Dill Plant Profile

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an annual herb that is native to Eurasia and the Mediterranean. Dill is used in pickling and in such dishes as potato salad, sauerkraut, and fish preparations. It has beautiful ferny foliage and pretty yellow flowers. In addition to its culinary uses, Dill attracts beneficial insects. It is a host plant for the caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly. It was named Herb of the Year in 2010. Grow it in full sun and in well-draining soil--protected from strong winds. It is hardy to USDA zones 2 to 11. Dill is best started by direct-sowing seeds in the ground. It can also be grow in containers. (It has a long taproot, so it doesn’t like to be moved or transplanted.) To have a continual supply of dill, sow a new row of seeds every few weeks. You should occasionally weed around the plants and thin out the new seedlings once they are a few inches high. Pinch off the flower heads to encourage fuller leaf growth, which is the main part you will harvest for use in cooking. Once the dill plant has 5-6 leaves on it, you can start harvesting them. To harvest the leaves, pinch or snip them off with kitchen scissors. Select the older leaves first. Towards the end of the season, let the dill flower and form seedheads. Collect the seeds for use in cooking and to plant some for next year. If you let the seeds fall where they are growing, they will often self-sow next season. It is deer-resistant and makes a charming addition to a cut-flower bouquet. Dill: You Can Grow That! The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners. Audio and text by Kathy Jentz Video and editing by Madison Korman ➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!) ➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out ➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE ~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com ~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener ~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/ ~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine ~ Podcast: GardenDC If you enjoyed this Plant Profile, check out: ~ Borage Plant Profile https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/borage-plant-profile.html ~ Bronze Fennel Plant Profile https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/bronze-fennel-plant-profile.html ~ Yarrow Plant Profile https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/06/yarrow-plant-profile.html