1. Through the ages
Ancient Romans considered dill weed a good luck symbol and ancient Egyptians used it to ward off witches. Many cultures cultivated it for its medicinal qualities, particularly its ability to calm a queasy stomach.
2. In the kitchen
Dill is also a classic taste of summer. It’s used in everything from pickles to tzatziki, and brightens the flavor of fish, eggs and vegetables. It can also be used instead of basil to create a tasty pesto.
3. Time and place
The time to plant it in southern Louisiana is from October to February. But luckily, dill is an excellent herb to grow in a container and could be grown on a cool porch or in a sunny corner of your kitchen. It has a long tap root so it needs to be planted in a deep pot. Plant in loamy soil as it likes free draining, loose, moderately fertile soil and keep misted.
4. Keep it coming
The seeds should sprout within two weeks. Then continue planting every couple of weeks until mid summer to ensure a constant dill supply.
5. Future planning
If you have dill from spring in your garden, it’s easy to create a permanent patch of dill, just allow some of the plants to go to seed — you’ll have plenty of early dill next spring.
