How to Prune Dill
Dill is a flavorful and easy-to-grow home garden herb. Dill sprouts and grows quickly and is ready to harvest as soon as eight weeks after germination. For the best dill, wait to prune until the plant forms buds. The time between budding and just after flowering is when a dill plant's leaves are at their peak flavor. Harvest early in the morning or late in the evening to put the least amount of pruning stress on the plants.
Harvest the dill's leaves. Prune each leaf just at the stem, or harvest the entire stem within 3 inches of the ground. Pull off the leaves and discard the stem.
- Dill is a flavorful and easy-to-grow home garden herb.
- For the best dill, wait to prune until the plant forms buds.
Prune dill flowers for display when they turn completely yellow by cutting their stems to within 3 inches of the ground.
Harvest dill seed from the head by cutting off the entire seed head at the stem. Wait until the majority of the seeds have formed and turned brown, roughly two to three weeks after the plant begins to flower. Shake the seed head upside down inside a paper bag to remove the seeds.
Prune Dill
Cut off leaves where they join the main stem when the plant is about eight weeks old and produces multiple leaves. Alternatively, cut the entire stalk to within 3 inches of the ground so it regrows if you want leaves but no flowers. Snip off the flower heads above the second or third leaf stem from the top. Cut the flowers just as they begin to open, before they have a chance to pollinate and set seed. Once dill sets seed, the plant stops producing and begins to decline. Prune out dead foliage at any time during the growing season.
- Prune dill flowers for display when they turn completely yellow by cutting their stems to within 3 inches of the ground.
Tip
Freeze any dill that you do not use immediately.
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Writer Bio
Based in Houston, Texas, Meg Butler is a professional farmer, house flipper and landscaper. When not busy learning about homes and appliances she's sharing that knowledge. Butler began blogging, editing and writing in 2000. Her work has appered in the "Houston Press" and several other publications. She has an A.A. in journalism and a B.A. in history from New York University.
