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I want to grow dill outside, in zone 7a, starting now (temperatures are already hitting 90F). Do I have any hope? I have parts of my yard that are full sun, and parts that are shaded in the morning/afternoon. I was hoping to grow it in a 5 gallon bucket. I could get some food-safe ones if leaching is an issue. I also see stuff about hot temperature and bolting. Would a planter bag be better for my awful summer climate to keep the plants from overheating? ( I know I need to pick something at least 12“ deep for the taproot, which seems to mean at least a 10 gallon bag.)
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Jun 15, 2021 17:41
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| # ¿ May 5, 2024 18:13 |
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Jhet posted:You can try using some shade cloth. The bucket or planting bag would each work just fine, just be sure to drill enough holes for drainage in the bucket. The most important time to shade will be in the afternoon, so anything you can do to keep the air flowing and the sun from baking it will help. Putting it in the morning sun and then maybe using shade cloth too might help you get your dill. Or it might bolt anyway. Sometimes plants just do what they want anyway. Thanks! Hopefully I can get some afternoon shade worked out for it to give it a fighting chance.
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Jun 15, 2021 18:55
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This morning I went out to check on my dill seedlings and the true leaves had fallen off most of them. Googling tells me this is probably damping off, which makes sense since we've had an unusually wet and cool couple of weeks. So: what do I do next? Wait for them all to die, then try again? It looks like I need to completely dump out my current bucket of soil, wash it, and start fresh with a new batch of soil. Does that sound correct?
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Jul 9, 2021 13:33
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i am harry posted:I doubt you need to wash it if it’s just overly wet soil in a container; the seedlings may have drowned but you can just turn the soil over in the container for a couple days to dry it out and replant. I don't know, about half of them had that really thin section at the base of the stem. 
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Jul 9, 2021 19:29
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Welp, I'm not going to worry about damping off for my remaining seedlings, although I will read a little more and adjust some stuff in my bucket. I went outside to view my remaining seedlings, wondering who survived the night with their leaves intact. Instead, I found this:  A completely empty bucket! No leaf debris at all, no fallen-over stems, nothing. Except...  One very satisfied caterpillar making its way out of my bucket.
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Jul 10, 2021 14:58
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i am harry posted:Ah well, you might be better off starting them inside on a window sill. It’s really amazing how big a plant can get in a small pot and my plan next year is to keep all of mine in very small containers until they’re bursting, rather than put them into large containers when they’re small because this sort of thing seems to happen more often, especially what you mentioned about the stems shriveling. Dill's not a good transplanter from what I read due to its long taproot, but you can be darn sure my basil is starting indoors next year. I know that'll survive a transplant.
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Jul 10, 2021 16:26
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If you mostly neglect and don't ever re-pot the bell pepper seedlings a friend leaves on your porch, you get tiny (yet delicious) fruit! 
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Nov 12, 2021 20:24
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I'm trying to grow dill again this summer! I've been trying since April, actually, but the weather has not cooperated, and when it has, something seems to be eating the seeds and sprouts. (We've got multiple bird nests this year and I suspect some of them.) Anyway! After 4 days of sun and 4 days of unrelenting rainfall, I finally got some uneaten sprouts this week. I also got a nice batch of inky cap mushrooms (coprinellus setulosi per an ID website). Makes me think I should try to grow edible mushrooms instead of herbs.  They look so pretty that I don't mind leaving them, but will they impact my dill in a negative way? (I know not to eat the mushrooms.)
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Jun 3, 2022 13:29
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I use an old cooler. It isn't great at UV resistance but it is a nice tight closure.
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Jun 8, 2022 04:12
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My basil has loved the heat and is taking off! My dill, though.  About half the seeds sprouted, about half of those were able to put out real leaves, and about half of those are still alive but stunted. One of them made a second real leaf, so I am hopeful it might not perish soon. Shade cloth is only doing so much when we get summer temps a month early. Might have to try these again mid-September.
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Jun 29, 2022 13:47
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That's why I love dill season. Oh, no, I need to get rid of a tasty little seedling? Don't mind if I do! 
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May 5, 2023 19:48
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I am late getting my garden started (again)! This year I'm growing dill, basil (whether I wanted to or not), and cucumbers. I went outside to sow my seeds, and found last year's basil bucket had several volunteer sprouts this morning! I guess I'm only a week off of nature this year. I thoroughly rehabbed and mixed up that soil in the basil bucket last weekend, too, so last year's plants must have made a ton of seeds to get any distributed at the top like that. Dill is starting from scratch because I always start it too late and it never gets big enough to do anything but make small sad flower heads and die off in a month from the heat. (I'm setting a reminder next year to sow it much earlier.) My cucumber seeds have been lost in the mail for a good two weeks; I'm getting more sent so I can maybe get them in the soil before it's too hot. Just have to hope El Niño cooperates this summer. I'll be growing Spacemaster 80 bush cucumbers in a 5 gallon bucket. I have picked up the cheapest tomato cage from Lowe's to give it something to climb. If they grow at all I'll get a sturdier trellis situation going for the next round.
