If you love herbs, dill should have a spot in your garden! This aromatic herb is as beautiful as it is delicious. It’s great to use fresh in cooking, or you can dry it in a few easy steps. Dill is also a unique addition to flower bouquets because its delicate yellow and green flowers fill out arrangements.
Dill is native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, so it will do best in warm climates. However, dill is a great herb to grow indoors if you’re in a colder region. This article will guide you through the growing process, so you always have a handful of dill ready!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Growing dill is very simple and doesn’t require special equipment. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dill seeds
- Plant pot (if growing indoors)
- Garden trowel
- Gardening gloves
- Stakes
- Well-drained, slightly acidic soil
How to Plant Dill:Â
Step 1: Preparation
Dill has many cultivars, so finding one that works in your garden should be easy. Bouquet dill is a popular cultivar option for outdoor gardens. Its tall stems and beautiful yellow flowers are a great addition to meals. Others, like the compatto dill cultivar, are best for your indoor garden, as these are smaller and easier to manage inside.Â
Your garden or potting soil should be slightly acidic and well-draining to get the best results. Choose a deep pot with drainage holes when planting dill indoors.
Step 2: Plant in an Ideal Location
Dill needs at least five or six hours of direct sunlight to thrive. Alternatively, you can give dill 12 hours under a grow light if your home lacks natural light. Dill doesn’t transplant well, so plant them somewhere permanent.
For outdoor planting, wait until spring frost has passed to plant. Dill should be planted in an area free from harsh winds, as the delicate stalks can blow over easily. Once you’ve chosen the best place, it’s time to start planting.
First, use your garden trowel to dig holes ¼ inch deep in rows 2 feet apart, and sprinkle in two to three seeds per hole. Next, cover the seeds with soil and water to ensure the soil is evenly moist. You can plant dill seeds for multiple harvests every two to three weeks up to midsummer.
Use your garden trowel to dig the same-sized holes (about ¼ inch deep) and sprinkle in two to three seeds for indoor planting. Cover with soil and water to make sure the soil is evenly moist.
Step 3: Maintenance
When your outdoor dill seedlings are 2 inches high, thin them out so that there are 10 to 12 inches of space between each plant which helps with air circulation and allow the strongest stalks to grow. Be sure to keep your herbs free of weeds.
Dill may require stakes for support, whether in a garden or a pot. You can stake the plant when it’s small to ensure it stands upright.Â
This herb requires regular watering until fully established. The soil should dry out completely between watering, as too much water will rot the plant. Â
Step 4: Harvesting Dill
To harvest dill for recipes, pick off the leaves as soon as they appear. Dill has the best flavor two to three months after sowing seeds and just before the flowers open. If you want to eat the leaves, remove flowers as they form so that the dill production continues. Fresh dill loses flavor quickly after being picked, so harvest it only as needed. You can also dry it out and use it for a more extended period.
Dill seeds are another component of this plant that is edible and delicious in soups, bread, and pickling. To harvest, wait until the dill flowers and the seeds turn brown. Place a paper bag over the head of the dill, and shake gently to release the seeds. The seeds can dry out in the paper bag for about a week. When dried, use them as needed in recipes.
To use dill in floral bouquets, pick when the flower is fully open and a bright yellow/green color. Dill typically starts to flower eight weeks after sowing. Picked stems should last for up to 10 days in a bouquet.Â
To use dill in pickling, use the whole flower when it is green and flexible. Add the flowers and the leaves in a jar with your chosen pickling vegetables.
Enjoy Dill!
Dill is a versatile herb that combines the beauty of flowers with the satisfaction of planting edible gardens. You can make the most out of this herb by using its seeds, flowers, and foliage. Do you have dill in your garden? If so, how do you use it? Share in the comments below.
