crowding. The optimal distance between seedlings is 2-3 cm. The temperature in the room should not be too high, as the seedlings can stretch. In the first week after germination, it is desirable to lower the temperature of the content by a couple of degrees. To do this, you can take the crops to the insulated balcony. After a week, the temperature is raised to 15-18 ºC - this is the optimal indicator for the successful development of dill seedlings.
At a time when days are shorter than nights, dill at home will not be able to develop without additional lighting. A fluorescent lamp with a power of 40-80 W should be placed at a distance of 60 cm from the container with seedlings.
Seedlings are illuminated from early morning for 5-6 hours. Watering dill
Since dill does not tolerate chlorine, water the crops with water settled for a day at room temperature or slightly warmer. If possible, it would be good to pass water for irrigation through a magnet or use melt water to moisten the soil. The soil should always be loose and barely wet, the substrate must not be over-moistened so that the seedlings do not get sick with a “black leg”.
Dill on the windowsill likes to be sprayed with a spray bottle, especially if the seedling box is located near heating appliances, such as a central heating radiator.
Feeding dill
Twice a month the seedlings are fed with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer, for example, Ideal or Raduga in low concentration. Avoid overdose, it can kill young plants. Seedlings must first be watered, and after fertilizing, it is advisable to spray the seedlings with clean water to prevent leaf burn. You can carry out foliar top dressing, as they say, on the leaves, but the concentration of these solutions should be even weaker.
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Growing dill in open ground
Planting dill in the ground
We have already told you how to sow dill seeds in open ground, now we will tell you how dill seedlings are planted in the ground. Bush varieties of dill are best grown in seedlings, especially if you want to get an early harvest. Dill for seedlings is sown in March, dill is grown in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, and a little over a month later, when the seedlings develop 3-5 leaves, dill is planted in the garden. This should be done on a cloudy day or in the evening, when the rays of the sun cannot harm the seedlings.
In order to avoid further thinning, seedlings are planted at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other, keeping the row spacing within the same limits. After sealing the holes, the soil is lightly tamped, the seedlings are watered, then the area is covered with dry earth.
Plants need to be shaded from the bright sun for several days. When flower-bearing shoots begin to form on the bushes, it is better to remove them in order to enhance the growth of side branches. Care of dill in the ground
Dill in the open ground does not require any special care, everything is as usual: thinning, watering, loosening the soil, weeding and fertilizing. The soil on the site is loosened to a depth of 5 cm, as soon as the seedlings take root. The next two loosenings are carried out at intervals of two weeks after watering or rain to a depth of 10-12 cm.
Weeding is very important until the plants are strong. Once they are in force, weeds are unlikely to harm them, but as long as the seedlings are small and fragile, do not give the weeds a single chance to get comfortable in the garden.
Watering dill
Dill must be watered frequently, otherwise it loses its taste, turns yellow and may even lose its medicinal properties. On hot days, you need to water the plant twice a day.
If possible, install an automatic watering system. The rate of water per 1 m² for one irrigation is 20-30 liters. Feeding dill
Dill needs nitrogen fertilization, but its ability to accumulate nitrates must be taken into account, so it is best to use nettle infusion fermented for five days as a top dressing. This measure, in addition to feeding the dill with nitrogen, will save the plant from aphids. Keep in mind that it is highly undesirable to use insecticides on dill, especially later than half a month before harvesting. If the need arises, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers can be applied at the rate of 10-15 g per m².
How and when to harvest fennel seeds
When the seeds have dried, become brown flat discs and can be easily separated from the umbrella, they can be harvested. Germination seeds of dill retain 3-4 years. After collecting them, it is desirable to dry them to complete dryness.
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What to plant after dill
After dill, onions and garlic, beans and peas, potatoes and tomatoes can be grown on the plot.
You can’t grow celery (umbrella) crops after dill, because they have common diseases with dill, and they are harmed by the same insects. It will be possible to sow dill or any other crop from the Celery family after harvesting dill only after 4 or 5 years. Pests and diseases of dill
Diseases of dill
Dill is a fairly disease resistant plant, but it can also develop problems. Danger for dill is represented by black leg diseases, powdery mildew, fusarium, phomosis, cercosporosis and rust.
