Growing Herbs: Dill

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Dill is easily one of my very favorite herbs. I have, in fact, been accused of over-dilling food by my children on more than one occasion. Strangely though, I have no affinity for dill pickles. In addition to tasting great, smelling good and adding a pretty, airy texture to the garden, dill is incredibly easy to grow. It's listed as an annual here but is really a biennial. I haven't had dill reseed, but many people claim they've planted it once and never had to plant it again. At any rate, this is a must have herb for the garden. 

Growing and Harvesting Dill

The one downside to dill, particularly here on the plains of the windy Midwest, is that tall, wispy dill needs to be in a spot protected from strong winds. Other than that, dill isn't too fussy. Grow dill in full sun and average, well-drained soil. If you are also growing fennel, keep these two plants apart to prevent cross-pollination. If that happens, the seeds of each plant will lose their own unique flavor. 

Many varieties of dill grow anywhere from 2-5 feet tall so give it a place in the back of the garden. Those that get up to 5 feet tall may require staking. Compact varieties will still be 24-36 inches high. 

Use fresh dill leaves throughout the season. For the most flavorful dried dill, cut leafy stalks before flower heads appear. Dry stalks on drying racks in a cool location. When dry, separate leaves from the stalks and store in an airtight container. Fresh dill can also be frozen in ice cubes for use throughout the winter. 

Dill seed can be collected in the fall as it begins to fall from the seed heads. Remove the entire seed head and dry on a tray in the sun. When dry, seeds can be shaken from the seed heads and stored in an air-tight container. 

Using Dill

Of course we know dill is used in canning pickles but it's also excellent in egg salad and other egg dishes, on potatoes, in dressings, dips and on vegetables. My favorite is butter and dill on green beans. Divine! It's also great on carrots. Add dill to butter and bread mixes or use on fish. The seeds are commonly used for pickling or can be used as a substitute for the leaves. 

Allrecipes.com has an incredible collection of recipes featuring dill from dips to potatoes to fish to vegetables. I want to try them all!

Next week: Plants you may already be growing that are edible!