How and Why to Grow Dill in the Home or Garden

Dill is a well-known kitchen ingredient. This plant is a hardy native of Eastern Europe and Asia, but grows well in many regions. It deserves to be known for more than just “dill pickles”.

The names dillweed or “dill weed” refer to the leaves, which are used in flavoring soups, fish and potatoes. “Dill” is the name for the seeds, which are also important for many recipes.

Dill is a member of the carrot family.

Several Types of Dill

Ordering the correct dill seed from a garden supplies retailer requires considering the goals for growing this plant. “Long Island Mammoth Dill” is very popular since both its foliage and seeds are very useful. The “Dukat” variety is excellent for its abundant leaves; “Bouquet” is favored for its pickling seeds. For a windowsill herb garden, “Fernleaf” grows well in containers. To flavor curry, “Sowa” brings an authentic taste from India.

Growing Dill Outdoors

Although technically dill is a perennial herb, it is grown as an annual. It does not survive if the temperature dips much below freezing. Since some gardeners prefer to use only fresh leaves or seeds, they will plant new seeds every few weeks from spring through summer.

Dill prefers a sunny location in well-drained soil. Its roots will delve deeply for moisture.

Soil preparation involves loosening the dirt to well below the depth of the shovel’s blade. Bonemeal is recommended as fertilizer. The seeds should be sown rather sparsely, and lightly covered. Dill does not need much watering.

Usually dill will emerge in about two weeks. Leaves may be ready for harvest at about the eight-week mark; seeds might take another couple weeks. Growing conditions may delay harvest by another two or three weeks. Flowers and seeds will mature more quickly in very hot or dry conditions. Besides some watering, the main care is to keep the garden free of weeds.

Dill attracts insects. In Florida, for example, the swallowtail butterfly’s caterpillars frequently dine on the leaves. Other insects eat the pollen, or their larvae will prey on the aphids which also suck sap from the stems. This insect activity does not seem to pose problems for a culinary herb garden.

Growing in a Window Herb Garden

Indoors, dill starts well in 3-inch (7cm) pots, but should be transplanted to larger quarters as they grow. A sunny windowsill which does not have full sunlight is best. Dill would prefer not to bake over a heat source, like a radiator. Be ready to provide a stake to help the plant’s posture. A harvest should be expected after about two months in the kitchen herb garden.

Cooking and Health

Far too many recipes use dill to begin listing in this article. The three guidelines for an online search for dill recipes are:

• The search criteria should include “dill seeds” or “dill leaves”, to ensure that specific ingredient is included
• The search criteria should include “recipe”, plus “soup” or another main ingredient (“fish” or “salmon” or “dill pickle”)
• The web site should be a credible source for a fair number of other recipes

Dill is an ingredient in herbal remedies, many of which target digestive ailments. A search for “dill remedies” plus a symptom may yield results. Do-it-yourself home remedies may help with minor problems, but prolonged symptoms should be diagnosed by a medical professional.

The Rewards of Dill

Dill rewards cooks with two ingredients. Gardeners have interesting foliage and flowers, whether outdoors or on a windowsill.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for a medical diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.

References:

Garden Action, “How to Grow Dill”, published Aug. 29, 2010, referenced Oct. 19, 2010.

Steve Christman, Floridata, “#674 Anethum graveolens”, updated Oct. 9, 2003, referenced Oct. 19, 2010.