Correct cultivation of dill on a windowsill from seeds

In winter, a person often lacks fresh vegetables and fruits, which supply our body with useful trace elements and vitamins. To fill this gap, avoiding vitamin deficiency, you can start growing dill from seeds right on your balcony or windowsill. And then at any time of the day or night, fresh green leaves will be on your table, complementing the taste of your first and second courses.

Is it possible to grow dill on a balcony or windowsill

It is quite possible to grow dill and other greens on the balcony. But this is only on condition that the balcony is glazed and insulated. The room must be kept at the correct temperature within + 8 + 18 degrees Celsius, neither lower nor higher.

But the worst option is when the seedlings simply die and all your efforts will be in vain.

Plant varieties for growing at home

If you decide to provide yourself with herbs for the whole winter, you should not choose early varieties of dill. They are distinguished by a small amount of foliage and suddenly put out stems to bloom.

It is best to give preference late varieties. For winter, this is the best option.

Most popular late varieties are considered:

• Russian size;
• Gourmet;
• Salute.

Gardeners recommend plant at the same time at home early and late varieties plants. Thus, you can always eat greens. Until the late dill is ripe, the early one will spoil you. When the early one leaves, the late one will already grow. That is to say, the cycle of plants on your balcony.

To the most popular and unpretentious early plants should include the following varieties:

• Gribovsky;
• Grenadier;
• Richelieu.

Preparing the soil for planting dill at home

The soil for disembarkation must be rich in nutrients and substances... Everything in order to at least make up for a possible lack of light. The soil can be used ready-made. It is best mixed, though, in a one-to-one ratio with garden soil.

At the bottom of the container, it is sure to fall asleep drainage... It can be expanded clay or medium-fraction sand.

Greens loves warmth... That is why it is recommended to put a sheet of polystyrene under the container with seedlings. If it is difficult to control the temperature on the balcony, it is recommended to completely glue the entire flowerpot with foam plastic.

Rules for sowing seeds in a pot

Before planting seeds in the soil, they it is recommended to germinateby soaking for a couple of weeks until shoots form.

If you can't wait that long, you can use this trick: pour the seeds into a saucer, fill them with warm water and cover with gauze. During the day, the water should be changed twice.

To rid the seeds of damage by various diseases and fungi, they can soak in a warm solution of potassium permanganate before sowing. This will ensure seedlings in just a few days.

The soil is abundantly watered with water at room temperature, and then seeds are evenly sown on it. It is not worth deeply deepening the seeds, otherwise it will be difficult for them to break through. It is recommended to lightly shake everything with a little earth.

The container is covered with plastic wrap, but after a while it should be removed differently, condensation will appear. As soon as the first shoots break through, the film can be removed permanently.

Plant care rules

• Dill constantly needs moisture... That is why monitor the soil regularly. Although excess moisture is also not good, fungus may appear;
• it is recommended to fertilize the soil with a complex of fertilizers twice a month;
• the optimal temperature regime for growth is +18 degrees Celsius. But if it is winter, then lowering the indicator to +8 degrees is also fine. In principle, plants will continue to grow if they have enough lighting;
• the high temperature on the balcony will lead to yellowing of the foliage. If the container is located by the window is monitor lighting... Excess light is the reason for the refinement and fragility of the stems;
• as soon as the first shoots appear, it is better to open the window for ventilation at night to lower the temperature. This will prevent the plants from pulling up.

How to properly water greens in winter

Dill refers to hygrophilous plants. therefore summer it is watered very often and abundantly. Indeed, under the scorching sun, moisture evaporates extremely quickly.

But in winter the situation is different. Therefore, watering should be moderate, only when necessary if the soil is dry. In this case, excessive moisture can cause the appearance of fungus and wilting of dill.

Correct lighting

Dill stretches in the light, its shoots and stems become thin and fragile, and the leaves are light. To correct the situation, you can use special lamps. It is recommended to place them at a distance of 0.5 meters from the container with plants.

Dill can develop normally if within 16 hours it will be well lit. To enhance the effect, a mirror or foil can be placed between the glass of the window and the pots. This will enhance the illumination of the space.

Weeding and loosening

Dill, although a plant and unpretentious, but weeds and crust of the earth around does not tolerate... He needs a place for the normal development of stems and leaves, the enrichment of the soil with oxygen (which helps the regular loosening of the earth) and normal humidity.

Therefore, constantly monitor the container with plants, water it, pull out weeds and loosen the soil, then the dill harvest will be better.

Top dressing

If you will use for plants fertile black soil, rich in useful trace elements and substances, it is not necessary to use fertilizers. Otherwise, it is recommended to apply a complex of mineral fertilizers a couple of times a month. Best for dill to buy vermicompost.

Harvesting and the appearance of the first dill on the balcony

Greenery grows normally on a glassed-in balcony, where the freezing temperature is maintained. Literally a month and a half after planting, you can please yourself and your family with fresh green tea.

Growing greenery won't be too difficult. from March to August, whereas in autumn and winter care will get a little more complicated.

This is because the sunlight will no longer be enough and additional lighting will be needed, you need to monitor the temperature so that the plants do not freeze. But in any case, even such costs for growing greenery are worth it.

Delicious, healthy and aromatic parsley, dill or basil are always pleasant. Especially if you don't need to buy it, but just look at the balcony garden.