Dill has been cultivated as a seasoning and medicinal plant for thousands of years. In principle, growing it requires relatively little effort, but in certain locations the dill can sometimes become stunted or turn brown.
Why is my dill turning brown and what can I do about it?
Dill turns brown due to defects, unsuitable locations, diseases or pests such as carrot flies, nematodes, root lice or soil fungi. To counteract this, pay attention to crop rotation, choice of location, optimal irrigation and biological pest control.
The difficult search for the perfect location
Once you have successfully grown dill (Anethum graveolens) in your garden, it will sometimes take the stress out of finding the right location for you. By self-sowing, dill finds suitable growth sites for the next season if you let it. Basically, it can be said that dill likes to have its tips in full sun, while the root region should be in some shade. In addition, the delicate dill plants will thank you if it is in a place that is more sheltered from the wind. These criteria can best be combined if you grow dill in a raised bed or in a pot. Waterlogging and extreme dryness should be avoided to prevent the dill from turning brown.
Maintain crop rotation and distances from unpleasant neighbors
Sometimes defects such as browning of dill also occur if it is not grown in a suitable crop rotation. You should only sow dill in the same place about every four years if you want to harvest he althy dill tips and dill seeds. In addition, direct proximity or cultivation sequence with the following vegetables should be avoided:
- Celery
- parsley
- Fennel
- Basil
Various diseases and pests
In particular, growing dill in a pot can help prevent the occurrence of the dreaded emergence disease due to the separate installation option. The stunted growth and brown coloring of the plants can also be due to the following pests:
- Carrot fly
- roundworms
- Root lice
- Soil mushrooms
Since targeted control of these pests is extremely difficult, crop rotations should be adhered to and parts of the soil should sometimes be replaced if damage occurs. If the cone blight causes a nest-like brown color, you should cut out affected areas generously and definitely avoid overhead watering.
Tips & Tricks
Some dill diseases with wilting symptoms are mainly transmitted by aphids. You can combat this biologically by spraying the plants with a solution of 100 grams of wormwood in one liter of water.