Blackleg affects the root collar of young plants, causing it to become black, soft, thin and rot. Plants wither and dry. The disease usually occurs due to improper care, and excessive watering, sudden changes in temperature, stagnant air, insufficient lighting or growing in the shade contribute to it. At the very first signs of the disease, treat the plants with a solution of Fundazol.
Powdery mildew infects the aerial parts of dill, sprinkling them with a whitish coating.
Stimulates the development of heat disease against the background of high humidity. Powdery mildew is controlled by treating dill with colloidal sulfur. Downy mildew, or downy mildew also develops on the ground part of the plant and looks like chlorotic, gradually turning brown spots, on the underside of which a dirty purple bloom forms. Peronosporosis at the first signs of the disease is destroyed by treating plants with one percent Bordeaux liquid or copper oxychloride - 40 g per 10 liters of water.
Phomosis manifests itself with brown spots on leaves, stems and umbrellas, it also affects the dill root, painting it with dark stripes arranged in rows. To avoid infection of the site with phomosis, it is necessary to warm the seeds before sowing for half an hour in hot water, then immediately lower them into cold water, and then dry them to a free-flowing state. Sick plants are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux liquid. Processing can be carried out several times with an interval of 10-12 days, but the last spraying is carried out no later than two weeks before harvesting.
Before processing or eating, dill greens should be washed well. Cercosporosis looks like dirty, yellowish-brown spots up to 6 mm in diameter on the stems and umbels of dill, which eventually turn pale in the center, while the edges remain dark brown. Cercosporosis must be dealt with in the same ways as with phomosis.
Fusarium wilt develops in plants in the development phase of 3-4 leaves: chlorotic spots appear on them and they droop. Waterlogging of the soil, overheating of the soil or damage to the roots during loosening contribute to the development of the disease. Fusarium is curable only at an early stage of development - in the fight against it, dill treatment with fungicides is used. If the disease has become effective, diseased specimens will have to be removed and burned. The best way to protect dill from fusarium is to maintain crop rotation and grow disease-resistant varieties of dill.
Rust forms yellow-brown cushions on the underside of petioles, leaves and stems at the very beginning of summer.
As a preventive measure, warm the seeds before sowing in hot (50 ºC) water, then immediately dip them in cold water and then dry them. Plants affected by the fungus are treated several times with an interval of 10-12 days with one percent Bordeaux liquid. The last processing is carried out no later than 15 days before the collection of dill. Remember to thoroughly rinse your greens before eating or processing. Pests of dill
The most common pests of dill are umbrella bugs, Italian bugs, or striped shield bugs, carrot psyllids, carrot fly, gourd, willow-carrot and carrot aphids.
Carrot fly damages the ground part of dill, after which the plants begin to lag behind in growth, their leaves turn first red-violet, then turn yellow and dry. A fly may appear on dill due to the proximity of a plot to a carrot bed, since it is precisely on the smell of carrot tops that a fly flies like a bee to honey. To prevent the appearance of a pest in a dill area, mix tobacco dust in half with sand and sprinkle the soil along the rows with this mixture.
During the season, this will need to be done 2-3 times. Instead of a tobacco-sand mixture, you can use a mixture of sand with hot ground pepper, mustard powder, wood ash or dry peat. If you failed to prevent the invasion of the carrot fly, you will have to treat the dill with Vantex, Arrivo or Karate Zeon no later than two weeks before harvesting. Umbelliferae are small bugs that infect all plants of the Celery family, both cultivated and wild. They suck the juice from the inflorescences, leaves, shoots of plants, dooming the green part of the dill to death. In plots occupied by blind people, productivity drops by 30-40%. To destroy these bugs, treat the dill with Actellik or Fitoverm.
Italian bugs lead the same way of life as the umbrella blind, respectively, and the harm from them is about the same. In one season in a warm area, these insects can produce two generations, but the bug can only be dangerous when there are too many of them. In such cases, the site is supposed to be treated with Fitoverm or Actellik.
Aphids of all three types - carrot, willow-carrot and melon - suck juices from the ground parts of dill, which is why they lag behind in growth, deform, wrinkle, turn yellow and dry out. But this is not the worst thing that can happen to a plant that is parasitized by aphids. Worst of all, she is a carrier of bacterial and viral infections for which there is no cure. First, the aphids are washed off the dill with a strong stream of water, after which they are fed on the leaves with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Then pour one tablespoon of liquid soap into the daily infusion of 3 kg of wood ash in 10 liters of water, mix thoroughly, filter and treat the dill with this solution. After a week, the dill solution is washed off with water.
