The breeders who developed bush dill argued that in order to provide a family with aromatic herbs, you need to plant only 20 seeds of this crop. Having heard about the valuable characteristics of dill, many gardeners began to grow it. However, everyone failed. The stems were short and there were few leaves.
None of the plot owners paid attention to the peculiarities of agricultural technology. Bush dill seeds are rich in essential oils, so they do not germinate for a long time. Grass does not gain mass if planted densely.The greenery is completely cut off when the flowers appear.
Features of culture
Bush dill grows up to 1.5 meters in height in the garden, and up to 3 meters in the greenhouse, and has an original shape. Low internodes are located closer than in ordinary varieties. Additional lateral shoots are formed in the leaf axils. Peduncles form closer to autumn, and the seeds in the middle zone do not have time to ripen.
Bush dill needs a lot of light, fertile, loose soil; in lowlands and dense soil it does not develop well. Culture growth slows down at high temperatures, the optimal indicator is 20 degrees. From 100 to 200 grams of greenery are cut from one plant. Regular dill is harvested when the spice is young and fresh, and there are few essential oils in it. Bush varieties have time to accumulate these substances. The leaves are 45 cm long, partially torn off, when the plant blooms, everything is removed. They are more aromatic and contain a high percentage of useful components.
Varieties of bush dill
It’s hard to imagine a table without herbs. In addition to its pleasant smell, it is valued for the presence of vitamins B, A. E, RR, C.
The leaves and stems of the plant are rich in:
- calcium and potassium;
- phosphorus and copper;
- magnesium and iron;
- zinc and manganese.
The first variety of bush dill, bred at the end of the last century, produced a lot of greenery; additional shoots formed in the axils of the main leaves of Kibray. Then Buyan and Salyut appeared.
In addition to the high yield, which is an advantage of these varieties, there were also disadvantages:
- The roots were often affected by rot.
- The bush had an unfortunate shape.
- Thin stems broke when touched.
Over time, breeders took into account the shortcomings and bred Bouquet, Amazon, Fireworks, and Alligator.
The early ripening variety Aurora is cut for greens a month after the sprouts appear. The spreading bushes produce many leaves and are harvested several times per season.
Amazon dill ripens after 40 days. Over 6 kg are collected from a square meter of bed for preparing spices, and about 4 kg for greens. The variety has large leaves.
Fireworks produces up to 4 stems from each node. The harvest is harvested one and a half months after the first shoots appear. This type of dill has a sweetish aroma.
The Buyan variety has a long growth period and grows a large mass of greenery. The seeds are planted at a decent distance, the bushes are thinned out.
Dill Bouquet has delicate and large leaves, the inflorescences are formed slowly, the stem height is about 80 cm. The aromatic spice is cut off after 30–40 days.
Late-ripening Salute is valued for its excellent yield, but has a drawback - the seeds not only do not ripen, but are not formed.
Growing in open ground
Before how to plant bush dill in the garden, you need to study the features of agricultural technology, select a variety, cultivation method and find a suitable place on the site.
The crop can be sown directly into the ground and done in the spring or towards the end of autumn. She is not afraid of frosts down to minus 6.
To speed up the appearance of fresh greens, seedlings are first prepared, which are then transplanted into the garden bed.
Preparing the seeds
Bush dill blooms in late summer. In the middle zone, the grains do not ripen and do not sprout. It will not be difficult to buy them at a retail outlet or grow the crop in seedlings. Essential oils prevent the rapid appearance of sprouts. At low temperatures, seedlings are delayed for two weeks.
Experienced gardeners are advised to soak the seeds for a day in warm water, which must be constantly changed so that it does not cool down. Before planting, the pickled grains must be dried and spread on a cloth, then the sprouts will hatch in 2 or 3 days.
Preparing the ground
All varieties of bush dill love fertile soil and do not tolerate stagnant moisture or high levels of acidity. Feeding with organic and mineral substances helps improve the structure of the soil. Per square meter of plot contribute:
- urea - 20 g;
- superphosphate - 30;
- humus - 2 kg.
Thanks to such fertilizers, the layer of fertile soil will increase, which serves as the necessary conditions for the growth and development of bush dill. The roots of the culture go deep into the earth.
Sow the seeds
In April and early May, the beds are prepared and the soil is watered abundantly. After this, grooves are made, leaving 20 centimeters between them. Seeds are sown every 3 cm. It is necessary to pour a thin layer of peat on top and compact the soil a little. Sprouts will emerge faster when the bed is covered with film.
If you plant the crop more densely, additional leaves will not form; instead of the bush variety, ordinary dill will grow.
Plant care
Saplings are thinned out several times, leaving 5 cm between them at first, and 20 at the end. Like other types of herbs, the crop needs care, which includes;
- weeding;
- weed removal;
- hydration.
Water the bush dill once a week; no more than 5 liters of water are needed per square meter. The plant is planted in fertilized soil, so there is no need to feed it. When there is an excess of nitrogen in the soil, nitrates accumulate in the leaves and stems of the crop. They turn yellow due to a lack of this substance. Several times a season you can add urea (a spoon to a bucket of water) under the roots.Weed control is carried out until at least 3 leaves are formed on the stem.
Growing through seedlings
In the middle zone, bush dill is sown starting in April. To cut greens faster, you need to use a different growing method. About a month before moving to open ground, soil is poured into wooden boxes, grooves are made in it every 2 cm, where the seeds are sown. They are sprinkled with earth on top, watered, and covered with film. When 5 leaves appear, the seedlings are sent to the garden bed.
Growing bush dill at home
Even if you don’t have a dacha or suburban area, you can always have greenery on hand. To do this, several varieties of dill with different ripening periods are sown in a pot or container. The container is placed on the windowsill, and in the summer months - on the balcony.
The sun's rays should fall on the plant for at least 6 hours; in poor lighting, install a fluorescent lamp; in winter it works all day.
Subject to optimal air temperature and humidity, the correct choice of seeds and soil in a house or apartment, it grows bushy dill. Every day the family will be able to eat aromatic greens, rich in vitamins and microelements.
Harvesting
Bush varieties are more often grown in a greenhouse than in open ground. If it's summer, cool dill will not be thick. When the weather is favorable, side shoots form in the leaf axils, and the crop yield increases significantly. The plant blooms towards the end of summer, which allows you to cut juicy and fresh spices all season long.
