Greens are an essential part of any dish; let's look at how to grow dill on your windowsill to ensure you always have this aromatic ingredient on the table.
It is difficult to imagine culinary dishes of meat and fish in any cuisine without the aroma of herbs. Dill is a common and sought-after plant. Besides its flavor, it also offers health benefits. The vitamins, minerals, and amino acids it contains help alleviate digestive and genitourinary dysfunction. The plant is used to treat sleep disorders and colds. In summer, dill is grown in gardens and summer cottages. Experienced gardeners claim that a harvest can be obtained even in winter.
For a productive harvest, experienced gardeners recommend choosing the right variety. Achieving a productive harvest is impossible without high-quality seeds. Late-ripening varieties, for example, produce abundant foliage. Varieties that form a full-bodied bush have similar characteristics, as well as an attractive appearance. The list of varieties recommended for both beginners and experienced gardeners is extensive.
Selection of containers
When growing dill on a windowsill in an apartment, it's important to immediately determine the location for planting the greenery. Experienced gardeners select small flower pots with a capacity of 1 to 2 liters. Rectangular containers made of plastic or, less commonly, wood are also used, but in this case, you'll need to make drainage holes and a tray yourself. Experience shows that some gardeners plant dill seeds in small peat pots to produce seedlings. Once the plants have grown, they are transplanted into a permanent container.
Another consideration is aesthetics. If the homeowner cares about how harmoniously the apartment's interior elements blend with each other, then dill should be planted in attractive containers.
Soil preparation
The bottom of the container prepared for planting is filled with a layer of drainage material, such as expanded clay. If unavailable, pebbles, crushed rock, or broken brick will do. A 2-3 cm layer of sand is added on top, followed by nutrient-rich soil.
Specialty stores offer ready-made mixtures designed for growing herbs. Gardeners also use soil mixed with nutrients.
Sowing seeds
To obtain the desired yield from seeds, it is enough to follow simple rules.
When to sow?
Dill can be grown indoors regardless of the season. However, plants with different planting seasons require different conditions. To reduce effort, plant between March and August. If the soil is properly selected and the windowsill receives ample natural light, you'll be able to grow lush, full-bodied dill.
Climate conditions
To grow any greens, including dill, use windows facing southeast or south.
Inexperienced gardeners often ask how to grow dill on a windowsill in winter. Since the plant is a light- and heat-loving species, growing it during cold weather requires supplemental lighting. Using phytolamps allows you to create the desired temperature and extend daylight hours.
Dill doesn't tolerate dry air well. To prevent the greens from dying, spray the shoots with a spray bottle. Keep the water temperature no higher than room temperature. The plant tolerates temperatures as low as 8°C, so pots should be placed on a glassed-in balcony until autumn arrives.
Correct landing technology
It takes about 14 days from planting the seeds until the first shoots appear. Pre-soaking the seeds can speed up the process. To do this, spread the seeds on a piece of cloth, moisten them with warm water, and cover them with another piece of cloth. Replace the water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to prevent the risk of seed contamination and disease. Soaking takes several days, after which they are planted in the ground.
Before planting, lightly moisten the soil with water. Then distribute the seeds evenly and cover with the remaining soil.
The containers are covered with plastic wrap and stored in a dark place. Condensation will collect under the plastic wrap and must be removed. Water as the soil dries. Once the seedlings emerge, the containers are moved to a windowsill.
Important: During the first week, take the containers out onto the balcony or keep them near an open window at night. This is done to prevent the shoots from stretching.
When growing dill on a windowsill in winter, the requirement for lower night temperatures is met differently. Opening the window or moving it to the balcony is not an option. Therefore, the containers are moved to a cooler room, such as a hallway.
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Growing dill without soil
Growing greens without soil is gaining popularity these days. Hydroponics is a system that involves immersing the roots in a special nutrient solution.
So, to grow dill on a windowsill in an apartment without soil, you need to know the basic rules. The basis of a hydroponic system is square plastic pipes with holes drilled into them. The ends of the pipes are capped with built-in hoses to drain the used solution.
The nutrient solution is stored in a container with an attached pipe, pump, and heating element. A compressor, also part of the system, oxygenates the solution. To eliminate the need for the hydroponics system owner to manually regulate the flow of liquid, a timer is installed.
The seeds are grown in pots with a hole in the bottom lined with expanded clay and a layer of vermiculite. No nutrient solution is used until the first sprouts appear. The pots are also covered with plastic wrap.
Advantages of a hydroponic system (confirmed by user reviews):
- The supply of fertilizer is fully regulated by a built-in timer according to a specific schedule, due to which the green mass grows faster;
- the absence of soil eliminates the possibility of weeds appearing;
- Assembling the system does not require significant capital investments or special knowledge.
Proper care for dill on the windowsill
Dill is a low-maintenance crop. It thrives with fertile soil, watering as needed, and fertilizing.
Watering
Dill is a moisture-loving plant. During the warmer months, watering should be frequent and generous. In winter, excess watering leads to the development of fungal diseases. Therefore, water only after the soil has dried out.
Fertilizers
Fertilizing is only necessary if the soil used for planting is deficient in micronutrients. This should be done twice a month using fertilizers designed for dill. Gardeners also add vermicompost to the containers to improve the quality of the greens.
Growing healthy and delicious dill at home, regardless of the season, is easy and time-efficient. Following the proper growing techniques and sowing at regular intervals allows you to regularly harvest fresh herbs.
Growing dill on your windowsill in autumn or winter won't be difficult for you!