Among the variety of greens, dill occupies one of the main positions in the list of herbs. The plant is used to add new taste and decorate dishes. To get a stable harvest of greens, it is important to know how to properly plant dill and care for the crop. If you follow the rules growing dill will have a number of beneficial properties and pleasant taste characteristics.
Necessary conditions for growing dill
Dill is an unpretentious plant and requires minimal growing conditions. Including:
- It is better to plant the plant in a sunny area, since germination will be fast only in bright light.
- Greens should be sown on land where fertilizers such as dolomite flour and lime have not previously been used.
- When growing a plant using the continuous method in a greenhouse or in open beds, it is enough to scatter the seeds all over the ground and treat the surface with a rake to seal it, then start the sprayers or independently water it abundantly.
- Plants planted close to dill can block access to light and disrupt the root system.
- When diseases and pests occur, only agrotechnical and mechanical control methods should be used. A key role in eliminating dangerous third-party factors is played by proper rotation of crops during planting.
- Growing dill is possible between other crops.
The time when the first shoots appear after planting in the spring directly depends on atmospheric conditions and the correct preparation of the seeds. Under favorable circumstances, seedlings begin to germinate a week after sowing.
Planting dates in different regions
Due to the ability of dill to tolerate ambient temperatures down to -4 degrees, it is better to plant the seeds in mid-spring, after the snow has melted. Seed growth is possible at temperatures above 3 degrees, and optimal conditions are considered to be 15–20 degrees Celsius. When grown in central Russia, it is recommended to plant dill at the end of April, when the risk of late frosts is low.
In the northern regions, winter sowing in open soil is allowed.To do this, the ground is prepared for planting 2 weeks before frost, and during the first frost, seeds are added for wintering. This method makes it possible to get an early harvest of dill.
Seed preparation
Seeds that have overwintered in open soil germinate more actively than those planted in the spring. The presence of essential oils in the composition slows down growth, therefore, before starting sowing, you need to properly prepare the seeds. To disinfect and accelerate the appearance of sprouts, the seeds are wrapped in gauze and soaked in water for 3 days. The initial water temperature should be about 50 degrees. To make sprouts appear faster, the soaking water should be changed several times a day.
After water treatment, the seeds should be allowed to dry by placing them on gauze bags and sprinkling with steamed sawdust. Before direct sowing, it is recommended to additionally dry the seeds in fresh air for half an hour.
The optimal place for planting in open ground
Like many varieties of greens, dill is best grown in open ground. Since the crop needs light to grow well, it is better to choose a sunny area. Southern territories are ideal.
When choosing the optimal place for sowing, it is also important to take into account the temperature, which should be above 15 degrees during the period of active growth. However, constant exposure to ultraviolet rays can lead to dry soil, which will require regular watering.
Preferences in choosing a neighborhood
Dill does not require spatial isolation from other plants, so it is allowed to grow greens in close proximity to tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and other vegetable crops.It is not recommended to plant the plant in beds where celery was harvested in the previous season.
In order not to create unfavorable conditions for neighboring crops, space should be left between the seedlings. Greens should not be located near the stems of vegetables, as otherwise they will take away excess amounts of nutritional components and moisture.
How to choose a place for planting and prepare a bed?
One of the important factors influencing the yield of dill is the correctly chosen planting location. When selecting terrain for garden beds, you should avoid dark areas and areas near tall bushes. You should also avoid areas with waterlogged soil.
Having decided on a place for growing, it is necessary to prepare the soil for sowing. In the autumn, the soil should first be dug up and treated with fertilizers. One square of land will require half a bucket of humus. Mullein or bird droppings are also suitable as feeding. To ensure free passage of oxygen and water to the seedlings, all beds must be thoroughly loosened in mid-spring before planting. 1-2 days before sowing, it remains to water the soil to shrink it.
What kind of soil does dill like?
For growing large and fragrant greens, neutral soil or low acidity soil is best. The soil should be loosened and contain a number of useful microelements. Before sowing, it is not necessary to treat the soil with fresh manure or compost, but the presence of humus in the soil can speed up the ripening process. If the predecessors of dill were cucumbers, cabbage or similar crops, then after them the soil will be saturated with organic matter.
During growth, greens accumulate nitrates, so the soil should not be fertilized with mineral fertilizers. Nitrogen solutions are also completely excluded. To ensure uniform growth, the soil should be moderately moist. Excess moisture or severe drought should not be allowed. Another soil preference is low pest counts during previous plantings.
Planting a crop
Before sowing dill, prepare holes about 2 cm deep. The row spacing should be 15–20 cm. Furrows can be made along or across the beds. For sowing dill, a thickened planting scheme is suitable, in which 1 g of seeds will be required per 1 square of land, and when sowing in autumn - 2 g.
Before planting the seeds in the holes, you need to water the soil with water. After sowing, the furrows are filled with earth.
Immediately after planting, no watering is required, since the dry soil acts as mulch and allows water to be retained for a long time. Dill can be sown in small batches every 2 weeks to always have fresh herbs available.
The next year after growing dill, it is recommended to plant eggplants, lettuce, garlic, tomatoes, cucumbers or crops with similar characteristics in the same beds. The soil after greening will contain a minimal amount of pathogenic spores, which will have a positive effect on the quality and quantity of the subsequent harvest.
