How to have constant supply of dill throughout summer?

Question

I really like dill, so I would like to have a constant supply of it in my garden.

However, every time I sow dill, it grows and has some leaves, eventually flowers and I am left without any of it.

Having recently read the question on Best conditions for basil I have seen how beneficial flower pinching is.

My question is, can dill's life be prolonged by removing the flowers and pinching the stem? Or is it just a plant with short lifespan and the only way of having constant supply of it is by reseeding every 2-4 weeks?

Answer 1

Yes, you can extend its life by not allowing it to flower - the aim of most annual plants is to grow, flower, be pollinated, and set seed. Once they've done that, their job is over and they die. Delaying the flowering/seeding process means the plant continues to grow, but there is an end to the process - the plant will eventually give up and die anyway. Try it, see how well it works - plan to have a couple of successive sowings, say 4 weeks apart, next year, and give them all a reduced version of the 'chelsea chop'. You should then be able to have dill leaves for most of the season. Let some seed though; the seeds themselves have a pungent taste and can be used to flavour food too.

Answer 2

Pinching dill back will work for awhile, but I find that the quality of the foliage degrades over time even if you aren't allowing the plant to flower - the stems get too big and tough, and the texture of the leaves also changes. I think you are best off reseeding every few weeks in the summer.