Home » Misc » Growing fresh dill

Growing fresh dill


How to Plant and Grow Dill

Anethum graveolens

The 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.

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

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

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:

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:

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 caterpillar

The 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 dill

However, 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 mildew

Generally, 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:

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.

Photo by Lorna Kring.

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-sowingWater Needs:Moderate
Native to:Mediterranean, western AsiaMaintenance:Low
Hardiness (USDA Zone):2-11Soil Type:Average to poor
Season:Summer-fallSoil pH:5.6-6.5
Exposure:Full sunSoil Drainage:Well-draining
Time to Maturity:40-90 daysCompanion Planting:Garlic, onions, leeks, soybeans
Spacing:4-6 inchesAvoid Planting With:Carrots, fennel, caraway, cumin
Planting Depth:1/8 inch, surfaceAttracts:Bees, parasitic wasps, green lacewings, hoverflies, ladybugs, black swallowtail butterflies
Height:8-48 inchesFamily:Apiaceae
Spread:4-24 inchesGenus:Anethum
Tolerance:Light frostSpecies::graveolens
Common Pests:Aphids, armyworms, chalcid flies, cutworms, root knot nematodesCommon 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:

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.

How to grow dill: for fabulous flavor in the kitchen

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Wondering how to grow dill successfully? After all, to create the tastiest of dishes, just-picked herbs are a must.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a great choice as part of kitchen garden ideas, but it’s also a herb those with small yards or none at all can cultivate because it can also be grown in containers both outdoors and indoors.

Grown outside, dill attracts bees and other wildlife, benefiting nature as well as bringing superior flavor to your cookery, and this is what you need to know about growing dill.

How to grow dill

Dill, also known as dill weed, was traditionally grown as a medicinal herb, used as a remedy for coughs, headaches and, as TV gardening guru Monty Don writes in his blog, ‘as medicine for easing flatulence’. But dill is more often used in the kitchen these days, and the seeds, leaves, and even the pretty flowers are edible. 

Dill is reputed to be tricky to grow, but if you pay attention to its preferred growing conditions you can grow dill easily and successfully from seed, in the yard, or in indoor or outdoor pots, and our guide has the details you need on how to grow dill.

How to grow dill from seed

(Image credit: Getty Images)

You can sow dill seeds indoors from early spring, or directly outside from May to July. To grow dill inside, either use cell trays for individual seeds, or scatter a few seeds thinly in small pots. To transfer indoor-sown dill outside, harden them off for a week to 10 days, once the frosts are over. Plant out allowing 12in (30cm) in between plants. 

Don McCulley of Swallow Tail Garden Seeds says you should do your first indoor sowing of dill seeds 'in cell packs or flats, six to eight weeks before the last frost. Keeping the seeds at 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C). They should germinate in 14 to 21 days.'  

In mild climates, McCulley advises planting dill in full sun, but for hotter areas choose a sunny or part shady spot.

He advocates succession planting and says, 'For a steady supply of fresh dill leaves throughout the season, plant in early spring, again in June, and once more in July.'

How to care for dill in the vegetable garden

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When planning a kitchen garden, be mindful that dill thrives in a sunny, sheltered spot and likes fertile, well-drained soil. It requires regular watering, especially in hot weather – digging in garden compost or well-rotted manure to the earth will help to retain moisture. Be careful not to overwater, however, as the plants won’t thrive if they’re in waterlogged compost. 

Monty Don says, 'Dill is best grown outside in the open air and sunshine, but will do well in a deep pot.'

He adds, 'Sow a line of seed in the ground and it will grow fast to provide leaves, flowers and seed for cooking.'

How to grow dill in containers

If you like the idea of growing dill in containers, sow the seeds in large pots (1 to 2ft (30 to 60cm) in depth) in peat-free multipurpose compost. 

The temperature should be above 60ºF (15ºC) so keep the pots indoors on a sunny windowsill as necessary during early spring. When the seedlings are around 3in (8cm) tall, they should be thinned out to 4in (10cm) apart. 

Water regularly, as with dill grown in the vegetable garden, ensuring the compost doesn’t dry out but also making sure it doesn’t become waterlogged.

If you’ve chosen to grow dill in containers inside your home, a position by a south or west-facing window is best.

How to prolong the life of dill plants

(Image credit: Unsplash)

You can prolong the life of your dill plants, and encourage a more bushy habit by pinching out flower shoots. Taller varieties may need support from canes if they’re in an exposed part of the garden. 

If you’ve added compost or manure to the plot you shouldn’t need to feed dill, but you could use a liquid multipurpose plant food occasionally if you wish. 

How to harvest dill

Cut the leaves of dill as you need to during both spring and summer. This will keep the plants growing well and hold off flowers.

Bear in mind that if there are more than enough leaves for using fresh, both freezing and drying are great alternatives, making the very most of the harvest. 

Hang up the harvested dill in the dark in a well-ventilated space to dry the leaves. Keep them there for a few weeks then, once they’re completely dried, take the leaves from the stems. An air-tight container will keep them ready for use.