Dill cultivars
Specialists distinguish dill cultivars by rosette shape, width, length and shape of leaf segments, color and degree of dissection of leaves. It is more convenient for lovers to focus on such a sign as the beginning of stem formation.
On this basis, early, middle and late varieties of dill are distinguished. Early varieties of dill include
- Gribovskiy – low-maintenance productive variety that can be grown both on the windowsill and in open ground. It is fragrant dill, which is almost not susceptible to disease. The plant reaches a height of 25 cm;
- Dalniy - This high yielding and lodging resistant variety is grown for food, freezing, drying, marinades and brines. Rosette in plants of this variety is formed 38-40 days after emergence. Their leaves are green, with a slight wax coating;
- Aurora is a productive and disease and pest resistant new variety that matures in 25 days. He has a dense rosette, a powerful bush with close internodes, juicy and fragrant leaves of bright green color;
- Grenadier - This bush variety matures 35-40 days after seed germination. The most fragrant plant is in the phase of development of 3-4 leaves;
- Umbrella - also from new varieties, the maturation period coincides with Gribovsky.
This variety is best grown in a greenhouse.
Popular mid-ripened dill varieties
- Umbrella – variety with long leaves and dense twigs, suitable for eating fresh and as a spice;
- Borey is a productive and fragrant bush variety with large green leaves with a bluish tinge in semi-raised rosettes up to 36 cm high. From the moment of sowing to ripening, it takes from 40 to 60 days, and the seeds ripen after 65-105 days;
- Richelieu is an ornamental and disease-resistant variety with a large rosette and fragrant, beautiful blue-green lacy greens with long lobes. The largest number of leaves on the stem occurs in the flowering phase;
- Kibray is a high yielding variety resistant to powdery mildew. It can be grown both outdoors and in a greenhouse. From the moment of emergence of seedlings to the ripening of greenery, no more than 45 days pass, and about 70 days until the seeds ripen.
The leaves of plants of this variety are tender, light green, fragrant and juicy; - Alligator is a bush variety with leaves raised above the soil, which is very convenient for harvesting. Harvest can be done 42-45 days after germination, although greens can be cut earlier for food;
- Lesnogorodsky - a feature of this high-yielding and disease-resistant variety is that even in autumn, when its seeds ripen, the leaves remain green, large and fragrant, with a high content of vitamin C and provitamin A.
The best varieties of late ripening dill
- Salyut is a productive bush variety up to 150 cm high with a ripening period of 35-45 days. Its leaves are with a dense aroma, dark green with a bluish tint, large, but tender, the stem is strong, densely leafy. This variety is especially valued for the rapid growth of leaves after cutting and the late formation of an umbrella;
- Buyan is a disease-resistant variety grown in seedlings in open ground.
This is a succulent plant, the stems of which do not coarsen for a long time, and the fragrant green leaves are covered with a strong wax coating; - Hoarfrost is a productive variety grown for fresh consumption, as well as for freezing and canning. The rosette of long, strongly dissected bluish-green leaves with a wax coating is raised, the bush is highly leafy, the umbrella is large;
- Mischievous is a productive fragrant variety with bluish-green leaves covered with a wax coating. It is grown primarily for fresh consumption, but it can be used to prepare spicy additions to dishes;
- Kutuzovsky - the ripeness of this variety comes in 41-44 days from the moment of germination. The leaves of plants of this variety are fragrant, delicate, large, up to 20 cm long, light green, dissected into filamentous segments. Bushes strongly leafy. A variety is grown for freezing, drying, cooking seasonings, marinades and brines.
Properties of dill
Useful properties of dill
Dill is one of those plants that we eat all year round. A significant role in such recognition among mankind is played by the substances necessary for the body, such as nicotinic and ascorbic acids, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, pectins, flavonoids, vitamins A, B2, B6, C, PP, as well as potassium, iron, which are part of its leaves. , phosphorus and calcium. In the fruits of dill, there is a high concentration of fatty oil, consisting of palmetic, oleic and linoleic acids. All parts of dill contain an essential oil with a characteristic aroma of the plant.
The iron and magnesium salts contained in the leaves in an easily digestible form have the ability to enhance blood formation processes, and the essential oil of dill stimulates the formation of bile and digestive enzymes, and also disinfects the genitourinary and digestive systems of a person.
