Aromatic Dill with Distinctive Fragrance

Dill (Anethum graveolens) belongs to the Apiaceae family. It is the only representative of the Anethum genus. Dill is an annual herb reaching heights between 40 - 120 cm. The stem is upright, vertically grooved and hollow, with a grey-green color. The leaves are feathered and highly aromatic. The flowers are small, yellow, forming compound umbels. The seeds are oval-shaped, dark grey or brown in color. The original homeland of dill is Persia and Eastern India. Today, dill cultivation is widespread in Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, Iran and India. The Greeks and Romans named it "Anethon". They derived this from the Greek words "ana" meaning upward and "thum" emphasizing dill's ability to grow quickly. This naming became the basis of the Latin name "Anethum", which dill still bears today. In ancient Egyptian inscriptions, dill is known as "ammisl". In folk naming, dill can be encountered as imperial root or by the name koprek. Even Charlemagne was aware of the culinary and medicinal significance of dill, which is why he had it cultivated on his estates. However, it was not only Charlemagne who recognized the power of dill. Dill was already used by the Greeks to treat eye diseases and to ease painful urination. Roman warriors rubbed it into their skin before gladiatorial fights. Physicians in ancient times used dill to treat asthma, stomach ailments, and kidney stones. Its use to reduce libido was also known. Legends classify dill among the so-called St. John's herbs.

Dill Varieties

Dill is the only representative of the Anethum genus, but through breeding, various varieties have been developed. In our conditions, the most commonly cultivated varieties are Hanák dill, Moravan dill and Oliver dill.

• Moravan is an aromatic variety intended primarily for field cultivation. Its leaves are dark blue-green in color, with very dense foliage. The plant height is around 80 cm. It is significantly more resistant to bolting, which extends the harvest period. Foliage yield is up to 60% higher than the Hanák variety. The growing season is approximately 70 - 80 days.

• The Hanák variety is suitable for forcing and field cultivation. It is a high-yielding variety with a delicate spicy taste and abundant green mass. The plant reaches a height of approximately 80 - 100 cm, with medium foliage of bright green leaves. The edible parts are the leaves, which are cut with the entire young plant when it reaches a height between 15 - 20 cm. The harvested foliage can be consumed directly, dried or frozen. For pickling vegetables (cucumbers), the plants are harvested during flowering and maturity. The growing season is around 65 - 75 days. During forcing, this period is shortened to approximately 40 - 50 days.

• The Oliver variety is a semi-early, high-yielding variety suitable for forcing and field cultivation. It creates dense foliage of medium green color. It bolts slowly. The growing period is approximately 42 - 50 days when forced, 68 - 78 days in field cultivation.

Growing Dill

Dill is a completely undemanding herb to grow, and often self-seeds. It thrives in loamy, well-drained and lighter soils with sufficient nutrient supply. Conversely, it does not do well in heavy and waterlogged soils. It also does not tolerate very dry sites and stony soils. Plants are sensitive to fertilizers containing chlorine. Dill is often sown as an intercrop between other vegetables. However, it can also be grown in a separate bed or in a pot on a windowsill. To ensure season-long harvest, it is advisable to sow dill gradually. The first sowing is carried out in April directly in the final location. For autumn harvest, sowing in August is suitable. Seeds are sown in rows approximately 20 - 25 cm apart. Vigorous growth and strong aroma are supported by plenty of sunshine and regular watering. Some dill varieties reach heights of over 1 m, so it's better to plant them in a sheltered location or provide support stakes. The stem is quite brittle and could break due to wind. Young leaves are harvested from dill, for example for dill sauce, flowers with a piece of stem for infusions for sterilizing vegetables (pickled cucumbers), and ripe seeds as a spice. To harvest seeds, cut off entire umbels when they are ripening. Hang them upside down in an airy place to dry. Place a mat or paper bag under the hanging plants, into which the dry seeds will fall. Even if you don't have garden beds, you can still grow dill. Simply sow seeds in a pot on a terrace or windowsill and with proper care, look forward to an early harvest of delicately fragrant young dill leaves. Caution: dill easily cross-pollinates with fennel, resulting in poor quality offspring (seeds), so do not grow them close together.

Where Does Dill Find Its Application?

Due to its typical taste and aroma of fresh leaves, dill is very popular in the kitchen. It is the basis of traditional dill soup and sauce. It can be used when preparing fish, egg or potato dishes, in salads or with chicken. It should be added to dishes only at the end of cooking to prevent loss of taste, aroma and beneficial substances. Dried dill can never match fresh dill, therefore a better method of preservation is freezing or storing in vinegar. Ripe dill seeds are added to brine for pickling cucumbers, but they can also be added to rye bread or used to prepare medicinal tea. Chewing seeds freshens breath. A decoction of dill seeds strengthens hair and nails. You can prepare it by pouring a cup of hot water over a tablespoon of lightly crushed dill seeds. Let the decoction steep for a few minutes and then strain it. Soak your hands or fingertips in the prepared infusion or rinse your hair with it. Dill tastes very good and also has many beneficial healing effects. Dill seeds contain vitamin C and provitamin A. Dill contains essential oil containing carvol, limonene and phellandrene. In seeds, the proportion of this essential oil is around 2 - 4%, in leaves only 0.5 - 1.5%. Furthermore, dill contains proteins, amines, organic acids, flavonoids, carotene, iron and other minerals. Dill has traditionally been used in folk medicine for heart and circulation complaints, but heart disease always requires medical care.

It also shows beneficial effects for flatulence, relieves cramping abdominal pain, improves digestion and supports the production of breast milk. Healing substances also pass into breast milk, so breastfed babies do not suffer from gas and are generally calmer. Dill has a diuretic and disinfectant effect in the urinary tract. No adverse effects or contraindications have been found when consuming dill, except for personal intolerance (allergy). Dill is often added to herbal blends. For mental agitation and restlessness, you can prepare an infusion from two parts dill seed, two parts anise and one part chamomile. For complaints, drink one honey-sweetened glass of infusion in the morning and one in the evening. For overall strengthening, a dill infusion made from one teaspoon of crushed dill seeds poured with a cup of hot water is suitable. Adults can prepare dill wine for better sleep. Bring a glass of good white wine to a boil, pour it over a teaspoon of coarsely crushed dried dill seeds. Let the wine steep for about 10 minutes under a lid, then strain it and drink it warm in small sips. Dill sauce or dip is also excellent.

Final Tip

The main active ingredient in dill is essential oil, which evaporates quickly from crushed seeds, so always crush the seeds just before use.