Dill

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a graceful annual herb with fine, feathery blue-green foliage and a clean, refreshing aroma that blends sweet anise with a grassy, lemony lift. Its tender leaves (dill weed) brighten fish, salads, yoghurt dips and pickles, while the flat golden umbels yield warm, lightly bitter seeds for breads and brines. The airy, upright form is also charming at the back of a herb bed, drawing pollinators to its lacy flowers.

Planting

Dill forms a taproot and resents being moved, so sow seeds directly where they are to grow. In Egypt it is a winter crop: sow from September through February, with October-November giving the strongest leaf and seed yields. Set seeds about 0.6 cm deep, barely covering them since light aids germination. Choose full sun with at least 6-8 hours of direct light, in rich, moist, well-drained soil around pH 6.5. Space rows about 60 cm apart; seedlings emerge in 10-14 days at a soil temperature of 15-21 C.

Fertilizing

This herb needs very little feeding. Apply one light dressing of a 5-10-5 fertilizer in late spring, about 85 g per 3 m of row. In containers, use a liquid feed at half the recommended strength. Avoid excess nitrogen, as soft, lush growth invites aphids.

Care

When seedlings reach about 5 cm tall, thin them to stand 25-30 cm apart. Keep the bed weed-free and water evenly until plants establish; once mature, let the soil nearly dry between waterings to avoid root rot. Watch for aphids, swallowtail caterpillars and mildew. Harvest leaves before the flowers open, around 70 days; for seed, cut stalks just before they turn tan, near 90 days. Frequent cutting delays bolting in warm spells.