Growing herbs is one of the pleasures of beginning gardening, and growing dill adds to that gardening pleasure.
Growing Dill
Common dill grows to a height of about 3 feet; Bouquet dill is a smaller variety that generally produces fewer seedheads. Dill does poorly when ransplanted, so start the crop from seed in the garden. The plants thrive in rich, loose soil and a very sunny location. Plant I or 2 weeks before the last spring frost date if you want the seeds to mature when you are doing your first cucumber pickling.
Sow Seeds
Sow Seed 1/4 inch deep in rows 18 to 24 inches apart or broadcast over a bed 2 feet square and gently rake the seeds into the soil. Plants should emerge in 10 to 14 days; let them grow for 10 to 14 more days and then thin them to 12 to 18 inches apart. Make small sowings a few weeks apart
until midsummer to get a season-long supply of fresh leaves.
Dill Care
The plants are very spindly so you may have to stake the tallest plants to keep them from bending over in strong winds. Let a few plants mature their seed; if the area is not disturbed very much they will provide many new plants next season.
b>Dill Harvest
You can start harvesting the fern-like leaves about 8 weeks after planting. Pinch off the outer leaves close to the stem. Leaves have the highest flavor just when flower heads are opening.
Dill Preserving
Dry leaves in a dark place on a screen and seal them in an airtight jar; freeze leaves to retain more of their flavor. For pickling, cut off the seedheads when they’re light brown, dry them for a few days in paper bags with air holes in the sides, then shake seeds loose to the bottom of the bag.
By: National Gardening editors
Posted under Kitchen Herb Garden
This post was written by admin on April 2, 2009
