Growing Dill From Seed

Reader Contribution by Staff
1 / 3
2 / 3
3 / 3

Read more from Patsy Bell Hobson at www.patsybell.com. When not in the garden or on the road, find her in southern Missouri. Her travel adventures can be read around the world at Striped Pot Travel. Find more garden, travel and random rants on her Facebookpage. 

I grew up with ‘Mammoth’ dill growing around my home. In fact, this kind of dill, or dill weed, is what my grandmother grew and used to make pickles. This annual herb loves sun and will grow to about three feet tall. Make this herb yours by using its leaves to enhance salads, soups, omelets and vegetables. Plant a few seeds in two-week cycles. Dill’s (Anethum graveolens) leaves and seeds are often used in cooking. I like to mix fresh dill weed into butter; keep it refrigerated. Brush softened herb butter on top of biscuits or bread. I like to use dill butter on grilled salmon, in mashed potatoes or on steamed green beans. I also like to press its ferny leaves into salmon before grilling.

Try this savory, rich torte. It makes a lovely main course for Sunday Brunch.
Photo by Howard Lee Puckett 

‘Fernleaf’ dill is an All-America Winner for its leafy texture. This dwarf-sized plant with fern-like leaves is a good choice for containers or small herb gardens. Lovely and airy, I would grow it to attract butterflies, even if I didn’t use it in cooking.

Burpee also offers ‘Elephant’ dill, which they say is the longest late-flowering dill they offer. Because it is late to bolt for extended harvest, it would be best to use when the cucumbers are ready for pickling. It’s not necessarily bigger, it is just slower to bolt than ‘Mammoth’ dill.

Try something new and sow a few dill seeds in you flower garden. Plant a few with zinnias–it makes a great ferny filler in your zinnia bouquets. 


Dill’s airy, fern-like leaves are a perfect addition to any flower bouquet.
Photo by Muffet/Courtesy Flickr

Seed Packet Giveaway

Burpee has agreed to give away a seed packet of dill seed to three lucky Herb Companion readers. Read more to learn how to enter in this exciting giveaway.

HOW TO ENTER

• Post a comment telling us your favorite way to use dill.

End date: May 1, 2011 (12:00 a.m. Central Time)UPDATE: Time’s up!

And the winners are …

Marie in Aurora, Ohio: “I’m actually not that familiar with the uses of dill… I’d love the chance to ‘get to know it.'”

Shannon in San Marcos, Texas: “I LOVE garlic-dill pickles and using dill with egg.”

Susan in Camarillo, California: “I especially like to add frest dill to tuna salad and to chicken salad.”

Winners were chosen using www.random.org. Thanks to everyone who entered my Garden Giveaway! Watch out for even more giveaways.

  • Published on Apr 13, 2011
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-800-456-6018
Free health and natural beauty tips from Mother Earth News!