Dill or dill weed?

Hi!! Everybody!!

I planted my mustard greens today. I also ordered seeds from Amazon.com...organic dill weed seeds. I started thinking after I purchased the dill weeds. Are dill weed and dill the same thing?

Thanks for your help.

Chuck

Chuck, my understanding of the semantics of "dill" vs "dill weed" is that if you like the taste of dill, you don't accuse it of being a weed. If you don't, you do.
:-)

Amen. Plus, in cooking (and medicine) there are different uses for the flowers, seeds, and weed -- if something calls for dill weed, it means the foliage part (can you call it leaves?).

Thanks, Garden Mermaid and Brigidlily,

All I know is I have already received my seeds in the mail and they smell like a big thick juicy veggie burger(I am a vegetarian)!! I can hardly wait to plant them next Spring.

Thanks again,

Chuck

I've usually seen the dill leaves in recipes called "fronds" or just "fresh dill" and when the seeds are needed, the recipe calls for dill seed.

Very true, g_m. That's the norm.

I do love the smell.

And I have a question -- should I sow some of the seed in the garden now, and hold some back for spring? Or should I just wait until spring? I'm almost afraid to plant anything because I want the garden to be so perfect! Nothing will teach you patience like gardening!

Dear Brigidlily,

I am interested in finding this out also. I have already planted mustard greens so why not dill?

Thanks,

Chuck

Any reason you can't plant some now, and then more later? Then you'd know.
Only mother nature can create a perfect garden. We're just here to help her. As long as we're in mortal bodies, we're going to screw up!

Thanks, garden mermaid!! I have a question about the mustard greens I planted Wednesday. Tonight (Sat nite) I found about twenty of the seeds opening up. Did I plant the seeds too shallow or is it just good seed? The seed package said to look for the germinating seeds in 10 days(next Friday). I don' t know if I am just lucky or if I goofed up.

Thanks again,

Chuck

Only time will tell if you planted the seeds too shallowly. If they grow up into healthy plants, you did a perfect job. I've had seeds germinate both faster and slower than the # of days on the seed packet. I think the seed packet info is just a general guideline, based on the climate of the seed grower.

I've usually found mustards to be fast germinating. Perhaps the seeds sensed your concern for their welfare and were in a hurry to greet you?

Yes, on mother nature can do it -- I just want her to do it in my back yard! NOW! (Sound of me ducking to avoid a lightening bolt...)

I have one bean on the bean plants (and by heaven if it's the only bean I get, I WILL harvest it and cook it and serve it for supper!), four more squash (I've already eaten 2), and the broccoli is just leaves so far. The spinach isn't showing at all, nor are the coneflowers. It will happen, though. I think I will go ahead and sprinkle a few dill seeds out there. Worst that could happen is I lose a few dill seeds.

Dill reseeds itself here in west KY. I always let a head go to seed for the next year. The seeds will go through winter and sprout in spring...if you live in a warmer zone,they'll probably grow right now. They'll get a bit spindly, but you can plant some in pots to harvest on your windowsil too. I haven't crumbled my dill head in the garden yet...I will in a couple of weeks...we're still in the mid 80's....so whatever hits the ground sprouts right now.

I think I'll give it a shot. I did try to grow some in a pot and it waved bye-bye at about 8" tall, as I recall. I think it will do a lot better sown right in the ground. And my old ex MIL grew it down here.

I think I am going to wait until spring for my dill but I have over 100 seedlings of mustard that have come up in a ten foot row. I can hardly wait until I can safely thin them out. The dill brings back memories of my grandma and grandpa's dairy. They always planted a 2 acre vegetable garden but every time I asked for seeds there were always some for me when I was growing up even though I lived 2500 miles away. Dill was one of the kinds of seeds that they gave me. All I know is that it sure smells good.

Has anyone been on the Butterfly/Hummingbird forum lately? We are considering starting a seed and plant exchange for butterfly host plants (as well as nectar plants for butterflies also). If anyone is interested, check the messages out.

Thanks again,

Chuck

I have some dill in a clay pot that I have been growing all summer. It has really done well and I have used it in a few recipes.

Good for you, katym!! I would like to plant the dill next spring (both directly in the soil and container). What kind of container did you use? Was it a clay pot like a strawberry pot (one big pot with several openings) or was it a normal clay pot? I am thinking about trying container gardening with the dill. I usually kill houseplants but lately outside I have been having pretty good luck with the container plants. Do you have any advice on your dill?

Thanks a lot,

Chuck

My dill died in a pot, though of course that could have been just my luck. I've heard they're better sown directly in the ground, and that is what my late beloved MIL did, and hers grew very well. I just threw a few in the ground, and will put some more in the same spot come spring.

And by the way, I picked up a container of dill seed at a farm in Missouri this past week -- they labelled the seed "dill seed" and the plant "dill weed." Just FYI.