Adding Flavor with an Herb Garden: Dill

This week I would like you to get to know my herb friend Dill. Dill is a bit of an odd duck; he is friends with asparagus, broccoli and cabbage! Can you believe that! I even heard he was hanging out with corn, cucumber, onion, and lettuce, but the herb garden grapevine reports that there are some plants that won’t grow near him. Aphids find him repelling, as do Squash bugs, and Spider mites. Tomato Hornworm and the Cabbage Loopers also report they dislike hanging around places where Dill grows. Maybe it’s because he’s tall, green and strongly flavored. Sounds pretty normal to me…but then plants and insects, like people, can be a bit finicky sometimes.

The dill plant is part of the same family as parsley, fennel, carrots and celery as well as several other well-known garden friends, although it is the sole species of its genus. It is commonly sold in parts, instead of as the whole plant. Some people will recognize this herb by its leaves which are sold as “dill weed.” Others will readily identify this plant by the seeds sold in the spice aisle. Both the leaves and seeds have different chemical composition as well as different uses both culinary and medicinally.

This highly aromatic herb is a self-seeding annual in most areas, although it becomes a perennial in USDA zone 9-11. Most variety grow around 3 foot tall, although some specific varieties such as Mammoth Dill can grow up to 6 feet, with flower heads in some cases reaching as large as 15-18 inches across! Don’t have that much space? Dwarf varieties only reach a height of around 2 feet. Although the mature seeds are toxic to birds, the complete dill plant is edible to humans. There are many ways for utilizing this old and often resilient garden friend, from the seeds and even the woody stems, to the fragile, wispy, and somewhat fern-like leaves.

Originally native to eastern Europe, Dill spread rapidly to western Africa, the Mediterranean region, and western Asia. Many cultures traditionally used Dill to help soothe the stomach after eating. The word comes from the old Norse word dylla meaning to lull or soothe. Dill is even mentioned in Ancient Egyptian medical writing from about 3000 B.C. which refers to it as a “soothing medicine.” Other uses reported are helping protect against excessive bone loss, cleansing the mouth, and providing relief from insomnia and hiccups.

Dill was looked at by the early Romans as a good luck symbol, while to the Greeks it stood as a symbol of wealth. It most likely was brought to America by early settlers. Puritans and Quakers chewed on Dill seeds in church. They used them as an appetite suppressant to keep hungry kids content through their often long Sunday services.

Today, Dill is mostly accredited with being anti-bacterial and a natural breath freshener–if you don’t mind the smell of dill that is! There are also studies showing its abilities to help alleviate colic and help encouraging a new mother’s milk supply. Dill has been found to help in areas like sore throats and colds, both soothing as well offering its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Dill is often associated with the dishes and cuisines of Germany and Scandinavia. In the Nordic countries it is found mostly with seafood.

While most people in the U.S. tend to associate Dill with pickles! And no wonder when Americans consume over 2.3 billion pounds of pickles a year! The most popular variety of pickle in the US is the Kosher Dill.

As a whole, the flavor of dill resembles a cross between Fennel and Caraway. Dill weed has a mild grassy-Fennel (licorice-like) quality, while the seeds produce more of a pungent Caraway tone. When cooked, the flavor of the wispy Dill weed tends to fade, whereas the flavor of the seeds actually tends to become stronger throughout the cooking process. Dill develops a very woody flavorless stem and stops producing leaves after it begins to flower. You can prolong the leaf producing period by pinching off the flower buds as they develop.

Fresh dill weed can be sprinkled on top of fried eggs, added to an omelet or mixed with salad greens. My preschooler prefers a combination of dill weed and Hungarian Paprika sprinkled on top of deviled eggs. It works well added to homemade cheese spreads or chip and veggie dips. My grandmother added dill weed to boiled or baked potatoes.

On the other hand, Dill produces beautiful large white or yellow blossoms, depending on variety, that make a lovely garnish on a salad. These flowers are also a culinary delight when added to a jar of home canned pickles.

Dill seeds are frequently used as you would bay leaves. They work well when added to fatty or gamey meats, soups, breads and salad dressings

Dill prefers to be planted from seed. It grows readily in most soils, but favors well-drained soil. Easy to grow, it does well in a wide pH range from 5.5 – 7.5 with ideal pH being between 5.5 and 6.5. Dill is happiest when receiving 6-8 hours of full sun a day. Interestingly, stress on the plant from heat or drought actually help to improve its flavor.

Dill does not enjoy being transplanted, so I recommend sowing directly into its intended long term home. If you allow it to seed, you will have volunteer dill sprout next year, either where you planted them and/or where your rototiller transported them. So take time to think about where you want to plant your Dill.  Self-seeded Dill from the previous year’s fallen seed typically matures long before your pickles are ready. Therefore if you are planning on using it for canning/pickling make sure to plant ample Dill at the same time as you plant your pickles for a successful preserving season.

To plant, simply sow seeds 1/4in deep in 60-70F soil and keep moist. Your Dill should start to sprout within 10-14 days. For healthy plants thin to about 12 inches apart after the first two weeks of growth in order for plants to have less competition and better air circulation. Don’t throw out the plants you thin out—use them for fresh Dill weed. Be careful not to over fertilize as this can cause salt to build up in your soil and turn your plants yellow.

Dill is considered to be one of the best attractors of beneficial insects to your garden.

He goes a long way in helping the organic gardener by attracting Lady Bugs, Green Lacewings and Aphid Middges (which help end any Aphid issues you may be having). Useful in many ways, Dill is a new friend with whom it is well worth becoming acquainted. So don’t listen to the Aphids and give Dill a try!

En route to a more flavorful life, the Homesteading Hen