Can you grow dill from cuttings?

QUESTION: Can you grow dill from cuttings? Or do you have to start it from seeds or a starter plant or something? I’m thinking about growing some as part of a small herb garden area of my vegetable garden. – Iris B

GARDENING CHANNEL REPLIES: Yes, you can grow dill from cuttings. The best news is that it’s simple to do. It’s best to take the cuttings in spring or early summer as this is when dill is in its prime of production in most planting zones.

Be sure to only take cuttings from plants which are strong, healthy, and vibrant. It’s hard to expect something healthy to come from something that’s struggling. Keep this in mind when deciding which plants to take cuttings from.

Next, remove the cutting one-inch beneath the leafy portion of the plant. Place the cutting in a shallow glass container like a pint-sized mason jar.

Fill the jar partially with water and place the cutting in the water. You want the cut end of the plant to sit in the water, but the entire plant shouldn’t be submerged.

Place the cutting in a sunny window for two to three weeks and wait for roots to form. Be sure to change out the water in the jar two times per week.

After the cutting has roots that are an inch or greater in length, it’s time to pot the new plant. Place it in a container with adequate drainage and fill it with well-draining soil. The soil should also be rich in nutrients.

Dig a hole that’s deep enough to support the newly forming roots, place the plant in the hole, and backfill it.

Press around the base of the plant to ensure no air can reach the roots, and this should also help keep the plant in a well-supported position.

Be sure to research dill in your planting zone to know which time of year is best to grow it. This is vital as dill prefers plenty of sunlight but cooler temperatures.

Dill won’t thrive when the temperatures are consistently above 70-degrees Fahrenheit. Its ideal temperatures are between 60- to 70-degrees Fahrenheit. However, this plant can thrive in temperatures as low as 25-degrees Fahrenheit.

Continue to care for your plant by watering it deeply every time the soil is dry an inch beneath the surface. You shouldn’t need to fertilize dill unless the soil it’s growing in is of poor quality.

The only other thing dill needs from you is to be harvested regularly. This encourages better growth within the plant.

You now know how to grow dill from a cutting. With proper care, you can produce as much of the herb as you like with little expense and effort.

If you’re a fan of fresh dill, don’t waste your money buying plants. Instead, test out your gardening skills by using one plant to make many!