Dill is a beautiful annual, which is edible as well as ornamental. The foliage, flowers, and dill seeds have a marvelous flavor while the upright plants, feathery foliage, and yellow flowers look great in flower borders or mixed gardens.
Description of dill: Dill has hollow, ridged, upright stems that reach to about 2 feet high and are topped with airy, umbrella-shaped clusters of tiny yellow flowers.
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How to grow dill: Plant seeds in full sun and well-drained, average to fertile soil, thinning seedlings to 8 to 12 inches apart. Dill grows quickly from a ferny sprout to a tall flowering specimen. Once it sets seed, the plant quickly deteriorates, a good reason for replanting every couple weeks through the early half of the growing season.
Propagating dill: Plant dill seeds directly in the garden from late spring through the middle of summer. Self-sown seeds may emerge from around old plants if the soil is not disturbed.
Uses for dill: Dill makes a wonderful upright accent plant in large container gardens or mixed flower beds. Or use it for color and flavor in a decorative vegetable and herb garden.
Dill related varieties: 'Bouquet' is a compact dwarf, less likely to tip over in the wind. Compact 'Fernleaf,' an award winner, is slower to flower and set seed and therefore provides a longer harvest of the aromatic leaves.
Scientific name for dill: Anethum graveolens
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