Dill Plant Diseases - Tips For Treating Issues With Dill

Treating Issues with Dill

Planting disease resistant seeds, when possible.
Keeping the garden free of plant detritus and weeds that act as havens for disease and insects that transmit them.
Treating insect infestations.
Rotating crops.
Planting dill in well-draining soil.

Should I fertilize Dill?

Dill grows best in a well drained, slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter. As with most herbs, dill does not require frequent fertilizing. A light feeding of a 5-10-5 fertilizer applied once in late spring should be enough. Use it at the rate of three ounces per ten feet of row.

How do you revive dill?

Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Remove any bruised or blackened leaves, and then submerge the wilted herbs, stems and all, into the ice bath. The cold water will shock the herbs back to life. Depending on the herb and just how wilted it is, this could take as little as 15 minutes to as long as an hour.

What's wrong with my dill plant?

Primary among the pests of dill are aphids. Their sucking feeding activity causes the plant to lose sap and the leaves will stunt and yellow. You may actually see the insects, but their presence is also easily recognized by the honeydew they leave behind.

Why is my dill drooping?

Sunlight and Water

Once the seeds start growing, dill thrives in somewhat dry soil. Wet soil encourages powdery mildew, which causes a white growth or drooping. Excessive water also dilutes the volatile oils in dill, reducing its flavor and aroma.

How often should you water dill?

Water it at least once a week and give it a light feeding of fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season. Growing single plants in pots will mean you will likely need a bit of support for your dill though the dwarf type usually grows to less than 2 feet tall.

How do you know if Dill has gone bad?

How to tell if dill is bad or spoiled? Dill that is spoiling will typically become soft and discolored; discard any dill that has an off smell or appearance.

Does Dill need sun or shade?

Plant dill in full sun and protect it from strong gusts of wind. The plant can survive temperatures down to 25°F.

How long does Dill last?

Storing Fresh Dill

Store the dill in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. It should last up to a week and perhaps even longer. Fresh dill sprigs can be frozen for up to two months, but be prepared for it to darken a bit in color. No need to thaw it before using.

How do you keep dill from growing all summer?

Water the plants freely during the growing season, ensuring that they don't dry out excessively. In order to ensure a season-long fresh supply of dill, continue sowing seeds every few weeks. For an extended harvest, do not allow flowers to grow on the plants.

How do you keep dill from bolting?

In order to prevent the flower head for a time and encourage more leaves, you must literally nip it in the bud. This means pinching when you first see the beginnings of the small buds. Pinching can enforce a larger, bushier, more compact plant and prevent it from starting to die back.

Does Dill die after flowering?

Once dill flowers, leaf growth slows as the plant puts energy toward producing seeds. Dill leaves do taste best right when the plants are starting to flower, but once the flowers mature, the plants will start dying back. When dill produces a flower, harvest the plant.

Can you overwater dill?

Dill does not like to be transplanted, so it is best to direct sow in the spring once all danger of frost has passed. Once the plants have emerged (7-21 days later), thin to 12 to 15 inches (31-38 cm.) between plants. Thereafter, promote a bushy habit by regularly pruning the plants back and take care not to overwater.

Can I transplant dill?

Dill produces a long taproot that can suffer damage during transplanting. It's usually direct seeded in the garden to minimize damage, but it's possible to transplant potted dill successfully. ... Dill can tolerate light frost, but transplants are usually planted after the spring frost danger is past.

How do you care for a dill plant?

Dill needs a position in full sun. It grows best in a fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Dig in plenty of organic matter – such as garden compost, well-rotted manure or other soil improver – especially in very well-drained sandy soils to hold moisture.

Why is my dill turning white?

Powdery Mildew: This is a fungus disease that causes a white powdery look on the foliage. This disease weakens plants as it inhibits their ability to make carbohydrates for themselves using sunlight.

What does dill look like when it starts to grow?

Type of plant: Dill is a biennial herb often grown as an annual. Hardiness: Dill tolerates cold and heat. Plant form and size: Dill is a bushy plant with feathery foliage that grows 2 to 4 feet tall and half as wide; each plant grows a single hollow stem with umbrella-shaped flower heads.

Is Dill difficult to grow?

Dill is one of the few herbs that, while not difficult to grow, is a bit more challenging to sustain, as it requires flower removal and repeated sowing. ... Sow dill every two to three weeks until early summer for a continuous crop of leaves throughout the growing season.

What does dill do for your health?

Dill is packed with flavonoids, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. But that's not the only reason dill is thought to improve heart health. Research on animals shows that dill can also reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

Should I wash fresh dill?

Don't wash your dill until you are ready to use it.

Dill is an especially delicate herb due to the fact that it has fronds rather than leaves. The fronds are soft little tendrils that break and bruise very easily. Proper washing will place stress on them and bruising will speed up the rate at which the herb goes bad.

What can I use instead of fresh dill?

Use one teaspoon of dried tarragon for every tablespoon of fresh dill called for in a recipe. Tarragon works well as a substitute for dill in seafood dishes and in salad dressings. If dill weed is being used as a garnish for a dish, use fennel fronds instead. They look very similar.