Dill Culture
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Donna
Posted on: August 4, 1998

I have a hard time growing dill. It starts out well, but then goes to seed heads and the bottom leaves get brown. I know most herbs don’t like much water, but does dill do better in a partly shady area? I have one plant that came up on it’s own under one of my perennials and it looks better than the ones in full sun.

Dill likes well-drained, moderately rich, loose soil. It does like full sun, but out in the blazing sun the soil tends to cake and dry out so quickly that plants are stressed by lack of water and go to seed quickly to assure the next generation and hopefully better conditions. Under the perennial the plant probably had a bit of a mulch of old leaves which conserved moisture, kept the soil open and allowed good root growth.

I would suggest that you mulch your plants and if seedheads are unwelcome, try a slow to bolt variety such as ‘Fernleaf’, ‘Hercules’or ‘Tetra Leaf’. All three varieties are available from Richters.

Back to Growing Herbs | Q & A Index

Copyright © 1997-2024 Otto Richter and Sons Limited. All rights reserved.