Dill

Fall is the perfect time to plant broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, coriander, dill, greens, radish. sugar snaps, and many other crops on the farm and in the home garden. Now for some tips on how to prepare the soil and plant these cool season crops. The proper natural bed preparation is done by adding the following to existing native soil - compost, lava sand, greensand, cornmeal and organic fertilizer.

Common Name: Dill, Indian Dill

Botanical Name: Anethum graveolens

Family: Apiaceae

Type and Use: Annual used for seasoning and a salad ingredient with edible seeds

Location: Full sun

Planting Dates: Plant seed in the spring and every 2 weeks thereafter to have a continuous succession of plants.

Planting Method: Seed

Seed Emergence: 10-21 days

Harvest Time: Any time the feathery foliage is present. The seeds are harvested after they mature and turn brown.

Height: 3 feet

Spread: 6-12 inches

Final Spacing: 12 inches

Growth Habits: Upright growth, blue-green feathery foliage, umbrella-shaped yellow flower heads that produce small oval seed. Stems have hollow stalks.

Culture: Easy to grow in healthy soil. Needs moderate water and fertilizer.

Troubles and Solutions: Strong wind can damage plants unless they are somehow supported. Caterpillars of the swallowtail butterfly can attack. The solution is to share instead of kill the caterpillars.

Harvest and Storage: Cut and harvest the leaves during the summer, dry in the shade, and store in a dry place or use fresh.

Notes: Best flavor is in the green, immature seedheads.

Varieties: Bouquet, Dukat, Fernleaf, Long Island Mammoth

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