In the medical industry, a drug called Anetin is obtained from dill - it stimulates the work of the heart, promotes the expansion of blood vessels in the heart muscles and brain, which greatly enhances their nutrition.
The benefit of dill for breastfeeding mothers is obvious – it enhances lactation. It is also useful for respiratory problems, hypertension, visual impairment. Preparations from it act as a sedative, diuretic, analgesic for ulcers of the duodenum or stomach, and an antispasmodic.
Dill seeds are used to prepare an infusion that improves digestion and stimulates appetite, relieves inflammation of the kidneys and helps to cope with insomnia. Two teaspoons of dill seeds pour two cups of boiling water, cover and infuse for 10 minutes, then filter and drink a glass a day. This infusion is effective as an anti-hemorrhoidal and anti-allergic agent, as well as an external wound healing agent.
Dill seed powder is also popular and is used to increase lactation. It is consumed in the amount of 1 g three times a day for half an hour before meals.
An infusion of dill leaves is successfully used to eliminate bags under the eyes, you just need to soak cotton pads in it and apply it to your eyes for 10 minutes.
Dill oil is effective for pneumonia and bronchitis - it promotes the rapid separation of mucus from the walls of the bronchi.
Dill water eliminates gas formation in babies. To prepare dill water, you need to dissolve one part of dill oil in 1000 parts of water. In addition, dill water lowers blood pressure, slows down intestinal motility, increases diuresis and dilates blood vessels.
Dill - contraindications
Is there any harm from dill? Eating dill won't hurt anyone - how much dill can you have with salad or soup? But drugs from it, which reduce blood pressure, can cause hypotension, weakness, loss of strength, decreased vision, and even fainting. Do not use dill preparations for people suffering from intolerance to the product. It is desirable for women to limit the consumption of dill during menstruation and pregnancy, but this healthy and tasty spice should not be completely excluded from the diet.
Literature
- Read related topics on Wikipedia
- Peculiarities and other plants of the Umbelliferae family
- List of all species on The Plant List
- More information on World Flora Online
Fertilizers: chemical versus organic
Covering material: types, features, applicationSections: Garden plants Umbrella (Celery) Spicy plants Plants on U Leafy
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Fresh dill on the table all summer long. Planting, varieties, cultivation. Photo — Botanichka
Spicy aromatic herbs on the dining table are not only decoration. Delicate aroma of dill stimulates appetite. This spicy-aromatic culture is widespread on all continents and is especially revered by lovers of delicate aromas of natural snacks, salads, and side dishes.
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is the only species of the dill family. © uicukie
In dishes and winter preparations, leaves, stems, roots, inflorescences, seeds are used for medicinal purposes. In this article we will talk about dill farming techniques - sowing, care, features of growing bush dill. Contents:
- History of dill cultivation
- Nutrient content of dill
- Biological characteristics of dill
- Timing of sowing dill
- Dill varieties
- Agrotechnics for growing dill
- Peculiarities of growing bush dill
- Diseases and pests of dill
- Harvest
History of dill cultivation
Dill belongs to annual crops of the group of green, spicy-aromatic or spicy-tasting plants. The tap root, openwork foliage and the most delicate aroma of fresh greens distinguish it from other plants of this group.
The culture has been known and used for food purposes in Rus' since the distant tenth century, but even today summer residents complain about its strange feature.
It reproduces easily and forms good yields of green mass in spring and autumn, and in summer it often leaves the owners without their favorite greens. Changing varieties, sowing time, planting depth, maintaining optimal watering do not have a noticeable effect on the crop. And the solution is nearby. And it is connected with the genetic memory of the plant. Dill is the only species of the dill family with a short life cycle. Some botanists tend to classify it as a member of the mustard genus and call it garden mustard. The people call dill, koper, copra.
The Mediterranean is considered to be the motherland. Dill spread and grows everywhere. It has been known for over 5000 years and was used by Egyptian doctors of that time as a medicinal plant that relieves headache (migraine).
According to the Bible, the Pharisees paid their tithe in parts of dill (seeds, leaves and stems). Today, dill grows on every piece of private land, which since the Middle Ages has been considered a protection against witchcraft and curses.
The content of useful substances in dill
All parts of dill contain useful substances, but especially in fresh leaves. Along with carotene, dill plants contain vitamins C, B, PP, flavonoids, and mineral salts. The therapeutic basis of dill is an essential oil, which includes carvone, phellandrene, limonene. It is they who give the characteristic pungent smell to the plant.
