Growing Dill

Dill grows best in Spring and Fall and will not do well when the summer starts to heat up. About 85 degrees is the hottest it can stand before it shrivels up and dies or bolts to flower.

Dill should be grown in an area that gets afternoon shade and can be grown in a pot which can be moved to cooler areas as needed. It grows to about a foot or so tall and the flower stalks extend up to 3 feet tall. Dill seeds can be harvested from the flowers for many uses in cooking.

To harvest Dill, you can begin cutting as soon as the plant is about 6″ tall by removing the outer leaves and leaving the main stem intact for the new leaves to grow from. The leaves are tender and delicate so they must be used as soon as they are cut.

For cooking, chop the leaves and add to dips, cream sauces for fish (especially salmon) salad dressings, tuna and chicken salads, stuffed eggs, coleslaw, and pickles of course. Dill is exceptionally good with sour cream, yogurt, and cream cheese.