With its soft leaves and lovely smell, dill makes your meals tastier and your garden prettier!
However, if you are growing dill in the ground, you will spend most of your time controlling its growth because it spreads quickly and overtakes the garden.
Still, you can find some easy solutions to this issue. Additionally, you can always try growing herbs in pots. This way, you will keep your dill somewhat contained but still get to enjoy its aromatic leaves.
In this article, we are going to cover how to properly plant dill in the ground. So, stay tuned!
How To Plant & Grow Dill
If you are just starting your own herb garden, dill is an indispensable part of it. It’s important to find a perfect location for your dill – about a few square feet of space and borders that will prevent it spreading to other plants.
This border can be made out of either rocks or paving stones, this is totally up to you. Plant dill seeds in rows within that space and make sure to keep the rows 6 inches apart and seeds about 2 inches apart.
Germination will occur in about a week or two. After a few weeks, you’ll notice that your dill has grown about a foot tall. Now, it’s important to start thinning your dill in order to keep it under control.
When the plants are about 4 inches tall, begin to thin them out into a small group of the hardiest seedlings, then repeat the process when they are about 12 inches tall.
You might also consider growing some dill companion plants nearby, such as cucumbers, asparagus plants, onions, or Brassicas. Lavender, umbellifers, and nightshade plants should be planted away from the dill.
For more information, please check out this video:
Tips For Controlling Dill
If you don’t have much luck with thinning and your dill ends up spreading all over the place, it’s time to use a different approach. Try growing your dill in pots or containers instead.
This way, you will prevent spreading and you can also move it around. This is useful because dill attracts beneficial insects, so you can put it near plants that require pollinators.
When growing dill in containers, make sure that it has enough room. Since this plant naturally likes to spread out, it requires at least a foot of room for a few seeds to grow and flourish.
Instead of a little, circular container, opt for a larger pot and, if possible, a longer garden-style trough. This way, you can space out the dill seed adequately.
You can also try growing dill in a raised bed, just make sure to use high-quality soil and trim your dill regularly.
You will be able to harvest your dill about 90 days after planting its seeds. You should leave 6 to 9 inches of the ferns in place when harvesting – this will encourage new growth.
When growing dill, don’t forget to frequently prune it, especially if you are growing it in the ground. Make sure that it gets plenty of sunshine throughout the day. Water it when the soil gets dry, but avoid overwatering!