Sally Scalera: Interested in growing your own herbs? It's kind of a big dill
Just in case you haven’t heard, June 10 is National Herbs & Spices Day.
There are a lot herbs that can be grown through the summer, so why not grow a culinary herb in your garden or on your patio to celebrate?
Many herbs are well adapted to container gardening because of their small size. Plants grown in containers can be placed anywhere, and herbs with a cascading habit can be grown in hanging baskets. Most herbs do great in full sun or partial shade, are easy to grow and delicious when added to a meal.
One of the most common and popular herbs is dill, Anethum graveolens. Dill is an annual, which means it will grow, flower, set seed and die within one year. It’s in the same plant family as parsley, carrots, celery and fennel.
All these plants will grow their best when planted in a soil that has been amended with organic matter, or in a fast-draining potting mix. Our naturally sandy soil will not produce the healthiest plants, because sand does not have any water- or nutrient-holding capacity.
Dill is typically grown for its flavorful leaves and seeds that are used in both hot and cold dishes and for making dill pickles.
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A location that receives full sun, which is at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, will grow the best dill. Typically, dill plants grow tall, but there are a few varieties available that produce small plants perfect for growing in containers. Check out this list of some of the dill varieties available:
Long Island Mammoth, also referred to as Mammoth dill, is the largest-growing dill that can grow to 48 inches tall. The plants grow and mature quickly, producing seeds earlier than other types of dill. This variety is a good one for Florida gardens, including butterfly gardens.
Elephant dill is known for its late flowering and aromatic foliage. The plants grow tall, producing a lot of foliage and flowers.
Dukat has the sweetest flavor and the highest essential oil content. This dill will grow to about 3 feet tall. This is an heirloom variety, so the seeds can be saved to start new plants the next year.
Bouquet grows 30 to 36 inches tall. If you are interested in making your own pickles, this may be the variety for you. Bouquet is especially good because of its early and abundant seed production. This is another heirloom variety, which often reseeds itself without any effort on your part
Teddy is known as a slow-bolting dill with a dense growth habit, producing high yields of flavorful leaves. The plant is fast-growing and a great choice for growing in containers.
Fernleaf only reaches a height of 18 inches and is another good choice for growing in containers. This cultivar is also slow to bolt, or go to seed, so the production of foliage lasts longer.
Grandma Einck’s grows to 24 inches, produces a strong aroma, and large flower heads. This Iowa heirloom variety has been grown since the 1920s and will self-seed. Germination can be erratic, so don’t be impatient or quick to judge the seeds as non-viable.
Another benefit to growing dill is that it is also a host plant for the black swallowtail butterfly. If you see caterpillars on your dill, just buy more plants so there is enough food for both you and the caterpillars.
The black swallowtail butterflies will also lay their eggs on fennel and parsley plants, since they are all members of the same plant family.
Dill leaves can be used fresh or dried, along with the dried seeds, in soups, stews, sauces, fish, eggs, pickles, salads and vegetables.
When using fresh dill in cooked dishes, add it at the very end, shortly before the meal is served. Fresh dill leaves are also commonly added to soft cheeses, sandwiches or tossed into salads.
If you like the flavor of dill, try it in any dish or meal that you want.
Harvesting dill is as easy as cutting off the leaves. You can dry the dill foliage, also called dill weed, or freeze it. hop up what you need, then return the rest to the freezer.
If you are interested in collecting the seeds, they can be harvested green, once they are fully developed to use in making pickles, or allowed to mature and turn brown. To collect the mature brown seeds, cut the inflorescence off, shake the seeds out over a large bowl and store them in airtight containers.
If you would like information on establishing the soil food web around the root systems of your herbs and other helpful hints for growing your own food, email me at sasc@ufl.edu for more information.
It doesn’t matter if you have a large yard or a patio, everyone can grow dill. After all, nothing tastes better than harvesting fresh herbs to add to your meal, right before you eat.
Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email sasc@ufl.edu.
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