Dill

“Dill” cheat sheet

Growing

• Sow directly on top of soil
• Sunlight is required for germination
• Thin out seedlings once around 4 inches.

Caring

• Sun Exposure – Full
• Growing Medium – Well drained soil
• Watering – Normal watering, can withstand some drought conditions.

Harvesting

• Harvest as soon as the leaves are growing.
• Dill is best used fresh
• Take no more than a 1/3 of the plant per harvest

Background:

The origin of the word Dill is mostly unknown. It has been found in a Pharaohs tomb in Egypt and was even mentioned used by Theophrastus in his writings (around 371 BC – 287 BC. Mostly the herbs leaves are used for European and Central Asian cuisine. Another common use is as an ingredient in Dill Pickles.

Growing

1. Prepare your soil by adding compost/fertilizer and evening out the soil level. Wet the surface lightly.
2. Sow your seeds. Dill can be planted once the ground is workable and as long as the temperature doesn’t drop below 25º F (-4º C). Most of the time dill will self sow even though its an annual by dropping its own seeds. It is not recommended to transplant due to the root structure.
3. Place seeds directly on the top 1/8″. Dill requires sunlight to germinate so don’t sow to deeply. Place about 3-4 seeds every 6 inches with rows spaced 12 inches apart.
4. Germination will occur between 9 – 14 days, or longer.
5. When the seedlings are 4 inches tall thin out the weaklings and be sure to eat them.

Caring For

• This herb grows at its best in full sun. It will handle partial shade but may require extra care.
• If you notice your stems on your dill plant are weak, recommended staking it up to help support your delicious herbs.
• Dill requires a good draining soil and that’s about it. Work in some fertilizer prior to seeding if desired.
• Remove flower heads as they appear to promote foliage growth.

Harvesting

• Both the seeds and leaves can be used in cooking.
• Dill is best used fresh, drying the herb causes it to lose a large amount of its flavor.
• Harvesting early is paramount if you are just interested in harvesting leaves. Trimming the dill at the younger stage will promote bushier growth.