Due
Dill-igence by
Gay
Ingram
continued from
page one
Fresh
and dried leaf are available commercially, but fresh is preferred.
Whole seed is preferred over ground seed. Fresh dillweed has a short
shelf-life in the refrigerator; drying or freezing your harvest will
ensure a year-long supply. But to have a harvest, you must be growing
and dill is considered very easy to
grow. Propagation of this hardy annual is by seed. Either in the
spring after all danger of frost has passed or, for southern gardens,
a planting in late fall which will get an early start in spite of
freezing temperatures latter. A freeze may remove all signs of growth
to soil levels.
Plants thrive in a
warm, sunny, rather protected spot, in sandy, well-drained, moderately
rich loam. Dill benefits from generous amounts of well-rotted manure
worked into the soil before planting. Sow seed thickly and do not thin
seedlings. This allows the tall, spindly stalks to lean upon one
another for support. All the books advise ‘do not transplant’, but
this can be done if the single, slender taproot is moved when the
plant is less than five-six inches high. Dill will tolerate some
afternoon shade during the hot summer southern days as we experience.
Keep your dill bed well weeded as it does not like competition.
Dill grows to three
feet in height–plan to either stake the plants or sow seed thickly so
they can support one another. The plant is upright, branching out from
a single stalk with feathery leaves called ‘dillweed.’ Once the plants
are well established, you can begin harvesting the leaves close to the
stem. Use as soon as possible, dillweed last only a couple of days in
the refrigerator before it droops and loses its flavor. Stems are
smooth, shiny and hollow; foliage is almost a blue-green in color.
Plants produce delicate umbrella-like clusters of small yellow flowers
which mature to dill seed in midsummer.
It takes two and a
half months from seed-planting to harvest of mature seed. Seeds will
be light brown in color when ready to harvest, anywhere from two to
three weeks after blossoming. The seeds will be a light brown color.
When most of the seed-heads have turned brown, cut the stems with
enough length, tie in a bunch and hang in a dark place. Spread
newspaper beneath them to catch the dried seeds as they fall. If seeds
do not fall after being dried, they will pull off by hand easily. When
completely dry, rub between the palms of your hand to remove seed from
chaff.
The plant is
self-seeding and dropped seed will germinate easily. Store harvested
seeds in airtight containers; seed can retain its germinating capacity
for up to three years. The whole plant is aromatic and bees are
attracted to the pollen-laden flowers so place it on the perimeter of
your garden to avoid confrontations. Companion planting has some dos
and don’ts: dill will enhance the growth of cabbage, onions, corn,
lettuce and cucumbers. But don’t plant it near carrots, fennel,
parsley and anise.
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DID YOU KNOW?
-The flat, oval seeds of dill have
the greater nutritional value.
-Grow dill along garden perimeters
to attract bees.
-Dill was believed to work as a
charm against witches; mystics did combat with an “evil eye”
spell by carrying a bag of dried dill over the heart.
-The swallowtail butterfly
caterpillar can ravage a dill plant overnight.
-Dill flower heads make impressive
additions to garden bouquets.
-Dill seeds are a chief ingredient
in pickling spice.
-Dill seeds add a pronounced flavor
to a variety of foods and make them more digestible too.
-The whole plant is aromatic.
-Dill is supposed to enhance the
growth of cabbage, onions, and lettuce. |
To grow dill indoors,
it will need full sun, prefer daytime temperatures be in the sixties,
can take nighttime temperatures as low as mid forties. Water whenever
the surface appears dry and provide good air circulation. Seed
directly and then thin to three plants in a six-inch pot. This will
produce new growth for two to four months indoors. Harvest lower
leaves after plant is a foot tall. The best cultivars for indoors are
“Aroma” and “Bouquet” but be forewarned, dill is
difficult to grow indoors. There is a variety of dill called “Bouquet”
which produces shorter and bushier plants than the better-known A.
graveolens.
The following comes
from the Receipt Book of Joseph Cooper, cook to Charles I,
1640:
‘Gather the tops of
the ripest dill and cover the bottom of the vessel, and lay a layer of
cucumbers and another of dill till you have filled the vessel within a
handful of the top. Then take as much water as you think will fill the
vessel and mix it with salt and a quarter of a pound of allom to a
gallon of water and poure it on them and press them down with a stone
on them and keep them covered close. For that use I think the water
will be best boyl’d and cold, which will keep longer sweet, or if you
like not this pickle, doe it with water, salt and white wine vinegar,
or (if you please) pour the water and salt on them scalding hot which
will make them ready to use the sooner.’
One last note–the
intricately complex flower-heads can also be harvested for use in
fresh flower arrangements. But do allow some plants to form seed-heads
to be used in dried arrangement for your fall decorating.
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