Guide to growing Dill Anethum
The common names for the hardy annual herb Anethum is Dill. It typically flowers from the middle of summer until the middle of autumn.
Description of Dill
Anethum are small herbs that typically grow to between five and eight centimetres in height. They have feathery leaves that are bluey green in colour and have clusters of very small yellow flowers. They make great plants for herb gardens, due to their awkward appearance they should not be grown as part of a flower garden.
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| USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 2: 634. |
How to grow Dill
It is best to plant Dill on the soil surface, every two to three weeks to maintain a crop. Seedlings should be spaced so as to be about twenty five to thirty centimetres apart. Dill should be sown out starting from the early spring until the middle of summer. Anethum should to be grown in the sun. The soil type should be rich and well drained; ideally the soil pH should be in the range of 5.5 to 6.5. It is best to fertilise the soil at the same time as transplanting seedlings that have been grown inside. When starting Dill off from seed indoors, the seeds should be sown six to seven weeks before transplanting.
Taking care of Dill
Dill requires to be fertilised in the early spring, this will ensure hearty growth throughout the summer. The Dill plants should be sheltered from winds. It is important that they are not planted in the same vicinity as Fennel, as the herbs are able to cross fertilise, and the taste of the hybrids is not to be desired! Dill can be grown inside during the winter months, but should be exposed to five to six hours of sunlight daily.