Dill Herb: A Dill-lectably Healthful Additive To Your Garden

It’s just wonderful to know that some plants in our garden aren’t just for our viewing pleasure, and the dill herb is just one of them. Aside from adding that extra zest in our salads, steaks and dips, this herb can be very beneficial to our health.

Dill (Anethum graveolens), is a perennial herb easily recognized for its slender stems, finely divided feathery leaves and several umbel-shaped seed heads. Its name is derived from dile in Old English as the plant was regarded to have sleep-inducing properties. This plant is an Angiosperm, and is the sole representative of its genus.

Uses

The most popular use of the dill herb is with food, and its aromatic leaves are used to add a distinctive flavor to a wide variety of foods such as pickles, soups and fish. Its seeds are a trademark ingredient to dill pickles, and together with cucumber, salt and vinegar, it creates a great mixture for appetizers. In many parts of the world, this herb has become a popular additive for numerous recipes of soups, salads, dips, cheese and egg dishes, and well complements potatoes.

But apart from these, did you know that the dill herb is also beneficial to our health? According to Zheng et. al., the oil derived from this plant has constituents that promote detoxification of drugs, slows down cell aging, and protects cells from free radicals - chemicals that induce cancer. A clinical trial conducted at the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences is also currently exploring the effect of dill seeds on the patterns of uterine contractions for women giving birth, and it aims to establish if dill indeed helps in shortening labor periods.

Cultivation and Harvesting

Growing the dill herb is easy! The plant generally requires a warm environment (which we always have in the Philippines), and lots of sunlight. Make sure that you plant it in a sunny area, as shade sometimes decreases its yield, and plant it on well-drained, rich soil. Dill is a self-seeder, which can be both an advantage and disadvantage. Although it needs little maintenance and can easily propagate, the plant may uncontrollably invade the other areas of your garden, competing with your other plants for sunlight and nutrients, so it’s also advisable to regulate its growth.

The stems can readily be picked and prepared for your favorite dishes, and any excess portions can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. If you want to harvest the seeds, cut the flower heads off the stalks as the seeds begin to ripen. The flower heads should be placed upside down inside a paper bag, so that the seeds will be released as the flowers dry out while inside the bag. Once the flower heads become dry, you just have to shake it a little to have the seeds fall off the bag, and you can readily store them in an airtight container.

Why buy dill at your local supermarket, when you can have them fresh and at their prime dill-ectability from your backyard? And if you want to start growing the dill herb, better get it at wholesale prices! Click here for more info.

Link:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92774/

Garden Plants Watering Tips

Photo credit: Attic24/Flickr

Are you getting frustrated that you can’t bring out the best in your garden plants despite your efforts of regularly watering them? While it’s true that plants need ample water to be healthy, experts say that gardeners must also be mindful about watering methods – if not, you might just be wasting water away or inviting unwanted plant diseases. Some factors must be considered, just as how gardeners decide when to plant something, and here are some basic tips on how to water your plants properly:

1.       Quantity doesn’t always go with quality. When the soil is moist, it’s much better to have it soaked once a week rather than watered frequently. Moisture makes it favorable for the growth of fungi like Fusarium, and you’ll be having a pestilent, saprobe colony rather than a resplendent, colorful garden. Another thing: don’t walk around much when the grounds are wet to minimize the spread of fungal infection.

2.       Age does matter. Young plants need more water as their cells are rapidly multiplying, and they should receive larger amounts immediately after being transplanted. A good way to measure the right amount of water is to have the soil around young plants soaked to a depth of 6-12 inches, and it should not be watered again until the top 2-3 inches begin to dry out. Don’t overdo it though, or you might flood your younglings. Use a proper soaker line or sprinkler head if a hose is being used; or you might as well use a watering can.

  

3.       Timing counts. The worst time to water your garden is mid-day, between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., because the heat would cause the water to evaporate. The sun can also heat the water in the soil, burning your plants and flowers, so you might as well do it in the morning or in the afternoon. Be careful when you water at night, as the cool evening makes the water become retained for a longer time, bringing in fungal infestation.

4.       It depends on the weather. This expression seems to apply to watering as well, and gardeners should adjust the amount of water and watering frequency depending on climate and weather conditions. You shouldn’t water on a windy day, as excessive evaporation may take place, and more water is needed during hot and humid seasons. Needless to say, turn on the local weather news to know what Mother Nature has in store before you turn on the hose.

5.       Different plants, different needs. Plants such as cacti and succulents retain more water, thus they need less than mainstream plants and flowers. Garden plants such as Zamioculcas are xerophytes that are resilient to dry conditions, so you can even afford to have them soaked at least once a week.

6.       Mulch for moisture. Mulch can be a great addition to your garden as it helps in retaining soil moisture. It can be made of compost, straw, grass clippings or shredded newspaper, and topping it off your soil beds will not only reduce your plants’ water needs, it will reduce weed growth by as much as 90 percent. Don’t use too much mulch though, as too much at one time can cause rot and mold infections. Plastic mulches are also available and are preferred by many gardeners – it’s much more efficient and cleaner.

If you want to know more about how to properly water your plants, feel free to contact us, and we’ll be more than happy to provide you with the things that you need to spruce up your beautiful garden!