Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) - an annual herb of the celery family. This culture is widely grown to obtain leaves, flowering stems, seeds. Due to their valuable biochemical composition, dill plants have a high nutritional and medicinal value. In folk medicine, its stems, leaves and seeds are used. Dill improves the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, has an expectorant and mild diuretic effect, has a calming effect on the nervous system during insomnia.
In cooking, the greens of young plants are used as a seasoning for various dishes, salads, sauces. Dried herbs are a part of such spices as khmeli-suneli, adjika. Dill seeds are added to dough products, soups, fish dishes, plants in the phase of flowering and seed ripening - as spices when preserving vegetables.
Due to its unpretentiousness and ability to grow almost everywhere, dill does not require careful maintenance, therefore vegetable growers often do not pay attention to varietal characteristics. And basically those seeds of those varieties that are available are sown. With this approach, there is no need to wait for a plentiful and stable harvest of greens.
How do dill varieties differ?
It is not easy for vegetable growers to understand the existing variety of dill varieties. They differ among themselves in the shape of the rosette, color and degree of dissection of the leaves, length, width and shape of the terminal segments of the leaf.
The clearest trait anyone can identify is when the stem starts when grown under long day conditions. In addition, this feature is of great practical importance, since it depends on it whether there will be a high yield of greens or ripening seeds on umbrellas. According to stem formation, dill varieties can be divided into three groups: with early, middle and late times of the onset of stem formation.
To varieties first group include zoned varieties Dalny, Gribovsky, Umbrella, Grenadier. In the conditions of the Moscow region, these varieties have a period from germination to stalking of 35-40 days. Plants of this group, almost immediately after the onset of marketable ripeness, move to flowering, forming 4-6 leaves, and in hot and dry weather this happens even faster. Therefore, these varieties fail to obtain a large amount of greens throughout the season. However, umbrellas and seeds for canning vegetables and seasonings can be obtained in sufficient quantities. Due to the early maturity of the noted varieties, their seeds have time to ripen in the Moscow region, moreover, they crumble and the next year they germinate in early spring and give the first greens.
Second group - mid-ripening varieties, in which stem formation occurs 5-10 days later than early-ripening varieties, and thus a larger number (6-10) leaves are formed and, accordingly, a higher yield and a longer period of green consumption. This group includes the varieties Lesnogorodsky, Kibray, Uzory, Borey, Richelieu, Umbrella. In addition to greenery, they manage to form umbrellas and seeds in waxy ripeness, which are suitable for seasoning.
Third group - late-ripening varieties, have a more leafy rosette, numbering more than 10 leaves, and give a greater yield of greenery. This became possible due to the longer period (65-70 days) from germination to stalk. This group includes the varieties Alligator, Buyan, Salut, Amazon. Late-ripening dill varieties are exceptionally suitable for the conveyor belt production of greens without additional replanting. But when growing these varieties, they use a slightly different technology.
Growing dill with maximum efficiency
Traditional agricultural techniques for growing dill greens are focused on early ripening varieties that quickly turn to flowering. The maximum duration of the economic validity phase of which is no more than 2 weeks.Therefore, for the conveyor supply of products, repeated sowing is practiced with an interval of 10-12 days and complete harvesting of greenery when the plants reach the size suitable for sale. Hence the direction for reducing the cost of production and increasing yields: increasing the density of plants per unit area and reducing the period from sowing to harvesting.
With the emergence of late varieties of dill, which do not turn to flowering for a long time, the generally accepted technology of dill cultivation does not allow the full potential of the yield of these varieties to be fully realized.
To obtain the maximum yield of late-ripening varieties of dill, it is necessary to reduce the seeding rate to 2-3 kg / ha, which allows creating a larger feeding area for plants and better conditions for their growth. A more rare arrangement of dill plants contributes to its rapid suppression by weeds in the early stages of growth, since dill grows slowly at this moment. This can be avoided if pre-emergence treatment of dill crops is carried out 1-2 days before germination with Roundup herbicide.
Dill is harvested when it reaches its marketable size, first of all by pulling out densely growing plants. In the future, you can remove greens in different ways:
- the entire leaf outlet is cut off when a height of 20-25 cm is reached, while leaving the growth point so that the plant grows back in 10-14 days;
- 2-3 leaves are gradually removed from each plant every day;
- completely pull out the plant from the root when they reach a mass of at least 50 grams.
Thus, the use of late flowering varieties of dill allows:
- to economically consume seeds by reducing the seeding rate and reducing the number of repeated crops, since when growing these varieties for the conveyor supply of greens, the possibility of using multiple cuts allows you to increase the interval between crops to 20-25 days, which is 2 times less than with conventional technology;
- to obtain a higher yield of greens - 30-50 t / ha, with better quality products, since with an increase in the age of plants, their aromaticity increases;
- the long duration of harvesting allows you to gradually sell products at a high price, without fear that the plants will outgrow and lose their presentation.
So, to summarize:
- Early varieties of dill - Gribovsky, Umbrella, Dalny, Grenadier are best used for growing on spices and early spring and winter crops for greens.
- Mid-season varieties - Lesnogorodsky, Kibray, Patterns, Umbrella, Richelieu can be grown both for greens and for umbrellas for spices.
