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lynn_nevins

is dill tricky to grow?

Lynn Nevins
9 years ago

I'm quite good with plants as a whole and grow a number of herbs no problemo. But it seems with dill, it never thrives and in fact dies quite quickly. Obviously it's a very delicate plant just from the physical nature of it....delicate stalks...

Maybe the fact that I'm trying to grow it on a (windy) fourth floor balcony is the real issue? Maybe it just can't tolerate wind?

Tx!

Comments (8)

  • fatamorgana2121
    9 years ago

    It's the pots. Growing it in pots is tricky. Growing it in the ground is a slam dunk. It reseeds every year here in Western NY State. Make sure you use deep pots as it has a long tap root. You may have better luck if you do that. Also, transplanting? Not so good. Sow it and leave it in that container. It like parsley doesn't like to be transplanted much.

    FataMorgana

  • drmbear Cherry
    9 years ago

    There's a reason it is often known as dill WEED... Throw some seeds on dirt, keep watered, and you'll never be without it if you let it reseed (or collect the seeds).

  • floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
    9 years ago

    I have terrible trouble with dill. It either fails to germinate, gets eaten by snails and slugs or bolts as soon as a scrappy plant has formed. People say it's a cool weather plant - you'd think it would love my cool damp climate but I just can't get it to grow well. Parsley I can grow in great clumps - dill a few wispy stragglers if I'm lucky.

  • gardenper
    9 years ago

    Although it does tip over a lot due to lack of water, I have found dill to be pretty amazing in that it bounces right back after getting some water.

    In my admittedly limited gardening experiences, I had never seen a plant wilt that badly and yet return that easily just after being watered, so I was pretty amazed.

    At that time, it was because the plants were in pots, which would seem like it was moist and had water in the morning, so I didn't water it, then a few hours later or maybe in the evening, it looked totally bone dry. This, of course, made the plant respond by wilting quite dramatically.

    So I think you would either check your potting medium or water more frequently than you expected. And yes, if it does get kind of tall, then you may need to help support it against wind also.

  • chervil2
    9 years ago

    Fresh dill is a wonderful herb and you might want to keep trying to growing different sources of seed. You might do well with the dill variety 'Fernleaf'.

  • CA Kate z9
    9 years ago

    My dill was growing so nicely... then it got HOT. Gone, donebar, finished, kaput! So, how hot dies your balcony get?

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    There are different kinds of dills. The mammoth kind is easier to grow. I like the fern leaf kind for dip, with fish. Like Floral said it is really confusing: it is supposed to be a cool crop then it won't germinate and start easy and then it won't do well when it gets warm. I end up buying them from Asian markets. Yeah, slugs love it to.

  • lkzz
    9 years ago

    Needs sun, that I learned the hard way after planting it among my sunflowers last year.

    I find it hard to sprout but once it does it is good to go.
    I plant in a garden.

    Keep watered and in a sunny place.