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May 6, 2023 17:09
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I've finally got my cucumber seeds! Spacemaster 80, so we'll see how they do in a 5-gallon bucket with Lowe's Cheapest Tomato Cage as a trellis. Just realized I've got two varieties of dill, and two of basil all in like 20 square feet... so there'll probably be some cross-pollinating. That's OK. I don't mind ordering seeds for the varieties I like best next year. And any hybrid volunteers are welcome to give it a shot. I probably won't get my dill growing in enough time for cross-pollination to really matter before they succumb to the heat, but I will think positive thoughts at them.
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May 10, 2023 02:04
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Quick question: We're about to get slammed with 2" of rain. I have some very new just sprouted dill, basil, and cucumber seedlings coming up in my planters. Is it a good idea to put them under the eaves where they are mostly sheltered from the deluge? Or will those little things be ok with all that water in a 24 hr period? (The buckets are good drainers, at least. ) I moved them there for the hail last night and was going to move them back to their sunnier spots, but realized I might need to move them back again tonight.
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May 12, 2023 21:13
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All my buckets have finally sprouted! I also seem to have a basil sprout in the Dukat dill. I am not surprised. Those basil seeds get everywhere.
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May 15, 2023 23:44
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Got a tricotyledon sprout in my Emerald Towers basil! I know it means nothing much for the plant, but I'll pretend it's like a 4-leaf clover.
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May 18, 2023 22:43
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sterster posted:Crossposting Looks tasty. I think I want to plant beets this fall in my buckets-- maybe even two kinds, one for the greens and ones for the actual beets. I love beet greens roasted or done up like kale chips.
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Jun 4, 2023 23:03
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Joburg posted:I added pumpkin to some goat curry last winter and it was really good. Some pumpkin would probably do ok in a chili too. Pumpkin puree in chili is a delicious way to add some depth and thicken it up. Highly recommend.
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Jun 13, 2023 14:48
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My cucumber plant is making poor choices! I'll snip that stalk for lunch today to save us all some trouble later on. 5 dill plants is definitely too many for a 5 gallon bucket, right? Maybe I should just take that plant entirely for tasty sour cream dip.
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Jun 17, 2023 14:21
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I agree: I suggest trying some quick fridge pickles with the dill (cucumbers are classic) and making dip with the rest. Fresh dill is a very delicate flavor and doesn't dry well. Look up "hardening off" for the tomato. It might do great, but it's going to need some help.
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Jun 18, 2023 14:52
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Know anyone who does laser etching or engraving? Maybe one of those trophy places can engrave a little plaque. That would be your best bet for permanent marking. I've had decent luck with an oil-based paint pen on a rough plastic surface, but it probably isn't going to last more than 2 years.
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Jun 24, 2023 03:50
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I picked my first cucumber! I picked it early because somehow it expanded extremely fast while I was at work and half-snapped the vine it was on. I re-routed the other developing cucumbers for better support. This is a sweet and tasty cucumber! I'll plant multiple Spacemaster 80 plants next year and will try to have plenty for pickling ready at once. Assuming I can get my raised bed in place, that is. And the hail talk has made me grateful that I can just move these buckets whenever severe hail or derechos threaten.
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Jun 28, 2023 01:17
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Jhet posted:I left my mustard greens to go to flower/seed, but the aphids had a different idea. I’ve never seen so many in one place. They had completely covered the flowers and would wiggle in unison like an evil brass band full of trombonists. Amazing description Oh hey, would everyone like to see what a cucumber looks like if it isn't fully pollinated?  It's really funny how that chin grew out like a Habsburg king's.
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Jul 7, 2023 14:00
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Could be, I've had to go to twice a day watering with the drought and heat, but there were no seeds in the smaller part too.
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Jul 7, 2023 15:25
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Oh yes I am very excited for another couple of those pickling ones to be ready in a day or so. I've got Plans.
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Jul 7, 2023 17:15
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Soul Dentist posted:On a brighter note today was my first significant daily haul of tomato(ill)os: Avocado & tomatillo dip/sauce. Basically guac without the onions and using tomatillos instead of tomatoes.
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Jul 15, 2023 22:35
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MasterBuilder posted:Drying habaneros is just for long term storage right? The plant I'm growing on my front porch has shot up since I put it in a larger pot and the flowers are just starting to come in. Yes-- dry peppers (bell, habanero, whatever) for long-term storage if you have a good enough harvest to not eat all at once (or don't want to pickle/hot sauce/ferment etc). Just have adequate ventilation and PPE! Indoors is not recommended for hot peppers, as you're seeing in this thread. Speaking of drying the harvest for storage, my Dukat dill is starting to give me seeds! And also the second wave of swallowtails found my plants-- but that's why I have multiple buckets of them. I've got 3 eating away at my 6 plants right now. The Dwarf Fernleaf wasn't a good sprouter and I'd like to save some seeds from adapted plants for next year, but we'll see if I have any left for me.  The lush plant next to the dill is Everleaf Emerald Towers basil. It's tasty, loves the heat, and grows extremely compactly. I very much recommend it for containers or small spaces!