- Late-ripening varieties - Salute, Brawler, Alligator, Amazon are better suited for long-term production of greens.
Description of dill varieties
Alligator. Mid-season (40-45 days from germination to harvest) variety, bush type. Designed for growing on greens. It does not throw away the umbrella for a long time, multiple cutting of greenery is possible. Sowing in the ground at the end of April - beginning of May. The rosette of leaves is large, raised, which facilitates maintenance during cultivation and less pollution of foliage after rains. The leaves are green with a bluish tinge, fragrant, high quality. The green mass of one plant averages 30-60 g, with good agricultural technology - more than 100-150 g. Height 14-25 cm. Productivity 1.5-2.5 kg / m2.
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Amazon. Mid-season (40-45 days from germination to harvest) variety. Designed for growing for herbs and spices. Sowing in the ground is carried out in late April - early May. The rosette of leaves is raised. The leaf is large, green with a bluish tinge, juicy, very fragrant. The variety is characterized by unpretentiousness. Productivity for greens 1.4-4.1 kg / m2, for spices 2.9-6.7 kg / m2. It is appreciated for the amicable formation of juicy and delicate greenery, a long period of economic validity. Recommended for drying, freezing, preparing a variety of seasonings, pickling and pickling.
Grenadier. Early maturing (30-35 days from germination to harvesting greens, 70-90 days from germination to harvesting with spices) variety. Designed for growing for herbs and spices.Sowing in the ground is carried out in late April - early May. The rosette is large, raised, 26-29 cm high. The leaves are green with large segments. The greens are tender, juicy and highly aromatic. The variety is characterized by a stable yield, unpretentiousness. Productivity for greens 1.4-3.1 kg / m2, for spices 2.9-5.7 kg / m2.
Frost... Medium late grade. The rosette of leaves is raised. The leaf is long, gray-green, strongly dissected with a waxy bloom. The plant is sprawling, strongly leafy, in the flowering phase up to 150-170 cm high, with a large umbrella. The weight of one plant when harvested for herbs is 30-40 g, for spices - 60 g. Strong aroma. Marketable yield for greens is 1.7 kg / sq.m, for spices - 2.7 kg / sq.m. Recommended for fresh use, freezing, canning. When frozen, it retains all the best qualities and aroma. For the regular production of young greens, crops are sown from April to August every 10-14 days.
Kutuzovsky. Medium late variety, the beginning of marketability occurs in 41-44 days from the emergence of full shoots. Designed to produce herbs and spices. The rosette of leaves is half-raised, the developed plant is strongly leafy, there are about 12 leaves on the plant. The leaves are large, up to 20 cm, delicate, light green, dissected into threadlike segments. They have a high aroma and excellent taste. The mass of greenery per plant is 20-30 g. The average yield is 160 kg / ha. The variety is appreciated for the amicable formation of juicy and delicate greenery, a long period of economic shelf life. Recommended for drying, freezing, preparing a variety of seasonings, pickling and pickling.
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Max. Mid-season (41 - 44 days from germination to harvest) variety. Designed for growing for herbs and spices. Sowing in the ground is carried out in late April - early May. The rosette of leaves is half-raised. Leaves are medium, green, juicy, fragrant. The mass of greenery per plant is 20-44 grams. Average yield for greens - 1.39 -1.40 kg / m², for spices - 2.50 - 4.00 kg / m². The variety is characterized by a stable yield, unpretentiousness.
Mischievous. Dill is a storehouse of vitamins and mineral salts. It is easily grown at home on a window or balcony, in container beds or among flowers. The main rule is not to thicken the crops. Then the plants will be strong and strong, well leafy, and the collection of greenery is high. The variety is medium late, does not form an umbrella for a long time. The rosette of leaves is raised. The plant is semi-spreading, strongly leafy. The leaf is gray-green, strongly dissected with a waxy bloom. The mass of one plant when harvested for greenery is 25-35 g. The aroma is strong. Marketable yield for greens is 1.6 kg / sq.m. Recommended for fresh daily use, as a spicy addition to traditional dishes. When harvesting whole plants, over-sowing is performed from April to August after 5-7 cm.
Redoubt. Early ripe (39-41 days from germination to harvest) variety. Designed for growing for herbs and spices. Sowing in the ground is carried out in late April - early May. The rosette of leaves is half-raised. Leaves are medium, green in color, very fragrant. The mass of greenery per plant is 20-40 grams. Average yield for greens is 1.22-1.23 kg / m², for spices - 1.4-2.0 kg / m². Recommended for fresh consumption, freezing and canning.
Richelieu. Mid-season (40-42 days from germination to collection of greens, and blooms in 1-2 weeks) variety. Designed to produce herbs and spices. Sowing in the ground is carried out in late April - early May. The socket is large. The leaf is lacy, with thin long lobes, bluish green. During the flowering phase, the plants have a large number of leaves on the stem and a strong aroma. The seeds ripen in mid-August. Resistant to diseases and pests. The variety is characterized by decorativeness, aromaticity. Productivity for greens 3.7-4.1 kg / m2, for spices 2.9-5.9 kg / m2. For regular production of greens, sowing is carried out from April to August every 10-14 days.
