Dill

Dill – Heirloom from the Balkans (Anethum graveolens)

Botanical Name: Anethum graveolens
Annual | Culinary & Medicinal | Heritage Lineage | Grown from Seed

This richly aromatic heirloom dill has been passed down through generations of a Balkan family lineage, preserving both its robust flavour and strong growth habit. Grown for both its feathery foliage and umbrella-like flower heads, dill is an essential herb in Eastern European and Mediterranean cuisines, prized for its ability to elevate soups, pickles, breads, and fish dishes.

Now thriving in Irish gardens, this variety does especially well in cool, temperate climates, maturing quickly and producing abundant, flavour-packed leaves, flowers, and seeds—all of which are edible. It’s a fantastic companion plant, attracting beneficial insects and repelling pests, making it a staple for natural growers.
? Horticultural Highlights:

Plant Type: Hardy annual

Height: 60–100 cm

Foliage: Finely divided, fern-like leaves

Flowers: Yellow umbels, excellent for pollinators

Uses: Leaves for cooking, flowers for pickling, seeds for spice

Flavour: Fresh, clean aniseed-like taste—intensely aromatic

Companion Planting: Repels aphids and supports pollinators

? Growing Instructions (Seed Propagation – Irish Conditions):

Sowing Time:

    Outdoors: April to June (can be succession sown every 2–3 weeks)

    Indoors: March for earlier transplanting

Sowing Method: Sow thinly, 0.5–1 cm deep

Spacing: Thin or transplant to 20–30 cm apart

Soil: Light, well-drained soil enriched with compost

Light: Full sun preferred; tolerates light shade

Watering: Keep evenly moist, especially in dry spells

Harvest: Begin cutting leaves when 15–20 cm tall; harvest seeds when heads turn brown

? Historical & Cultural Significance:

This heirloom Balkan dill traces its roots to traditional home gardens in the Eastern European region, where it has long played a vital role in both culinary and medicinal traditions. It is particularly tied to dishes such as pickled vegetables, creamy sauces, and fresh salads. In folk medicine, dill was used to calm digestion and was sometimes placed in cradles to protect infants.

This seed has been lovingly saved through family lines—a living thread of heritage that now continues in Irish soil.