Cover seeds lightly, and allow a week or two for them to germinate.

For a continuous crop, sow repeatedly from mid spring to early summer.

Don't plant near caraway, fennel or angelica.

Caterpillars are fond of dill, and can be handpicked if they become a

nuisance.

Harvesting and Preserving

Dill is a lovely herb that adds a refreshing flavor to any recipe. Try

adding a little dill to a ho-hum recipe, and watch what happens. It’s

almost magic! This booklet starts with tips on growing, harvesting and

preserving dill, and then turns to cooking with dill. These are without

a doubt best dill recipes you’ll ever taste! More...

The best way to use dill is fresh from garden, so during

growing season, cut your dill to use fresh as you need it. If not kept

cut, your dill will go to seed, so cut often until you are ready to

switch to seed production.

If you find that you have cut more than you can use, dry excess in

the microwave. Spread dill in a single layer on a paper towel and

microwave on high for 3 minutes. The result is beautiful and tasty -

much better than dried dill you buy in grocery store. After

microwaving, remove and discard hard stems, crumble leaves, and

store in an airtight container protected from light.

Once seedheads begin to form, it's time to stop cutting dill for fresh

use. Allow seedheads to develop and dry completely, then cut them.

You'll be able to remove seeds easily with your fingers.

Medicinal Uses:

To brew a stomach-soothing tea, use two teaspoons of mashed seeds per

cup of boiling water. Steep for ten minutes. Drink up to three cups a

day. In a tincture, take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon up to three times a day. To

treat colic or gas in children under two, give small amounts of a weak

tea. Many herbalists recommend combining dill and fennel to ease colic

in infants.`

Culinary Uses

The taste of dill leaves resembles that of caraway, while seeds are

pungent and aromatic. Freshly cut, chopped leaves enhance flavor of

dips, herb butter, soups, salads, fish dishes, and salads. The seeds

are used in pickling and can also improve taste of roasts, stews

and vegetables. Try grinding seeds to use as a salt substitute.

Both flowering heads and

Pick leaves fresh for eating at any time after plant has reached

maturity. Although leaves can be dried, great care is needed and it is

better to concentrate on drying seed for storage.

Put flower head upside down in a paper bag and tie top of

bag. Put in a warm place for a week. The seeds should then separate

easily from husk. Store in an airtight container. The seeds will

keep their flavor very well.

Dill is a culinary herb that improves appetite and digestion. The

difference between dill leaf and dill seed lies in degree of

pungency. There are occasions when seed is better because of its

sharper flavor.

Dill doesn’t mean pickles but “dill pickles” is so common it seems like

one word. Don’t confine this versatile herb! A few sprigs work wonders

for potato salad and try yellow flowers in green salads. It is used

as a flavoring for soup, lamb stews and grilled or broiled fish. It can

also add spiciness to rice dishes and be combined with white wine

vinegar to make tasty dill vinegar.

Dill leaf can be used generously in many dishes, as it enhances rather

than dominates flavor of food.

For dill pickles, before it sets seed, add one flower head to a jar of

pickled gherkins, cucumbers or cauliflower for a flavor stronger than

dill leaves but fresher than seeds. Where a salt-free diet must be

followed, seed, whole or ground, is a valuable replacement because

of its high mineral content.

Truly a great herb and certainly not a weed! Source: Your Backyard Herb Garden by Miranda Smith Complete Herb Encyclopedia by Nico Vermeulen Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld All About Herbs, Avery's FAQs Series

about the author Judi Singleton is the publisher of Jassmine's Journal gget targeted advertising, be sure your ad is going out to the right

audience. You can subscribe to Jassmine's Journal at

Similarly, variety 'Trenague' , which has no flowers at all, was discovered during cultivation, and has since been propagated for use as an aromatic lawn. The monks also noticed plant's property of being beneficial when planted near ailing or sick plants, often aiding a full recovery. This has given Anthemis nobilis reputation of being 'The Plant's Physician', and studies are currently underway to investigate causes of this interesting 'virtue'.

It was during first information revolution - invention of printing press in 17th century - and increasingly wide availability of books that, confusion over precise identity of 'Chamomile' began. The spread of 'Herbals', one frequently copied from another or pieced together from other earlier herbals (Copyright is a relatively modern invention) caused simple errors to be given authority of print.

