Dill The “Meeting House” Herb (Anethum graveolens)

There is nothing like flavor of fresh dill, and best way to get

really fresh dill is to grow it yourself. Fortunately, dill is an easy

herb to grow, and once you discover pleasures of growing your own,

you'll never buy commercially prepared dill again. In this issue,

you'll discover how to grow dill, and lots of uses for this refreshing

herb. Some of recipes in this issue may be familiar, but I bet

you'll find a few new ones, too!

Dill or dill weed, is a native of Southern Europe and Western Asia.

Dill grows wild in Mediterranean countries and has escaped from

gardens in parts of North and South America. It was found among

names of herbs used by Egyptian doctors 5,000 years ago and remains

of plant have been found in ruins of Roman buildings in

Britain. It is mentioned in Gospel of St. Matthew: It is suggested that

herbs were of sufficient value to be used as a tax payment-oh if that

were true today! :”Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for

ye pay tithe of mint and dill and cumin, and have omitted weightier

matters of law.”

It was once an important medicinal herb for treating coughs and

headaches, and an ingredient of ointments and for calming infants with

whooping cough. Dill is said to come from Anglo-Saxon dylle meaning

to soothe or lull.

During Middle Ages dill was prized as protection againsh

witchcraft. While magicians used it in their spells, lesser mortals

infused it in wine to enhance passion. Early settlers took dill to

North America, where it came to be known as ”Meeting House Seed,”

because children were given seed to chew during long sermons to

keep them from feeling hungry.

Dill is an annual with a height of about 2-5 feet. Tiny yellow-green

flowers grow in flattened umbel clusters in summer. The leaves are

aromatic, feathery green. Dill weed is what most recipes ask for, dill

leaf is same thing.

In Spring sow seeds in succession for a good leaf crop. The

seeds are easy to handle, being a good size. Dill does not like being

transplanted, so choose site carefully. Dill prefers well-drained,

fertile soil in full sun. Dill can be grown in containers, in a

sheltered corner with plenty of sun. However, it will need staking. The

art of growing it successfully is to keep cutting plant for use in

the kitchen. That way you will promote new growth and keep plant

reasonably compact. The drawback is that it will be fairly short-lived,

so you will have to do successive sowings in different pots to maintain

a good supply. Anethum graveolens) Shop for Herb Seeds

Dill is one of easiest herbs to grow and would make a great first

herb for someone who has never grown herbs before. You'll find lots of

uses for both fronds and seeds in kitchen. A sprig of dill

will perk up almost any soup, salad, or main dish. You can buy

transplants at your local garden center, but there is no need because

dill is easy to grow from seeds. You won't even have to start them

indoors - just plant your dill seeds right in garden where you want

them to grow.

When to Plant

Dill likes to be planted in cool weather. In warm winter areas that

don't experience a hard frost, you can plant dill in fall or winter. In

cooler areas, plant dill a week or two before your last hard frost.

After first sowing, plant again every 10 days or so for a

continuous crop.

When growing in containers, use a deep container to accommodate

long roots, and remember that you will eventually have a plant that is

three feet tall. Plants grown in containers may require staking.

Cultivation

Here are a few suggestions to start you on your way to a healthy crop

of dill:

Dill, like most herbs, loves to bask in sun, but will tolerate

afternoon shade.

Dill grows up to 3 feet tall, so plant it in back of your flower,

vegetable or herb garden.

Sow seeds close together. This will allow plants, which blow over

The chamomile plant can grow up to twenty inches tall. It is a member of Daisy family. The chamomile flower has a strong aroma scent. Roman chamomile is usually propagated by root division, while German chamomile seeds are sown directly in early spring. The soil should be sandy and slightly acid. Full sun is preferred except in hot, dry climates where midday shade is necessary. Chamomile can also be used around edges of containers with other herbs. After flowering, cut back to main growth.

The chamomile is originally from southern and eastern Europe. Through time, it has found its way in becoming a popular plant throughout Asia, North America and South America.

The fresh plant is strongly and agreeably aromatic, with a distinct scent of apples - a characteristic noted by Greeks, on account of which they named it 'ground-apple' - kamai (on ground) and melon (an apple) - origin of name Chamomile. The Spaniards call it 'Manzanilla,' which signifies 'a little apple,' and give same name to one of their lightest sherries, flavoured with this plant.

When walked on, its strong, fragrant scent will often reveal its presence before it is seen. For this reason it was employed as one of aromatic strewing herbs in Middle Ages, and used often to be purposely planted in green walks in gardens. Indeed walking over plant seems specially beneficial to it. 'Like a camomile bed - The more it is trodden The more it will spread,' The aromatic fragrance gives no hint of its bitterness of taste. The Chamomile used in olden days to be looked upon as 'Plant's Physician,' and it has been stated that nothing contributes so much to health of a garden as a number of Chamomile herbs dispersed about it, and that if another plant is drooping and sickly, in nine cases out of ten, it will recover if you place a herb of Chamomile near it.

Chamomile was known to Romans and used for incense and in beverages. Ironically, name 'Roman Chamomile' by which it is sometimes known, does not stem from this time, but from a rather arbitary naming of herb in 19th century by a plant collector who happened to find some growing in Colleseum in Rome!

In Middle Ages it was used as a 'strewing' herb to improve atmosphere at gatherings and festivals, and to Anglo Saxons it was one of 'Nine Sacred Herbs' and known as 'Maythen'. In these times it was also used widely in Beer Making as a bittering ingredient, and it was not until hops took over that function in beer-making that it ceased to be used for this purpose.

It was monks during middle ages who became main custodians of herbal knowledge in Europe collecting and translating ancient works on herbal remedies and developing their own. It was at this time that 'double headed' variety of Anthemis nobilis 'Flora Pleno' is first mentioned, as a milder and less bitter source for tinctures and tisanes and was cultivated in monastery gardens. Flora Pleno is a 'Sport' or mutation of usual Anthemis nobilis, and will occur naturally about once in 10,000 in plants raised from seed. This variety is sterile (does not set seed) and all new plants are cuttings or 'clones' from these rare variations. 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'. Ancient History The Middle Ages