Grow Great Dill in Your Home Garden

Dill has been a popular herb to grow for many years. The name of the herb comes from the Norse word dilla, which means "to lull." It was thought to be a charm against evil. It could combat the "evil eye" and ward off witches. The modern uses of dill are not so fantastic, but it is still popular in many herb gardens. Here are some tips to help you grow a bumper crop of the herb known as dill.

Dill is very easy to grow. It is also lovely to look at. It will grow well in temperature zones 2 through 9. The plants will grow up to 3 feet tall. The flowers of the dill plant are yellow and the leaves are feathery and blue-green. The leaves of a home grown plant will have much more flavor that those you can buy in a grocery store.

Dill is easy to grow from seed. The plants to not transplant well, so it is best to sow the seeds directly into the soil. This should be done in the spring. But, be sure to wait until all danger of frost has passed. The soil should be moist and be well drained. Dill prefers to grow in full sun. You will need to keep the weeds away from your dill plants. The seedlings do not compete well for nutrients from the soil. The plants should bee thinned when they are about 2 inches tall. Leave about 10 inches between the plants. However, it is also possible to grow them for foliage if they are 8 inches apart. If you prefer a continuous supply of dill, plant the seeds every two weeks.

Be sure to give your dill plants enough water. If they get too dry, the flowers will develop too soon. This should not happen before the plants are mature.

Leaves can be clipped once the plant has become established. This is about 10 weeks after sowing the seeds. Use the dill leaves soon after harvesting them, they will only last a couple days in the refrigerator. After that, they will lose their flavor and start wilting. You can, however, freeze leaves that are freshly picked. Once the plant is frozen, just clip off the amount you need and put the rest back in the freezer.

The seeds can be harvested then the flowers mature. Be aware, though, that the plants may not produce seeds until the beginning of the second year. The seeds of the dill plant will be ready to harvest about 2 to 3 weeks after blossoming. You will recognize the seeds by their brown color. When you cut the stems of the flowers, be sure to leave enough to tie into a bunch. The flowers and seeds will need to be hung up in a cool, dry place to dry. Once the flowers are dry, use a light rod to thresh them. Clean and store the seeds in a dry place.

Dill can be used as a flavoring for fish and chicken, as well as in dill pickle recipes. It is such an easy plant to grow, you should have no problem growing enough to keep up with your use. Hopefully, these tips will help you grow a wonderful patch of dill in your home garden for you and your family to enjoy.

SOURCE

Editors "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine. "New Garden Book". 1990. Better Homes and Gardens Books. Des Moines, Iowa.

Editors of Rodale Organic Gardening Magazine and Books. "Rodale Organic Gardening Basics: Herbs Volume 5". 2001. Pennsylvania, USA.