Dill Plants: Main Varieties And Hacks To Grow And Care For Them
Image Credit: Pexels

Dill is a short-lived plant that typically yields leafy harvests for several months before eventually beginning to blossom. In as little as eight weeks, you can begin harvesting leaves if you sow them outside in a bright place, starting mid-spring. You should be able to enjoy fresh dill leaves far into October if you sow multiple small batches from spring to mid-summer. You should also have plenty of fresh dill so it can blossom and produce seeds.

The leaves can be diced and used in soups and salads, and they are traditionally used to spice chicken, fish, egg dishes, and dill pickles. Dill seeds are more flavourful and work well in various recipes, including baking. Know how to grow them. 

When To Plant Dill?

  • After the danger of frost has passed in the spring, dill seeds should be placed directly into the garden since, like carrots, they grow a taproot and do not transplant well. 
  • The ideal range of soil temperature for germination is 60° to 70ºF (15° to 21°C). It takes 10 to 14 days for seedlings to appear.
  • To guarantee a steady supply of dill for pickling, plant dill seeds every few weeks until July.

What Varieties To Plant?

A dill plant (also known as dill weed) has edible flowers, seeds, stems, and green foliage. Dill grows readily and fast under most circumstances. Read the seed packs to find out which dill kinds will work best for your culinary and gardening projects when designing your garden and purchasing seeds.

Bouquet: The yields of leaves and seeds from bouquet dill are considerable. This cultivar produces huge flowers, long, strong stems, and huge leaves. Bouquet dill is frequently used in cut flower arrangements. This is the most widely used form of dill for home gardens and is also great for pickling.

Fernleaf: This small variation grows well in containers. The thick, dense, and compact foliage resembles ferns. Use the leaves of the dill plant as a herb to add taste to salads, sauces, and other dishes. After cutting, fernleaf dill keeps its flavour for a very long period.

Teddy: Grow Teddy dill in your hydroponic garden or container garden. Similar to fern leaf dill, this variation has compact, lush leaves. This thick and luxuriant plant grows more quickly and productively than the fern leaf type. 

How To Grow Dill From Direct Seeding?

  • Dill should be planted somewhere with six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.
  • If you don't stake the tall, hollow stalks, they can easily blow over, so pick a location shielded from strong winds.
  • Dill is difficult to transplant. Directly sow seeds into the soil in the intended planting location.
  • Once there is no longer a risk of spring frost, start planting seeds.
  • Sow seeds every two to three weeks until midsummer to reap many crops in the summer and autumn.
  • Plant the seeds in rows two feet apart, 1/4 inch deep.
  • Seedlings should be spaced 10–12 inches apart after two inches tall.
  • Maintain a generally wet and weed-free soil.

How To Grow Dill Indoors? 

  • Dill may be grown indoors as long as there is adequate light.
  • The ideal spot gets five to six hours of direct sunlight; if not, use fluorescent lighting for twelve hours.
  • To ensure proper drainage, pots need to have holes at the bottom and be quite deep.
  • Because of the reduced light levels indoors, stake dill will grow even taller and spindlier than outdoors.
  • Harvest Dill Leaves: Tips
  • Harvest the green dill foliage throughout the growing season whenever the umbrella-shaped flower clusters open.
  • Dill tastes bland very quickly. As soon as you can after picking, use it fresh.
  • Dill leaves can be dried by hanging the plant upside down in a warm, windy location away from the sun.
  • Much like with many other herbs, flavour is mostly lost when dried. Usually, the vivid hue endures.

Harvesting Dill Seeds

  • Cut the flower stems just before the seeds mature and become tan to harvest the seeds.
  • In a warm, well-ventilated area away from direct light, hang the stalks upside down.
  • Tighten a tiny paper bag to the stalks and wrap it around the flower heads. Make a few holes in the bag's sides to allow air flow.
  • The seeds will fall to the bottom of the bag and gather as they ripen.
  • If kept out of direct sunlight and heat, seeds can be kept in airtight containers for up to a year.
  • Before storing seeds, make sure they are completely dry. After storing the seeds, take them out if the container shows any indications of moisture.