I have bought dill plants for about 5 years now and have NEVER had one last more than a week or so. Regardless of where I buy them and how healthy they look, once I get them home they're destined for the herb graveyard. Once again, I bought a great looking dill plant about 10" tall on Tuesday, and it's now very sickly looking. This plant is not even in the ground yet. I left it in it's pot because it's a quart size pot and plenty large enough right now. The dill has fallen over and looks wilted (just like they always do). I've watered it lightly every day (3 days) and it's in mottled shade under a tree. What's the deal with my dill?
Can't grow dill - HELP!
That's weird about your dill. It might hate being in any sort of pot. Try direct sowing dill seed into your garden. Give it plenty of sun and moderate water. If you let a few plants go to seed, dill usually will self sow and you will have volunteers next year.
Dill really isn't difficult to grow from seed.I have never bought the plants.Have grown it for years from seed.I have started it indoors and transplanted it out.Like,Herbal Betty,I have better luck with direct sow.Give up buying the plants and give seed a try.It grows pretty quick.For the price of a plant,you could buy several varieties of dill seed.There has to be a type that would make you successful.Edge
I don't know whether it hates being in a pot, or just hates ME! lol I'll try the seed and see if I have any better luck. I am way down South in Texas where it's hotter than blazes about 8 months of the year, so anything that's going to live here, especially in July & August has to be drought and heat tolerant.
aswan, I'm farther north than you are but the sun here is way too brutal in summer to keep dill growing. Scatter some seeds in October or so, and you'll get dill early the next year. Mine volunteers (I'm BAD about pulling it up before it flowers) and it's almost fully flowered right now. It's coming up everywhere, but I doubt it will last more than a couple of months.
So down here you have to grow your dill and dry it before you even plant your cukes if you plan to make pickles!
I thought dill was a winter herb?
Maybe I am wrong. My fennel is going wild. I don't like fennel to cook, but butterflies lay eggs on it,
Anybody know which is the one which is supposed to be smaller and NOT go to seed so quickly, Fernleaf or Bouquet? I was at HD today and a package of Bouquet jumped into my hand! Bouquets are pretty, right? It is WAY too tall and I don't have space to let it go to seed.
haha...I like that...."jumped into my hand" Roflol.....yeah seed packets "jump" in my hand everytime I go near a seed rack.
carrie--I think Fernleaf but not absolutely sure
lol then I'm out of luck - I bought bouquet; it sounded small!
ponies - I've had entire plants jump into my cart! I'm lucky I got away with just a couple full price packages of seeds and some lily bulbs, for heaven's sake.
carrie, yup, I go to Lowe's and hit their 1/2 price rack. those poor little plants are just looking at you all sad, and you know you have to take them home, feed them and fatten em up!!
LOL yup.
dill is a winter growing herb here--sow it in early September (or use transplants). It will grow over the winter and bolt to seed the following May.
Debbie
Mine is flowering now.
i just planted my dill seeds today--the package said not to cover much since they need the sunlight to sprout so i just tossed them on the soil in a few different places and will see what happens--didn't know it is a winter herb in texas -will know better next time i guess
I have three varieties growing sown from seed. I wintersowed Grandma Eincke's dill in early Feb (from Seedsavers exchange) and it germinated a few weeks ago and is slowly getting its true leaves -- seems quite sturdy tho not more than about half the seeds germinated.
I then also sowed some Dukat and Fernleaf inside in little pots (in early April) that sat in the window to germinate. They are quite leggy even though I have been putting them out in the sun every day that it is warm enough....... the Fernleaf is just barely beginning to get true leaves.
And that's all I know! LOL! All three varieties are supposed to be longer to flower than others, especially the Dukat, according to the seed packets. The Grandma Eincke's is supposed to get very tall, but it sure has a ways to go!
planolinda, they'll probably grow if it doesn't get too hot too quick. Just let them go to seed if they're where you want them and, next year, watch out! Or of course you can harvest the seeds and plant them elsewhere. I love having dill sprout up here and there; when it comes up where it really shouldn't I just pull it, but it's so pretty. Mine is in full flower now.
well i have a big plant that i didn't know what it was and am thinking it might be dill-- i need to look at a picture--the top looks like what i think of dill being but i think other plants might be similar--
thanks for your encourment!
break a piece off and smell it. you'll know right away if that's what you have. here's a closeup of the flower
thanks--no i do not have dill growing!! something else ---a mystery plant--i think an herb
Fennel? Also feathery foliage but smells more like licorice when crushed.
does it smell like licorice or pickles?