Thus it is that particular authors would refer to one or other of 'Chamomiles' (Anthemis nobilis or Matricaria recutica respectively) as 'True' chamomile and other, if mentioned at all, as an inferior or 'Wild' variety. Often it was simply whichever Chamomile happened to be grown and used in author's locality that was given name 'True'.

One of safest medicinal herbs, chamomile is a soothing, gentle relaxant that has been shown to work for a variety of complaints from stress to menstrual cramps.Chamomile has been used for centuries to help relieve infections, stomach gas, stomachaches, and menstrual pain. It is also good for insomnia and promotes healthy skin. This herb has a satisfying, applelike aroma and flavor (the name chamomile is derived from Greek kamai melon, meaning ground apple), and it's most often taken as a delicious, mild therapeutic tea. Concentrated extracts of chamomile are also added to healing creams and lotions or packaged as pills and tinctures. Every part of chamomile plant can not be used, only flowers and first three to four inches for tea and medicinal uses. Cut flowers from stems with scissors and spread them out on muslin covered racks to dry. Recipe Chamomile Cleansing Milk

Must be kept refrigerated. Good only for 2-4 days.

Place 1 cup of warm milk in a bowl. The milk must be kept warm throughout, however it must never boil and a skin must not form on milk. The easiest way to accomplish this is by placing bowl over a saucepan of hot water.

Add 3 tablespoons fresh chamomile flowers. Stir gently from time to time so as not to break up flowers. Infuse until milk smells strongly of chamomile. Strain into glass jars.

Excellent for oily skin Recipe Chamomile Refresco

This refreshing drink, made with chamomile tea, is a cooling thirst quencher on a hot summer's day. If Mexican mint marigold is not available, substitute 2 sprigs of mint and a small stalk of lemongrass cut in 2-inch pieces.

3 chamomile tea bags, or an equal amount of dried chamomile leaves 2 sprigs fresh Mexican mint marigold 2 cups boiling water 1/2 cup orange juice 1 cup pineapple juice 1/4 cup lime juice 1 cup white grape juice 2-1/2 cups chilled sparkling water 1 lime, sliced

In a bowl, pour boiling water over tea and mint marigold (or mint and lemongrass). Cover and steep for at least 10 minutes. Strain liquid into a glass pitcher. Stir in orange, pineapple, lime, and grape juices. Chill. To serve, fill chilled glasses 2/3 full with juice mixture, fill with sparkling water, and add lime slices. Makes 6 servings. PER SERVING: 61 CAL (0.1% from fat), 0.5g PROT, 15g CARB, 9mg SOD, 0mg CHOL, 0.2g FIBER Source: Veggie Life Magazine

Recipe To prepare a tea to be used as a drink or gargle to help relieve sore throats or stomach aches. You will need:

Two cups hot water Four teaspoons dried chamomile flowers

Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan. In a quart size pitcher pour flowers in, then pour water over flowers. Stir well. Let stand for ten minutes.

Recipe Chamomile Wine Two ounces dried, crushed chamomile flower heads

One quart dry wine

Pour dried flowers into quart of dry wine; let stand for ten days in a well-ventilated area. This wine can be used for digestive problems.

Warning If you suffer from allergies to plants of Compositae family (a large group including such flowers as daisies, ragweed, asters and chrysanthemums), you may wish to be cautious about using chamomile at first. While there have been isolated reports of allergic reactions, causing skin rashes and bronchial constriction, most people can use this herb with no problem. References Carle, R. And Isaac, O.: Zeitschrift fur Phytotherapie 8:67-77 (1987). Schilcher, H.: Die Kamille, Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart, 1987, 152 pp. Mann, C and Staba, J.: "The Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Commercial Formulations of Chamomile," in Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal Plants: Recent Advances in Botany, Horticulture,and Pharmacology, vol. 1, L.E. Craker and J.E. Simon, eds,. Oryx Press, Phoenix, Arizona, 1986, pp 233-280. Herbs of Choice, The Therapuetic Use of Phytomedicinals, Tyler, Varro, E., Pharmaceutical Products Press, 1994 Miracle Medicine Herbs, Richard M. Lucas, Parker Publishing, 1991 A MODERN HERBAL, Mrs. M. Grieve, Dover Publications, 1971