If freezing dill, freeze the stems, then clip off the leaves as required.

As for the flowers, simply gather these from the plants and add them to salads.

When it comes to dill seeds, wait until late summer when they turn brown. Cut stems from the plant and put them, seedheads down, into a paper bag, then hang the bag to allow the seeds to drop into it. As with the leaves, store seeds in an air-tight container.

Does dill come back every year?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dill is a biennial plant, and so dies right back to the ground in winter, reappearing in the spring. However, harsh winters can kill the plant altogether. Of course, if you grow dill indoors in a container you can keep it going all year round. 

How do you grow dill successfully?

Dill is easy to grow but there are a few things to look out for. Dill does have a tendency to bolt and flower if the plant dries out or its roots are disturbed, so water it well to avoid this.  

As well as attracting bees and wildlife, tender dill shoots draw in greenfly. You can get rid of them by spraying with a gentle jet of water, or squashing them with your fingers. Alternatively you can wait for nature to take its course – hoverflies love dill plants and hoverfly larvae love greenfly, so they might just take care of the problem for you. 

Monty Don agrees, saying: 'Dill is important for the organic gardener as it draws hoverflies, whose larvae eat aphids.'

Karen is the houses editor for homesandgardens.com and homes editor for the brand’s sister titles, Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors, and an experienced writer on interiors and gardens. She loves visiting historic houses for Period Living and writing about rural properties for Country Homes & Interiors, and working with photographers to capture all shapes and sizes of properties. Karen began her career as a sub editor at Hi-Fi News and Record Review magazine. Her move to women’s magazines came soon after, in the shape of Living magazine, which covered cookery, fashion, beauty, homes and gardening. From Living Karen moved to Ideal Home magazine, where as deputy chief sub, then chief sub, she started to really take an interest in properties, architecture, interior design and gardening. 

How to plant dill and earn a million or more on it

Dill is planted with seeds, in open ground, in greenhouses, by sowing rows of cucumbers, on heavy soils in beds, and even on a windowsill. This herb, popular in cooking and medicine, is quite unpretentious and in the southern regions can produce a large harvest almost all year round.

In our article, we will show some of the features of how to plant and cultivate dill in order to obtain maximum yield, and, consequently, income from dill seeds from the Gavrish Professional Seed line, which you can always buy in our online store "Gavrish Shop". In the same place, now you can quickly pick up seeds to replace foreign vegetables in one or two clicks. But first things first.

The world's production of dill is mainly directed to the cultivation of seeds as a spice and component of herbal medicines, as well as for the production of essential oil.

Dill for greens (fresh, dried and frozen) is cultivated in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Germany, Scandinavian countries, Poland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Transcaucasia. According to farmers from the already mentioned Uzbekistan, greenery producers are increasing their exports to the Baltic countries: Lithuania and Latvia, sending dill and other greens there in literally tons.

Features of outdoor cultivation:

As a predecessor for dill, any row crops are suitable, except for plants of the Celery family, but the highest yields are obtained when it is placed after the predecessors (cucumbers, cabbage), under which manure was applied. After crops of the Celery family, dill is sown no earlier than 4 years later.

In order to fully provide such an early-ripening crop as dill with nutrients, it is necessary that they be in a form accessible to the plant.

Therefore, 60 t/ha of organic fertilizers, 2.5-3 centners/ha of superphosphate, 1.5-2 centners/ha of potassium chloride are applied for winter plowing. Under cultivation in the spring - 2.5 c / ha of ammonium nitrate. According to the experience of foreign manufacturers, 100 quintals of fresh dill in the budding stage endure N - 22 kg, P2O5 - 8 kg, K2O - 67 kg, MgO - 3 kg, CaO - 28 kg.

Therefore, to obtain a green yield of 300 q/ha, it is necessary to apply N - 65 kg of AI, P2O5 - 25 kg, K2O - 200 kg, MgO - 10 kg, CaO - 85 kg per 1 ha. Phosphorus and potassium are applied before sowing, and nitrogen in 2 doses 2 weeks after sowing. The yield of greens is increased by 20% by foliar top dressing - four times spraying of dill seedlings with an interval of 1 week with a solution of urea (18 kg per 600 l of water per 1 ha).

For conveyor greens during the season, dill begins to be sown in early spring, as soon as the soil is ready. Crops are repeated with an interval of 10-15 days. The last sowing date in the Central region falls on the third decade of July (40-60 days before the onset of severe frosts). To obtain earlier production, dill seeds are sown before winter, when cold weather sets in (the average daily temperature is not higher than 5 ° C).

If you sow dill before winter, the greens are ready for harvesting 2-3 weeks earlier than with early spring sowing

Sow with vegetable seeders or manually in row (45 cm between rows) and band (distance between bands 45 and 60 cm, between rows 15-20 cm) methods.

When growing dill on spices, the row spacing should be 45-60 cm. 8-12 kg/ha.

