2. History of dill:-
The earliest known record of dill as a
medicinal herb was found in Egypt 5,000
years ago, when the plant was referred to as
a “soothing medicine.” (8) Around 3,000
B.C.E. the Babylonians were known to have
grown dill in their gardens (4). Dill was also a
widely used and familiar plant in the Greek
culture.
3. *Botany:*
Dill is an erect, freely branching annual herb with finely dissected,
lacy, blue-green leaves. Dill is used in cooking in India as soya. The
leaves are about 1 ft long and divided pinnately three or four times
into threadlike segments each about 1 in long. The dill plant grows
about 3-5 ft tall. Occasionally it becomes top-heavy and falls down.
The flowers are yellow and borne in large, rounded, compound
umbels, like all carrot family flowers. The umbels are borne on stiff,
hollow stems. The whole inflorescence can be 25 cm across. The fruit
is a flattened pod about 3 mm long. All parts of the dill plant are
strongly aromatic.
4. Production tachnalogy
Planting depth: Direct sow seed in shallow trenches ¼ deep
and 3 inches apart. You can also simply press seeds into the
soil with no cover; light will help seeds germinate. Once
seedlings grow to about 6 inches tall, thin successful
seedlings from 8 to 12 inches apart. Thinnings are
edible.Spacing: Space dill plants 10 to 12 inches apart. Space
rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Dill is often grown in clumps, not
rows.
5. *Soil:*
Choose a planting site with well-draining soil that’s
rich in organic matter. The pH of the soil should
ideally be between slightly acidic and neutral (6.5–
7.0).
6.
7. Propagation
Dill can be sown from mid-spring to mid-
summer. It dislikes having its roots disturbed
or being transplanted, so sow it where it is to
grow, either in large pots or in the ground.
Choose a warm, sunny site with fertile soil.
Sow the seeds thinly in 1cm (½in) deep drills
and cover lightly with soil.
8. Fertilizer requirement
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.
9. Irrigation
Pour water at the base of the plant if you are
growing dill in containers. Use a soaker hose
or drip irrigation system if you plant dill in
your garden. Water until the top 6 inches (15
cm) of soil is moist. This should be done once
per week.
10. Yield
Yields of dill are estimated at about 5,000 lb
fresh weight/acre. Dry weight is reported at
from 1,000 to 3,000 lb/acre. When bunching
for fresh market, cut or pull stalks and bunch
after the majority of seeds have formed but
are still green.
11. HARVESTING
As soon as the plant has four to five leaves,
you can start harvesting. Harvest older leaves
first. Pinch off the leaves or cut them off
with scissors.If you have a lot of plants, you
can take entire stalks.
13. Medicinal uses..
Dill is a medicinal herb that has been used for
more than 2000 years. The fruits (seeds) are
carminative, stomachic, digestive, and
tranquilizing, and have been traditionally used
for treating stomach ailments, colic, hiccups,
bad breath, flatulence, and hemorrhoids.
