Microgreens are an easy way to add extra nutrients and interest to your food. They make for a delicious crunch and unique taste. If you're looking for something a little different to liven up your lunch, try dill microgreens. They are zesty, have a dill-like taste that is reminiscent of cucumbers, and go well with a wide variety of dishes.
Dill microgreens can also benefit your health. They contain vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, amino acids, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, and many more nutrients that we are unlikely to eat enough of. Because you can grow microgreens in a small space indoors, you can easily access these nutritional benefits year round.
Growing dill microgreens is easy and rewards you with a harvest in just a few weeks. Let's take a look at how you can grow these greens in your home.
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Dill microgreens short info
The newly germinated microgreens have not yet developed their feathery foliage from above.
| Taste: | Aromatic, grassy, spicy |
| Soaking: | 4 hours in cold water (optional) |
| Rinsing / emptying: | Optional |
| Germination: | 4-5 days |
| Ideal harvest: | 12-15 days |
Growing dill microgreens
The process of growing dill microgreens is similar to other types of microgreens. You put the seeds in a tray, water them and in a couple of weeks you will have vegetables that are ready to eat. Let's dive into the installation guide and take a closer look.
materials
These are the materials you will need to get started.
- Seeds: We love the microgreen dill seeds from True Leaf Market.
- Containers: You will need 2-3 flat containers. One tray should have several holes in the bottom and the others shouldn't.
- Growing Medium: Espoma's Seed Starter Mix or our Urban Worm Coconut-Coconut are excellent choices to start your dill seeds.
- Light: A T5 grow light is strongly recommended.
- Bonus: heating mats and a spray bottle are recommended, but not required.
Some of our favorite strains of dill from the True Leaf Market are the following:
You can grow microgreens in almost any container, but we recommend shallow growing containers as this will help keep the soil consistently moist. Since the roots don't take up much space, going for something flat will save you space and money. We recommend that you use three trays, but you can get by with just two as not all breeders use the blackout method, which we'll get into in more detail in a moment.
Your dill microgreens need light, and a T5 grow light works best because it's long lasting and efficient. But you are welcome to use whatever is available to you. If you grow your microgreens year round, you may also want a heating mat to regulate the temperature of the soil if you know the growing area will get cold in winter.
You can use a soilless medium like we suggested for growing microgreens, or you can use a starting soil of your choice. Whichever medium you choose should be light and airy so that the roots and sprouts can easily penetrate through. It also prevents clumping, which will help you grow even more dill microgreens in just one bowl.
soaking
Soaking the seeds in water before planting helps speed germination by locking in moisture. This is generally recommended for seeds with hard coatings, such as sunflower seeds, as the moisture makes the coating softer.
Dill seeds are small in size and have a tough coating that benefits from soaking. It can take up to two weeks for them to germinate without soaking them, or up to a week if you soak them. Since they're small, you only need to soak them for about four hours. The downside is that because they are small, they can be difficult to distribute evenly across the nutrient medium after they are soaked.
If the dill seeds are planted in the right soil and given enough light and moisture, they will germinate regardless of whether you soaked them or not. It's your decision.
plants
Dill seeds are easy to recognize by their shape and aroma.
Before you plant the dill microgreens, you need to prepare the seed trays.
Take the cultivation tray with the holes and fill it with the cultivation medium just below the edge. This will make it easier to harvest the dill microgreens later. Soak the medium thoroughly so that it becomes moist but not mushy. Let it drain a little in case you accidentally added too much water. Then distribute the soil so that the surface is flat and has no clumps.
Once the soil is sufficiently moist, it's time to add the microgreen dill seeds. Add about an ounce of seeds per 10 "x 20" inch tray. Scatter the seeds over the top of the medium, making sure the seeds don't clump in one place. Make sure you don't over-seed. If too many seeds touch, the young shoots wither or die. The layer should be thin and should not have piles of seeds after planting.
Because the seeds are so small, they don't need to be covered in more medium as long as they are in direct contact with what's underneath.
Now is the time to put the seeds you planted aside so they have time to grow. Not every grower uses the same germination process, so you can experiment with this next part to see what works best for your setup.
The blackout method allows the seeds to germinate in the dark for 4-5 days. For this method, place one of the non-perforated bowls upside down over the seeds to form a dome. Water the dill microgreens 2-3 times a day to keep the seeds and medium moist, but not wet. A spray bottle is recommended to make watering easier. Use a fine mist to prevent overwatering.
The plants that will sprout look pale, but this is normal as they have not yet received any light. Once they have access to sunlight or grow lamps, they will develop green leaves in a few days.
Some growers skip the blackout method and let the seeds germinate in natural light or under grow light from the start. One of the advantages of plants is that there is never a right way to grow the plants, so you can choose which one you prefer. If you didn't get good results the first time you grew dill microgreens, try differently the second time.
Growing
Once your microgreen dill seeds have sprouted and are a few inches tall, it's time to give them some light. Place them under a grow light so they are evenly exposed. Placing the light just above their head allows them to grow straight up and not bend over. You can give your plants direct sunlight on a windowsill instead if you have enough available.
The plants should get around twelve hours of light a day. Getting that much direct sunlight every day can be difficult, which is why we strongly recommend using grow lights.
Keep watering the sprouts every day to keep them moist. To make pouring easier, put the tray in another tray that has no holes. Add water to the lower bowl to create a continuous irrigation system. It's easier to use a larger tray to hold the water because you have space on the sides to pour water. If you find this method soaking the media, pour out the excess water as soon as it is sufficiently moistened.
It should take 12-15 days for the dill to be ready for harvest from the first sprouting. While waiting, continue to keep an eye on growing conditions to make sure moisture and light are where they need to be.
harvest
Their dill microgreens are perfect for crops between 3-5 inches tall, although a little bigger or smaller won't hurt. However, the taste will change as the microgreens continue to grow.
Harvest them in the morning or evening so the greens don't wither from warm conditions. Seed coatings can stick to the leaves, but you can easily pick them off or rub them with your hand.
Use a sharp knife, scissors, or secateurs to harvest the microgreens. Cut just above the soil line to prevent soil from being ingested during the harvest. When you have filled the tray to just below the top, you can line your knife or scissors along the edge and use this as a guide to make the cut.
Dill greens won't grow back, so you can throw away soil and roots or add them to your compost heap. It is possible to reuse the same medium for more than one batch, or to incorporate it into other pot mixes if you prefer; the remaining roots will decompose over time.
You can wash your dill microgreens before eating them if you want, but it's not necessary if you haven't used chemicals.
storage
After harvesting, you don't need to wash the dill microgreens before storing them. Too much moisture in storage can lead to wilting or mold growth.
If you don't want to eat them right away, store dill microgreens fresh in a sealed container or plastic bag with a paper towel. The paper towel absorbs moisture and keeps it fresh longer. The microgreens should keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
frequently asked Questions
The micro dill variety "Bouquet".
Q: How do dill microgreens taste?
A: Dill microgreens are aromatic and have a piquant taste that is slightly grassy. They're pretty similar to the taste of ripe dill.
Q: How to use dill microgreens?
A: Dill microgreens can be used in a similar way to ripe dill. Their taste goes well with sandwiches, salads, fish and mixed with other herbs. Dill microgreens are packed with nutrients that offer many benefits. So play around until you find your preferred way of using them.
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