In folk medicine, dill is used for many diseases and ailments. The significance of its medicinal properties was adequately appreciated by pharmacists, who developed a number of drugs that are recommended for the treatment of chronic coronary insufficiency, to prevent angina attacks, and relieve colic in patients with gastritis (Anetin). With infant colic, "Dill water" is used.
Doctors recommend using infusions of leaves and stems in the initial stages of hypertension, as a diuretic, wound healing, relieving allergic itching of the skin, antihemorrhoidal and other indications. In the perfumery and cosmetic industry, dill seed essential oil is used in the manufacture of toothpastes, colognes, and creams.
All dill organs contain useful substances, but fresh leaves are especially rich in them. © Milan Andrejevic
Biological characteristics of dill
The main biological feature of dill is its relation to the length of daylight hours. Dill is a typical long day plant. With its duration of 10-14 hours, only the vegetative part of plants is formed (growth of leaf mass). In the genetic memory of dill, it is recorded that the lengthening of daylight hours over 14 hours is a sign of the completion of development. Therefore, with excess of 14 hours a day, plants rapidly form generative organs (flowers, inflorescences, fruits, seeds).
In early spring and with the onset of autumn, when the duration of the light period varies between 10-14 hours, the most optimal period for the development of above-ground vegetative mass. Due to the long day in summer, dill can immediately go into bloom. Take this into account when sowing late early varieties with a short growing season.
Since fresh herbs contain the largest amount of essential oils and other useful substances, it is advisable to create a conveyor for harvesting fresh dill in the garden.
This can be achieved in different ways: - repeating the sowing of one variety in 10-12 days,
- regulating the production of fresh herbs by sowing varieties of different early maturity,
- combining the frequency of sowing and dill varieties.
Dates for sowing dill
By the onset of biological ripeness, dill is divided into early, middle and late varieties. Regulating the receipt of fresh herbs by varieties, use the following method:0012
- in late May - early June, switch to sowing early varieties.
Such a strategy, coupled with a varietal feature, will help to have fresh herbs on the table and inflorescences for use in the processing of products throughout the warm period. Moreover, self-sowing, even with the onset of cold weather, will provide another green crop.
Varieties of garden dill
Dill can be harvested once and repeatedly in technical (for greens) and biological ripeness for seeds (in inflorescences).
Dill seeds. © Auntie Dogma's
The vegetation period of early varieties lasts from germination to harvesting for green mass 32-55 days, and up to the green umbrella phase 55-70 days. Medium varieties have a growing season of 35-55 and 56-9 respectively9 days. Late varieties form a green mass suitable for harvesting within 38-52 days, and for winter harvesting 62-104 days. Early dill varieties
- Gribovsky and Dalniy are characterized by early maturity and strong aroma;
- Umbrella , forms side shoots in sufficient quantity.
Medium dill varieties
- Hanak , Czech variety with a large raised rosette of ground leaves;
- Kaskelensky and Borey form leaves with a bluish tint;
- Lesnogorodsky , disease resistant;
- Patterns - has a pronounced green color of the leaves;
- Salute - forms large rosettes and side shoots, which provides a significant yield of greenery and its multiple harvesting.
It is interesting in that it does not bloom in Central Russia, but gives only greenery, but with repeated sowing in one place it gets sick.
Late-maturing varieties
- Anna - elegant strongly dissected leaves with a grayish-green color;
- Kibray - different yellowish green leaves,
- Uzbek-243 - tall plants with good foliage. Leaves are green in color.
Bush varieties of late-ripening dill
In the 90s of the XX century, breeders obtained varieties with a different structure of the above-ground mass. Bush varieties are distinguished by the formation of several shortened stems, which allows you to get a greater yield of green mass. A long growing season (40-135 days) and cuttings for greens (14-25 days) provide a fresh product during the longest daylight hours, when ordinary varieties go into rapid formation and maturation of inflorescences.
Technical maturity of bush varieties occurs on 40-45 days, and biological - on 110-135 days.
