“How can you stop dill from taking over your garden?” Question from Sylvia of Belle Plaine, Minnesota

Answer: The answer to this question is in the valuable flowers and seed heads of dill. Keep the seeds from dropping to the ground by eating the fresh flower heads in salads or dips, before they set seed. Of you can allow the dill seed heads to mature, and then collect the seed in bags to enjoy for pickling. It is fragrant, useful, and will last a long time in the spice cabinet.

As you have already found, if you let dill seeds drop to the ground, then they will sprout later in summer or even the following spring. If you have too many or do not like where they land, dig them and move them to your herb patch or simply scratch them away with a hoe. These delicate annuals are some of the easiest weedy herbs to weed out. Another option is mulching over garden beds in spring with a hefty layer of Black Gold Natural & Organic Compost. Dill seeds cannot germinate through several inches of compost.

I hope that these tips help!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith