Content
Growing dill on a windowsill is quite simple. However, compared, for example, with green onions, they require mandatory lighting and even a single application of fertilizer. Thanks to proper care, the first harvest can be obtained within 1.5 months after the seeds germinate. The second wave will come after another month.
Is it possible to grow dill on a windowsill?
It is quite possible to grow dill, parsley, onions and other herbs at home, since the desired temperature is always maintained in the apartment. This is a simple process, but there are some nuances that should be taken into account.
To grow dill on a windowsill, no special conditions are required, the main thing is to provide good lighting
To successfully grow dill on a windowsill in winter, beginners should pay attention to basic practical tips:
- It is advisable to plant plants in the spring and harvest in the summer;
- even in the warm season (in cloudy weather), it is necessary to highlight the crop (day length is at least 12 hours);
- the temperature should be room temperature or slightly lower: the plant tolerates 13-15 °C well;
- feed dill only after the first shoots appear, and water regularly so that the soil is moderately moist;
- It is better to purchase seeds from a fresh harvest and only in stores. You can collect them if the variety produces good greens. Before planting, they must be disinfected with potassium permanganate;
- the seeds of the plant do not germinate for a long time (for two weeks), this is normal - there is no need to worry.
Otherwise, the rules for growing dill at home are practically no different from growing, for example, parsley. It needs to be watered regularly and the main thing is to make sure that the greenery does not wither or go into flower stalks. To do this, maintain an acceptable level of humidity by spraying, which is especially important during the hot season.
Varieties of dill for the windowsill
There is no special variety of dill for growing on a windowsill. For these purposes, you can select one or another type, depending on the speed of its maturation.
- Gribovsky – a good early ripening variety, undemanding to care, tolerates temperature differences and various diseases. The greens smell good and are quite bushy;
- Grenadier – another early ripening dill, which will give a quick harvest on the windowsill;
- Richelieu – fragrant dill with blue-green foliage, belongs to the mid-season varieties;
- Kibray – a late-ripening species that produces wide, beautiful leaves that are perfect for serving dishes;
- late-ripening varieties of dill with high yields: Salute, Gourmet, Russian size.
Grenadier is one of the classic salad varieties of dill.
How to plant dill on a windowsill
It is not difficult to sow dill on the windowsill. To do this, you should choose a convenient container, purchase soil (or make it yourself) and prepare the seeds.
Preparing the soil and planting container
Any soil is suitable for growing dill on a windowsill. For example, you can purchase a mixture for seedlings in a store or make your own composition. Several components are used for this:
- garden soil - 1 part;
- humus – 1 part;
- sand – 1 part;
- peat – 2 parts.
You can mix the same amount of humus with garden soil, adding 2-3 handfuls of sand. If in doubt, it is advisable to disinfect the soil by placing it overnight in a container with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Any container for growing dill on a windowsill is suitable: small flower pots (volume 1.5-2 liters) or wooden boxes. The last option is more practical - you can plant a whole row of greenery.
In aesthetic terms, it is better to choose pots, then the dill on the windowsill will decorate the interior
Preparation of planting material
You can plant dill at any time, from March until the end of August. In this case, the optimal time is considered to be early spring, since there will be fewer problems with lighting due to natural sunlight. Dill is a heat-loving crop, and it is best to cultivate it in the summer season.
Dill on the windowsill is grown from seeds that need to be prepared first. For several days they are laid out between layers of damp gauze, which is placed in a warm place, for example, next to the radiator under the windowsill where the dill will be grown. After 2-3 days they begin planting. A few hours before this, the seeds are pickled. They are placed in a container with a weak, slightly pinkish solution of potassium permanganate. The water can be changed 1-2 times.
Rules for planting dill on the windowsill at home
The planting technology is very simple. It consists of fulfilling the following points:
- The dill pot is washed and a small layer of small stones is placed on the bottom. Then pour out the previously prepared soil
- Grooves are made on the surface.
- Plant the seeds to a depth of 1 cm.
- Sprinkle the top with soil; no need to compact it.
- Water generously and place in a warm place (temperature 25 °C) for several days.
Cover the container with film or glass and remove it periodically so that the soil has time to dry out a little. At night, it is recommended to move the pot to the windowsill and open the window slightly so that the temperature drops, for example, to 16-18 degrees.
The first shoots will appear after 10-15 days. Both in the open ground and on the windowsill, dill grows quite slowly. The soil should be periodically moistened with a spray bottle so that its surface always remains moderately moist (but not too moist).
As soon as the first shoots appear, the film is removed, but the boxes continue to be kept in a warm place. After a week, it can be transferred to the windowsill, where room temperature is maintained (18-22 °C). In other conditions, dill will not feel so comfortable and may turn into color rather than green.
In this case, an interval of at least 10 cm is maintained between the rows of seeds.
The first dill shoots will appear 2 weeks after planting
Caring for dill on the window
For successful cultivation of dill on a windowsill, the main condition is to ensure stable lighting, moisture and a temperature not lower than room temperature.
Optimal conditions for growing dill on a windowsill in winter
Garden greens are very light-loving. Therefore, at home you will need mandatory lighting using one or more phyto- or white fluorescent lamps. Rules for their use:
- The lamp power must be at least 100 watts to illuminate 1 m2 squares;
- hang it at a distance of 50 cm from the tops of the shoots;
- total length of daylight hours – 12-15 hours;
- additional illumination is carried out not only during twilight, but also in cloudy weather;
- The daily routine should be constant. For example, every day you can use the lamp from 8 to 22 hours;
- In summer, in sunny weather, additional lighting is used only for northern and western windows.
The room must be ventilated every day to create conditions as close to natural as possible. It is not necessary to additionally humidify the air and greenery from a sprayer, except on hot days.Moisturizing will also be needed if it is noticeable that the leaves have begun to fade.
Watering dill at home
Water the plant as needed 2-3 times a week, maintaining moderate soil moisture. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature. It is recommended to first leave it for two days. If your home has a filter, it is better to use purified water, as tap water may be too hard.
How to feed dill on the windowsill
Despite the fact that dill is an unpretentious plant, when growing it on a windowsill, fertilizing is required. In a limited volume of soil, nutrients are consumed faster, and the soil cannot be replenished with new compounds.
The first time fertilizing is applied after three leaves appear. During this period, the plant needs complex fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. Thanks to this, the grass will begin to grow even faster, and the greenery will be truly lush. The second (phosphate-potassium) fertilizing can be applied at the stage of formation of umbrellas, but it is only needed to obtain seeds, and if there are no such plans, then fertilizing is not necessary.
For a lush harvest, it is enough to feed dill only once - after the first shoots
Useful tips
To successfully cultivate dill at home, it is useful to know some tricks.
The first harvest is obtained within 6 weeks after germination. The greens need to be cut with a knife so that there is a distance of 10 cm between the nearest branches. This can stimulate further growth. As a result, the next harvest can be harvested in a month.
In winter, it is advisable to water the greens with melt water. To do this, collect snow in a pan, let it melt and warm up to room temperature.
For a small window, it is enough to buy 1 phytolamp and hang it in the center (often it is sold together with a support, like an ordinary lamp).
To ensure that the plant receives more light, the walls of the window can be lined with several sheets of foil.
In May, containers with dill can be taken out onto the balcony or glassed-in loggia. There they will be better ventilated and receive more sunlight. However, this is not necessary - if the described conditions are met, dill also feels good on the windowsill.
There is no need to specially treat with insecticides and other drugs, since at home the crop is practically not affected by infections or pests. The only problem may be due to a lack of moisture - if the foliage begins to turn yellow or wilt, watering should be increased. It would not be superfluous to spray the greenery in the evening, after sunset.
Conclusion
To grow dill on a windowsill, you will need a container and regular soil. As far as equipment is concerned, it is enough to purchase a phytolamp. These conditions are enough to get your own rich harvest of fragrant greenery.