With spring sowing, the duration of harvesting for greenery lasts from 14 to 35 days. The most common late bush varieties are:
- Alligator - leaves with a bluish tinge, covered with a thin layer of wax coating. Highly productive. One bush provides up to 100-150 g of green products;
- Salyut - is characterized by the longest vegetation period. Technical ripeness (leaves to greens) occurs on the 40-45th day. Forms dark green leaves, harvesting of which can last up to 25 days;
- Buyan - is distinguished by the longest period from germination to harvesting for greenery (58-65 days). The leaves are dark green and fragrant.
Dill farming techniques
Dill requires a light, well aerated soil with high water permeability to develop well above ground. Plants do not tolerate stagnant water. With stagnation, the leaves from the petioles to the base of the leaf blade have a reddish tint, and the plants significantly slow down the growth of the above-ground mass.
With increased acidity, seed germination is delayed, and the growth of the aboveground mass is limited. Dill needs neutral soils.
Dill is undemanding to growing conditions. Sowing seeds begins when the soil warms up in a 10 cm layer to +3..+5°C. Seedlings do not die when the temperature drops to -3°C. Optimal for plant development is within +8..+10°С. The onset of temperatures above +15°C causes a rapid transition to the formation of inflorescences.
Seedlings when sown with dry seeds appear on the 10-20th day and in the first period (10-12 days) grow slowly. With a rarefied standing, they are noticeably oppressed by weeds. Sowing must be kept clean, the soil moist and loose.
- Dill loves lighted places. Even light shade causes the plant to stretch with low leafy stems, pale leaf color.
- When preparing for dill, it is impossible to lime the soil and add ash.
Precursors and compatibility with other vegetable crops
- Cucumbers, cabbages, tomatoes, legumes, beets are good precursors for dill when grown in rotation.
You can not grow dill after parsley, celery, carrots. - Dill can be grown in the second turn after early harvest crops (early potatoes, garlic, onions, early cabbages). It develops well in dense plantings with other vegetable crops (spinach, lettuce, onion, garlic, cabbage). Best compatibility with cucumbers and zucchini.
Soil preparation
Dill is an early crop. Therefore, the soil is prepared for sowing in the autumn. The site is freed from the remnants of the predecessor and weeds. For digging, mature humus or compost is introduced (especially on infertile soils) in 0.5-1.0 buckets and nitrophoska 25-30 g / sq. m.
On medium-rich soils, instead of nitrophoska, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers can be applied - superphosphate and potassium salt at the rate of 25-30 and 15-20 g/sq. m of plot area. On rich soils, only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied. This is due to the ability of dill to accumulate nitrates. With a close occurrence of groundwater, beds are prepared for dill in the fall.
Dill requires a light, well aerated soil with high water permeability for good above ground development. © Ken Dellamaggiore
Seed preparation
Dill seeds contain essential oils that prevent rapid germination. Therefore, the seeds are kept for 2-3 days in warm water, changing it every 4-6 hours, and then dried in a room to flow. Germination accelerates the emergence of shoots by 10-12 days, shoots appear on the 7-8th day. When sowing dry - for 15-20 days.
Sowing dill
Different schemes are used for sowing:
- scattered,
- ordinary,
- tape,
- two and five lowercase,
- furrow, etc.
With a row - the distance between rows is 30-40 cm, in a row - 3-4 cm. The sowing depth is not more than 2-3 cm on light soils and 1.5-2.0 cm on medium and heavy soils.
If dill will be used simultaneously for greens and in the last cut for pickling, then it is better to sow with ribbons. The distance between the lines in the tape is 20-30 cm, and between the tapes 40-50 cm.
The experience of sowing with a furrow is interesting. After 10-12 cm, a board 5 cm wide is pressed onto a leveled watered area to a depth of 2-3 cm. A 5 cm furrow with an even base is obtained. Dill seeds are scattered along the bottom of the furrow and covered with humus or earth.
For winter sowing, as well as for early spring sowing, dry seeds are used. Later crops are usually performed with germinated material.
Post-emergence care
After sowing by any method, dill is not watered until germination. After the emergence of shoots, the first loosening of a 5-7 cm layer is carried out, subsequent loosening is deepened to 8-12 cm. In the phase of 3-4 true leaves, the first thinning is carried out by 3-5 cm between plants.
In the rows left for seeds, the plants are thinned immediately by 8-10 cm. If the crops are thickened, then thinning is repeated after 5-7 days. When the plants reach 10-15 cm in height, the dill begins to be cut into greens.