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Jul 28, 2023 18:32
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Roast turnips. They get very tasty.
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Jul 31, 2023 04:18
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Propagated some delicious mint cuttings from a friend and have now potted them up. These have about 2 inches of roots, plus I picked a few more leaves off and buried the stems in case that works better for them. We'll see if any survive! Mint is unkillable, right?
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Aug 1, 2023 00:56
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you ate my cat posted:That was my experience with my potted mint last year, but this year it started strong and now looks terrible. I've tried more water, less water, fertilizer, cutting it back, and nothing has really helped. I thought it might be mint rust, but I don't feel like it looks like the photos I've found. Anyone have any ideas? Hard to tell from the perspective but that looks like a lot of plant for that pot. I'd cut it back or remove some of them and see if that helps.
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Aug 4, 2023 20:52
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I accidentally made a big leaf mould pit with the leaves from our 7 red oaks over the years. They need about 2 years to decompose into something useful if you don't do anything else to them. They're very tough leaves!
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Aug 24, 2023 19:17
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3 weeks of 100F temperatures and ants farming aphids have finally finished off my cucumber plant. I got 6 prolific weeks of tasty sweet cucumbers, and then a few weeks of sort-of bitter cucumbers less often as our temps soared well above average, and then finally nothing as the plant just tried to survive. Overall I'm happy with it and will be planting Spacemaster 80 again next year. At least culling it a bit earlier than I wanted means I'll be able to solarize the soil in plenty of time to plant my fall crops! Assuming it ever gets cold enough for them.
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Aug 25, 2023 14:02
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Seconding Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. I've also had good luck with Botanical Interests, though orders have taken a little longer to get shipped than in the past while they work out the kinks. That's where I got my tasty and still-not-bolted Everleaf Emerald Towers Basil. Seed Geeks has been good for herbs too. I like to go for sellers with a roughly similar climate.
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Sep 12, 2023 00:51
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Spikes32 posted:Do any of these online seed sellers stock gmo seeds? Heirlooms are awesome, and I'm not talking about Monsanto poo poo, but I'd like to support some honest - better veggies through modern genetic manipulation - that most places I've seen are way against. I think you'll have to look at commercial agriculture suppliers for GMO stuff. The home gardener market is so set against it they aren't really available.
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Sep 12, 2023 03:34
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The weather service thinks we are FINALLY through with the 100°F temperatures!! I have planted my beets (Early Wonder, Touchstone Gold) and carrots (Danvers 126). I have about 7 weeks before the average first frost date, but since these are all in 5-gallon buckets I can bring them indoors overnight to avoid those and extend my growing season a bit. The carrots went into basil bucket soil and I expect I will get stumpy carrots out of it, though I did try to break up the roots. The beets I am less worried about-- the dill buckets left their soil very nicely textured. Even so, I'm hoping for lots of greens, and if I get good roots it'll be a bonus.
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Sep 16, 2023 17:37
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Arsenic Lupin posted:
Oh, that's very pretty! My beets have sprouted! It's pretty cool to see that the Touchstone Gold beets don't have any red to their sprouts. The dill sprouts are accidental and will be consumed once the first full leaves are in. (Dill really is a prolific self-seeder!) Touchstone Gold:  Early Wonder: 
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Sep 22, 2023 23:21
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CommonShore posted:Any of my fellow northern hemisphere types interested in producing and reading year-in-review posts? I'm going to do an effortpost later today or tomorrow about the potato growing method that I'm retiring after 5 years, but I couldn't resist the urge to post something now and bump the thread. Yes 
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Oct 7, 2023 20:46
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I did not have the "too many" problem with my beets. I was hoping to pickle some but that'll have to come next year. Don't start your fall crops too late: these guys needed more time & light, but they are the best beets I've ever had.  I turned this mighty harvest of beets into a fancy dinner: roasted balsamic (baby cut) carrots & beetroot, served on a bed of tri-color parmesan couscous, surrounded by crispy beet green chips. We each got one (1) beet so it is like we ate at a Michelin restaurant.
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Nov 10, 2023 01:30
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Make sure you're not throwing nitrogen at the beets; they'll be encouraged to grow leaves instead of roots.
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Dec 19, 2023 18:52
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| # ¿ May 5, 2024 18:13 |
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Not really new, but new to me: Swiss chard. I just love beet greens so much that I figured I might as well try chard. I've got Fordhook Giant (husband's request because it has a cool name) and Ruby Red seeds on their way! "Giant" or extra large varieties of things tend not to do so well in my area's brutal summer heat, but we'll see how it goes! Also got a raised bed going this year! I'll do square foot gardening with it. It's a Birdie's tall 6-in-1, resting on the sunny part of my yard (a concrete patio), half filled with old oak wood and random yard detritus to make my wallet a little happier with how much soil it needs. Still planning on some buckets too: mint, maybe a spring round of carrots since the carrots have loved their bucket this winter.
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Jan 12, 2024 17:59
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