Growing Fernleaf Dill

In addition to providing aromatic seeds and foliage, dill will brighten your garden with its yellow-green flowers in spring and fall. While typical dill grows to a height of 2 to 4 feet, Fernleaf dill is more compact, growing only 18 to 24 inches tall. It is a warm-season annual, but really loves mild weather - not too hot, not too cold. With its slender stem and delicate leaves, it makes a good mid- to back-of-the-border addition to your garden. Try growing dill in a spot where it can easily reseed.
 

Dill likes direct sun and rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Use organic matter to enrich the soil before planting. This plant likes mild weather and is best in the spring and again in fall. You may set out plants following the last spring frost and then plant again two months prior to the first winter frost. Space them 12 to 15 inches apart. Be sure to keep plants watered in dry weather.

Plants may need staking when in bloom to keep the tall flower stems-true butterfly magnets-from falling over, especially if you get a lot of wind. You can keep plants cut to delay flowering and extend your harvest, or harvest the whole plant as soon it flowers. The first winter frost will kill dill planted in the fall. However, if it had time to go to seed, the fallen seed may produce new plants in the spring.
 

Plant dill far from fennel, since the cross-pollination of these herbs produces variable results. Dill, like parsley and fennel, draws the parsleyworm caterpillar, which is the larva of the black swallowtail butterfly. Plant enough to feed yourself and the caterpillars. Far from a pest, the butterflies are often encouraged by gardeners who plant dill and parsley in patches just to attract them.
 

Harvest dill foliage at any point between seedling and blooming stages. You may harvest the entire dill plant, preserving the foliage, as soon as the plant starts to flower and set seed. You can freeze leaves by snipping off an entire branch, putting it in a plastic bag, and storing it in the freezer. The flowers last a few days in a vase, too, if you’d like to display them, but be prepared to dust under them as they disintegrate.
 

Dill seed is a pungent ingredient found in salad dressings, pickles, sauerkraut, and even breads. Enjoy the leaves at their peak when they are fresh, finely chopping for best flavor. Dill can be also a handy salt substitute for people on low-sodium diets.You can dry the leaves, but add them to dishes in greater quantity, as they are less flavorful than fresh leaves. Dill leaves may also be preserved in oil, butter, or vinegar for pickles, or frozen in water or stock.