Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a very versatile kitchen spice with positive effects on human he alth. You can grow dill not only in the garden but also in a pot on the balcony if you take a few factors into account.
How can I grow dill on the balcony?
To successfully grow dill on the balcony, you should place it halfway up behind a parapet and sow it in a deep pot with reasonably nutrient-rich soil and good drainage. Regular watering without waterlogging helps the dill grow he althily.
The right location for the dill on the balcony
Basically, sowing dill on the balcony meets the needs of the plant. Ultimately, dill prefers locations where its roots can be more or less in the shade and the flower umbels can be stretched out into the warming rays of the sun. So you're doing the dill a favor if you place it halfway up behind a balcony railing. This means that the delicate dill tips are also protected from strong cross winds. Since the dill has relatively deep roots, you should sow it on the balcony in a pot as deep as possible to ensure he althy growth.
The demands of dill on the substrate and irrigation
Dill is rather undemanding when it comes to the soil and its nutrient content. However, it should be reasonably nutrient-rich soil so that extra fertilization does not have to be carried out later. You should also avoid using soil that is too loamy, as this can lead to waterlogging and rotting of the dill roots, with the dill weed possibly turning brown. Excess water should be able to drain out of the pot through a drainage layer and holes in the bottom. Due to the greater exposure to wind and sun, you should water the dill more often than when planting dill in an outdoor bed. Always keep the roots of the dill as evenly moist as possible to avoid dry damage.
Care for and harvest dill properly
Aside from regular watering and the right substrate in a sufficiently deep pot, dill doesn't actually have any high demands when it comes to care. You can decide whether you would rather regularly harvest dill tips and dill weed from the dill on the balcony or whether you would rather wait for the seeds on the dill flowers to ripen. You can use these for the following purposes:
- for pickling cucumbers
- for seasoning marinades
- for preparing soothing tea from dill seeds
Tips & Tricks
If you discover aphids on your dill plants, you can rinse them off with water. However, if possible, do not overwater the flower umbels, as this could promote diseases such as umbel blight.