Dill reaches its maximum aroma before the inflorescences are laid. The older the plant, the stronger the fragrance. The main care is to loosen with the simultaneous destruction of weeds. Before the final harvest, it is necessary to weed out chicken millet and foxtail, as their seeds are poorly separated from dill when winnowing and sifting.
The crops are kept moist throughout the growing season until harvest. © RL RivierenlandFeeding dill
Do not fertilize early varieties in summer. Dill is enough autumn refueling the soil with fertilizers. On depleted ones (especially with slow growth of leaves), one feeding with nitrophos or urea is carried out in the phase of 2-3 true leaves, no more than 10-15 g / sq.m. area.
Medium and late-ripening varieties with a long growing season are fed twice. The first feeding is carried out in the same phase and at the same rate as the early varieties, and the second after 20-25 days with a solution of urea with potassium salt at a dose of 20 and 15 g, respectively, per 10 liters of water per 3-4 square meters.
m landing. When fertilizing, avoid getting the solution on the plants. After feeding, the plants are thoroughly washed and watered abundantly. Watering
Keep the crops moist throughout the growing season until harvest. Overdrying the soil leads to a suspension of development, coarsening of the leaves and the accumulation of nitrates in them. Excessive watering leads to a decrease in the concentration of essential oils, dill loses its main charm - aroma. Water dill 1-2 times a week. In hot, dry weather, small foggy watering of plants can be carried out in order to create an optimal microclimate.
Peculiarities of cultivation of bush dill
Features of the biological structure of bush dill determine its sowing and cultivation technology. The above-ground mass of bush dill varieties forms lateral shoots in the axils of the leaves, which gives it the appearance of a bush. When they reach 4-6 cm, they are broken out and eaten.
Bush varieties have a habit of 1.
5-3.0 m in height and about a meter in volume. The foliage of the shoots is good. In order for the plant to form a bush, sufficient space is needed. Therefore, in plants of these varieties, the distance between rows is 35-40 cm. When sowing, seeds are planted at 1.5-3.0 cm, leaving a distance between them of 5-6 cm. At this seeding density, 3 thinnings are carried out after germination. The first thinning is when the plants rise to 6 cm, and 2 and 3 as each other is shaded. After the third thinning, the distance between the bushes should be 25-30 cm. The leaves of the bush varieties are large, the leaf blade can reach 25-40 cm in length. The lower basal rosette of leaves is dense.
When sown in open ground, the seeds of bush varieties in the middle lane do not ripen. To obtain seeds, dill is grown through seedlings. Sowing for seedlings is carried out in a film greenhouse or under a frame in March - April. Seedlings are transferred to open ground at the end of May. Soil preparation and outdoor care are identical to garden dill.
Dill in technical maturity for greens is harvested at a plant height of 10-20 cm. © John and Anni Winings
Diseases and pests of dill
Among the diseases, the most common are powdery mildew and downy mildew. Less commonly, plants are affected by the black leg. With excessive watering, dill affects root rot, leaf curl, vascular bacteriosis and other diseases.
Trichodermin protects against various types of growth and rot, and phytosporin protects against black leg. A unique preparation is the biofungicide "Mikosan-V", which provides effective protection against several fungal diseases during the entire growing season. Absolutely safe for humans. Products can be consumed on the second day after processing. In hot and dry weather, the effectiveness of its impact on diseases is not reduced. There is one feature. This biological product is not used in the vast majority of tank mixes. Don't take risks!
Among pests, aphids, umbrella and earth fleas cause damage.
Aphids (in small quantities) can be washed off with a stream of water. Phytosporin is effective against fleas. It is enough to spray the plants and soil. Fitosporin is easily combined with other biofungicides in tank mixes. But still, an additional check for compatibility does not hurt. Use, rates, and processing times are listed on biologics packages or on accompanying recommendations.
Harvesting
Harvesting in technical ripeness for greens is carried out at a plant height of 10-20 cm and can be single or multiple. For a one-time harvest, the plants are washed with water and a stump is cut off by 2-3 cm. Used fresh, dried, frozen.
Dill umbrellas for pickling are harvested during the flowering period - the beginning of seed setting. Hobbyists often remove umbrellas with green seeds formed.
Umbrellas are removed for seeds during the period of mass browning of the central part of the inflorescence and ripen on bedding in the shade. Plants are cut off gradually as the technical ripeness of seeds in umbrellas comes.
Learn more
- When to plant dill Dill (lat.
