HR1024A - Ella Dill Organic
Ella Organic dill seeds are CERTIFIED ORGANIC! Finally, a dill variety for the patio herb garden! Ella is a dwarf dill bred for container and hydroponic growing. She has short leaf internodes, so she stays compact and bushy at 25-36cm (10-14"), but with all the great fragrance and flavour of a giant garden dill.
The structure of dill's flowers is known as an umbel, so dill is considered an umbelliferous plant. Other umbellifers include carrots, cilantro, fennel, parsnips, and Ammi. All of these plants are attractive to predatory insects such as lady beetles, Syrphid flies (hover-flies), lacewings, and tiny parasitoid wasps. Organic gardeners take advantage of this natural food chain by growing dill precisely to attract these beneficial insects, for they will control pest insects like aphids, thrips, whitefly, and the caterpillar of the Small White Butterfly (cabbage moth).
- Dwarf variety bred for container and hydroponic growing
- Flavour of a giant garden dill
- Stays compact and bushy
- Great fragrance
- Certified Organic
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How To Grow
Dill grows tall and produces lots of aromatic leaves. The umbels of yellow flowers attract numerous beneficial insects to the garden. Follow the How to Grow Dill seeds guide below and get pickling.
Latin
Anethum graveolens
Family: Apiaceae
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: 2-12
Timing
Direct sow May to August, or sow in June, when cucumbers are transplanted, to coincide maturity for pickling. Dill tends to bolt if transplanted, so it is best direct sown. Stagger your harvest by sowing every 2-3 weeks for a constant supply of fresh leaves. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 15-21°C (60-70°F). Seeds should germinate in 10-21 days.
Starting
Dill seeds need some light to germinate. Sow seeds no more than 5mm (¼”) deep in rows 45cm (18″) apart. Thin the plants to stand at least 15cm (6″) apart.
Growing
Ideal pH: 5.0-7.0. Grow in moderately rich soil in full sun. Water and feed regularly, and stop any overhead watering once plants are 60cm (24″) tall to prevent issues with mildew forming on the leaves.
Harvest
Begin harvesting the tasty leaves once plants reach 15cm (6″) tall. About 12 weeks after sprouting the seed heads begin to form. When the first seeds have turned brown, cut the whole head and hang it upside down for the drying seeds to fall out into trays or paper bags. Dill leaf loses most of its flavour when dried, so freeze it in ice cube trays filled with water for use all winter.
Seed Info
Usual seed life: 3 years.
Companion Planting
Dill improves the health of cabbages and other Brassicas, and is a very good companion for corn, cucumbers, lettuce, and onions. Dill attracts ladybugs, lacewings, and the parisitoid wasps that feed on garden caterpillars. At the same time it repels aphids and spider mites. Avoid planting near carrots and tomatoes.