Features of sowing dill

Seeds are sown to a depth of 1-2 cm. Before emergence (8-10 days after sowing), harrowing is carried out across the rows. For this, a mesh (BSO-4.0) or light (ZOR-0.7) harrow is used with a unit speed of up to 4 km / h. Winter crops are also harrowed in early spring with light or mesh harrows across the rows and at the same time 60 kg / ha of nitrogen fertilizers are applied. When a crust appears, it can be destroyed by sprinkling or rolling with ring-spur rollers, but the first is preferable, since the lack of moisture pushes back the time of receipt of marketable greens and reduces yield.

To obtain early production and increase the yield of green mass, crops are covered with non-woven material or slit-like film. This is a film with longitudinal cuts 20 mm long, staggered at a distance of 8 mm. The greatest effect from the use of such shelter is achieved in years with low temperatures and lack of moisture, when the yield is 3 times higher compared to crops without shelter. We regularly receive feedback from our customers about the results they get from Gavrish dill seeds. Even with minimal care, the effectiveness of dill is very high.

Dill care

Further care of crops consists of inter-row cultivation and weed control. The first loosening of row spacing is carried out to a depth of 4-5 cm, the last - to 8-10 cm. Herbicides when grown on greens are not recommended. When growing dill to obtain spices in heavily weedy areas, prometrin is added at the rate of 1.5 kg of a.i. per 1 ha. It is also possible to apply continuous herbicides before the emergence of dill shoots and during the germination of weeds.

Dill harvesting

Dill harvesting for greens starts when the plants reach a height of at least 20 cm, since the yield and taste of the product largely depend on its term.

The highest yield of greenery and its aromaticity occur at the time of inflorescence formation, when the height of plants reaches 25-30 cm. As the age of the plants increases, the aromaticity increases. Greens are harvested in dry weather, when there is no dew on the dill. Plants are either uprooted or cut off the leaves.

When harvesting dill, it is very important to cool the produce quickly to avoid spontaneous combustion of the green mass

Greengrocers cut early in the morning or in the evening, tie the greens into bundles and lay them in a low layer on the ground, lightly cover. In this way, the products are naturally cooled before being sold. Dill greens quickly wither and lose their presentation. So, at a temperature of 12-18°C and an air humidity of 85-90%, the shelf life is no more than 36 hours, at a temperature of 1-3°C and an air humidity of 90-95% - no more than 5 days.

Harvesting of dill on spice is carried out in the phase of full flowering, cut plants are tied into sheaves of 5-6 kg and stored until processing in a clean, well-ventilated room at a temperature of 0-12 ° C and air humidity not higher than 85% up to 2 days.

The best way to store herbs is in airtight containers (packed in plastic bags in bundles of 200 g, the bags are sealed) at a temperature of 0-3 °C. In this form, the crop can be stored for up to 30 days.

The traditional, world-wide varieties Dukat, Dill are better suited for one-time harvesting of leaves, umbrellas and seeds, as the plants quickly move to stalking and flowering.

For the conveyor receipt of greens, their repeated crops are required. Therefore, when growing dill for greens, it is necessary to use varieties that do not go to stalking for a long time, have a long economic shelf life and do not require frequent crops - Alligator, Almaz, Amazon.

Dill was also grown in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. This plant was believed to provide protection from witchcraft, probably due to its strong fragrance. Dill was used to make protective amulets. It was added to the food of the Gladiators in the hope that it would add courage and valor to them. Brides in Germany and Belgium believed that a sprig of dill would make their marriage happy, and so they added graceful leaves and inflorescences to bouquets or attached them to a wedding dress.

When growing dill varieties with a long shelf life, some elements of the technology change:

Gavrish is a recognized leader in dill breeding. Therefore, we know exactly what we are writing about. We wish you great harvests!

Mikhail Tsiunel, Ph.D. n., deputy. gene. director of breeding at NIIOZG, Alexei Baranov, Ph.D. n., researcher at NIIOZG

You can buy professional and elite dill seeds online 24/7 at the official online store of professional seeds "Gavrish" - "Gavrish Shop"

Fresh dill on the table all summer.

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. 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.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is the only species of the dill family. © uicukie

Contents:

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 Russia 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 with 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 they are especially abundant 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 it is fresh herbs that 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:

Terms of sowing dill

According to 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:0018

  • in late May - early June, switch to sowing early varieties.

    • Such a strategy, coupled with a varietal feature, will help to have fresh greens 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). 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.

    Dill seeds. © Auntie Dogma's

    Early dill varieties

    Medium dill varieties

    Late-ripening varieties

    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.

    The technical maturity of bush varieties comes on 40-45 days, and the biological maturity - 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:

    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.

    Precursors and compatibility with other vegetable crops

    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:

    In the row - the distance between the rows is 30-40 cm, in the 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 Rivierenland

    Feeding 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 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 most common diseases are powdery mildew and downy mildew. Less commonly, plants are affected by the blackleg. 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 earthen 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.

    Learn more