Dill

COMMON: Dill

BOTANICAL: Anethum graveolens

Click on the pic for a close up.

PRONOUNCED: uh-NEE-thum grav-ee-OH-lens

HEIGHT LIGHT ZONE

3 ft. - 5 ft. x equal spread Full sun 7 - 10

BLOOMS COLOR

June - July Yellow-green

Soil: Rich, well drained soil.

Description: Hardy Annual. An aromatic, feathery herb with smooth, ribbed stems and a slightly bluish cast, especially when seen at a distance. The flowers are small and numerous. It is a member of the parsley family.

In The Garden: Dill is tall enough to be set in the middle or back of the beds, but is attractive enough to be set forward. Parsley worms, the striped caterpillars that become black swallowtail butterflies, love dill. Transfer them gently to a wild Queen Anne's lace plant.
Cultivation/propagation: Sow seed shallowly outdoors in early spring after danger of frost, and thin to 18-inches apart. It does not transplant well. Keep the seedlings moist and weed diligently.

Harvesting: Clip fresh leaves at the stem as needed. Freeze whole leaves, or chop fresh, or dry foliage on nonmetallic screens. Collect flower heads before the seeds mature and hang in paper bags or dry on paper. Store dried foliage and seeds in an airtight container. Fresh leaves can be refrigerated for 1 week. Dried dill leaves are sold as Dill Weed.

Culinary Uses: Dill is best known in the United States as a pickling spice, especially for dill pickles.
The seed can also be sprouted and used in breads, soups and salad dressings. The fresh seeds and leaves also flavor soups, sauces, egg dishes, dips, carrots, cucumbers, potato salad, breads and pastries.
The leaves lose their flavor if the are cooked for any length of time and so are best used raw or added to cooked dishes only a few minutes before the cooking is complete.
In northern Europe it is added to sauerkraut.
The seeds were once roasted and made into a beverage. The taste closely resembles caraway.

Medicinal and Folklore: It is native to the Mediterranean area and southern Russia.
The name dill comes from the Norse dilla meaning "to lull." It was once used to induce sleep. In American history, dill and fennel seed were known as "meetin' seed" because they were given to children to eat during long Sunday sermons.
Dill seeds are a common and very effective household remedy for a wide range of digestive problems. An infusion is especially effective in treating flatulence in young children.
The seed is aromatic, mildly diuretic, stimulant and stomachic. It is also used in the form of an extracted essential oil.
Used in an infusion, or eating the seed whole, the essential oil in the seed relieves intestinal spasms and griping, helping to settle colic. Chewing the seed improves bad breath.
Dill is also a useful addition to cough, cold and flu remedies, it can be used with antispasmodics such as Viburnum opulus to relieve period pains.
It is used in perfuming soaps, medicines and as a food flavoring.


Harvesting: Clip fresh leaves at the stem as needed. Freeze whole leaves, or chop fresh, or dry foliage on nonmetallic screens. Collect flower heads before the seeds mature and hang in paper bags or dry on paper. Store dried foliage and seeds in an airtight container. Fresh leaves can be refrigerated for 1 week. Dried dill leaves are sold as Dill Weed.
Culinary Uses: Dill is best known in the United States as a pickling spice, especially for dill pickles. The seed can also be sprouted and used in breads, soups and salad dressings. The fresh seeds and leaves also flavor soups, sauces, egg dishes, dips, carrots, cucumbers, potato salad, breads and pastries. The leaves lose their flavor if the are cooked for any length of time and so are best used raw or added to cooked dishes only a few minutes before the cooking is complete. In northern Europe it is added to sauerkraut. The seeds were once roasted and made into a beverage. The taste closely resembles caraway.
Medicinal and Folklore: It is native to the Mediterranean area and southern Russia. The name dill comes from the Norse dilla meaning "to lull." It was once used to induce sleep. In American history, dill and fennel seed were known as "meetin' seed" because they were given to children to eat during long Sunday sermons. Dill seeds are a common and very effective household remedy for a wide range of digestive problems. An infusion is especially effective in treating flatulence in young children. The seed is aromatic, mildly diuretic, stimulant and stomachic. It is also used in the form of an extracted essential oil. Used in an infusion, or eating the seed whole, the essential oil in the seed relieves intestinal spasms and griping, helping to settle colic. Chewing the seed improves bad breath. Dill is also a useful addition to cough, cold and flu remedies, it can be used with antispasmodics such as Viburnum opulus to relieve period pains. It is used in perfuming soaps, medicines and as a food flavoring.