To all the lovely people,

Here is an article from Mike the gardener about dill in the fall garden.

Paul

Dill should be Part of Your Fall Herb Garden

Dill is an easy to grow herb in which both the seeds and the plant itself, have a pleasant aroma.  Dill is as much an excellent choice for aesthetic purposes as it is for many culinary dishes.  Dill pickles may reign supreme for the use of this wonderful herb, but fresh dill on your chicken, lamb and fish are all great choices as well.

Dill makes for an excellent choice for anyone's fall garden because it can be harvested rather quickly, grows well in small spaces, requires minimal care, and for those looking to save seeds from their plants to use in future years, dill is an excellent choice for that also.

Working With Dill Seeds

Dill seeds are easy to work with.  They are larger than most herb seeds, and just a few seeds can produce all of the dill you will need in your home.  Because a little dill goes a long way, once your dill is fully grown and harvested, as is the case with other herbs, dill dehydrates very well for longer term storage.

Direct Sow The Seeds

There is no need to start your fall dill indoors as the temperatures right now are perfect for germination.  All you need to do is make sure you choose a spot that gets at least 5 hours of sunlight.  More sunlight would be preferable, but 5 works great for most varieties.

Direct sow your dill seeds into your selected location.  My dill is growing in a giant pot (24” diameter, 24” deep).  Use a loose and friable mix if you are container gardening, or mix in plenty of compost if your dill will be planted directly into your garden bed.

Keep The Soil Moist

Keep the soil moist where your dill is planted but do not over water.  You will get faster germination rates if you hydrate your seeds first.  Hydration is not a required step.  It only helps speed things along.  You can expect your seeds to germinate in as little as 7 days or as many as 14 days.

When To Add Fertilizer

Once your dill stands over 3 inches tall it is ready to receive it's feeding of a good organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion, compost or manure tea, or take handfuls of compost and lightly spread it around the base of your plants.  You will want to feed your dill once a week.

Harvesting

One of the best parts of dill is that you can harvest what you need and leave the plant to continue to grow.  Pinch off the dill as you need it this way your plant will continually produce throughout your fall gardening season.

Popular Heirloom Varieties

Some popular heirloom varieties include Mammoth Long Island, Bouquet and Dukat.  Some varieties need to be staked to prevent them from falling over as they get larger.  Be sure to read the information on the back of your seed packet.  The last thing you want is your fresh dill soaking up the cool autumn mud.