Rules for growing everyone's beloved king of spices Dill

Growing dill is one of the most popular gardening activities. And all because dill is consumed fresh, dried, added to pickles and marinades, and in winter, in the absence of greens, seeds can be used - they are no less useful and fragrant. It contains B vitamins (improves the condition of the skin and hair, helps fight insomnia), vitamin A (affects vision) and vitamin C. Seeds and essential oils are also used in medicine. Dill-based preparations regulate blood pressure, have a sedative and diuretic effect. Dentists advise chewing fresh twigs to prevent oral diseases.
Like all essential oil plants, dill contains a large amount of phytoncides, and therefore, when preserved, not only makes pickles more aromatic, but also prevents mold. The seeds are added to the tortilla and pizza dough. Greens are added to hot dishes for 1-2 minutes until cooked, so that it does not lose its beneficial properties and aroma.

Growing dill outdoors

When planting dill in the garden, they rarely pay much attention to it, sowing where it is necessary. Everything is correct, if you choose the place and neighbors correctly, then no problems should arise. What grew in this garden last summer? If there are cucumbers, cabbage or beets - feel free to plant! But dill will not grow if the predecessors were celery and carrots, as well as next to them. Of all the garden crops in one garden bed, it can only get along with cabbage (any: white cabbage, cauliflower, Savoyard, Brussels sprouts, etc.)
Due to the high content of essential oils, the seeds germinate for a long time. To speed up this process, they need to be soaked in warm water for several days (it will cool down, so change it several times a day) Fertilize the garden with humus and plant, in the future you will only have to weed and water (ideally, drip, well, there how it goes), without waterlogging the soil.

Possible problems when growing dill outdoors

Despite the simplicity of growing dill outdoors, greens can be troublesome in the event of pests or diseases. There are no personal gourmet pests that feed exclusively on dill. But the melon aphid, which usually affects pumpkin, zucchini and squash, loves it very much. You can try to wash off a small number of insects with soapy water, and in case of an invasion, you can prepare odorous infusions from tomato or potato tops, wormwood or garlic. The rest of the pests that may appear on dill begin with the word "carrot": fly, umbrella moth, aphid... We fight them, as well as with carrot pests, with the help of soapy water, ash and tobacco dust. And we conclude: the key to healthy dill is to grow as far as possible from carrots!

Most diseases are transmitted with contaminated seeds or with excessive moisture. You should beware of powdery mildew (the remains of last year's weeds or tops become a breeding ground for infection). Light spots appear on the leaves, aroma and taste are lost. With fusarium, the leaves turn brown, turn yellow and then dry up, with cercospora, dark brown spots appear, with verticillary wilting, it turns yellow and literally withers, due to the loss of the ability to absorb moisture. Since greens cannot be treated with chemicals, it is worth focusing on prevention. First, disinfect the planting material with a solution of potassium permanganate: place a bag of seeds in a solution for 20 minutes, and then rinse it in cold boiled water, thus destroying fungal spores. Do not plant too thickly and weed in time, so the plants will get more sun and will be well blown by the wind. In the spring, when growing dill outdoors, fertilize the soil with potassium and phosphorus - this will also help prevent diseases. As you can see, nothing complicated, following these simple recommendations, you will get an excellent harvest of healthy and aromatic dill.