If you are one of those who just cannot get enough of dill, you might want to grow a few more in your home garden. This annual herb starts out as a small yellow flower that blooms at first, then matures to a herb that is bushy and very colorful. Even though it is a perennial, you can plant it anywhere you like. In fact, you can even grow it on your deck or patio if there are ample space and sunshine. Growing dill in your home garden will add to your cooking enjoyment, as it adds a tart flavor to your breads, cakes, vegetables, salads and much more.
If you have never grown dill plant before, make sure you follow the basic instructions for planting and caring for seeds and young plants. For starter plants, you should pick up some healthy seedlings at a nursery, then keep them in a dark cup of water with some well-cared for plants like lettuce, spinach and chard. Make sure you water these seedlings well during their first two weeks of life. The main thing to remember about planting seedlings is that you must water them well during their first year.
After two months of daily watering, you can repot the seeds. You can do this by picking up some more of the healthy seeds from your garden and putting them into small plastic bags. Once you have placed them into a bag, store them in a cool, dark place like a cupboard or pantry shelf. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to three months, but you need to make sure they are still moist when you place them in the bag. Once you have repotted them, report them and rinse off the leaves and roots with water.
If your seeds get too wet, repot them again. This time, just pinch off the remaining green foliage on top of the sprouts and snap off the flower buds, if you have any. Cut off the flower buds that resemble berries and keep them aside for your next step. You can use a blender to chop up the rest of the foliage, but make sure you only cut it down to about one inch high. Place the chopped plant parts in large glasses filled with clean water and add about six to eight drops of essential oil, such as eucalyptus or marjoram.
Fill a small airtight container and place the dill plant seeds in. Add some sand or wood chips to help keep the soil from draining too fast. You will now need to water the herb regularly, remembering to only water it when the top layer of soil has become dry. Over time, the herbs will self-water as long as they remain in the container. Some experts recommend placing the plant in an outdoor herb garden, but many gardeners enjoy planting it in their indoor herb garden. Just be sure to place it where it can receive morning or afternoon sun rays, as it will not like harsh UV rays.
Keep the growing tips under control by clipping any overhanging leaves. Remove any flowers that droop. If the plant starts to grow more than four inches tall, consider trimming back the overall size to about one inch tall and remove some of the flowering buds. Water well, but do not drown the plant.