Dill is a culinary herbal plant in the celery family Apiaceae. Its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavoring food. Dill planting is of many advantages, not only to the farmer but also to other crops around the plant. Dill also serves a great benefit to human consumers.
Research has it that this herbal plant helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Aside from the fact that the Dill plant and seed are believed to improve heart health, some research on animals shows that dill can also reduce cholesterol levels.
Growing Dill through Companion Planting
Companion planting involves growing one plant alongside another to benefit both plants. We will explore some plants that go well along with Dill in the same space in the following lines of this article.
1. Asparagus
Dill works to protect asparagus, especially from aphids which are one of the most problematic pests of asparagus. The presence of Dill will attract predatory insects that feed on pests of asparagus, especially aphids. The presence of Dill in your asparagus farm helps you save money that would have been invested in buying pesticides and farm insecticides.
2. Cucumber
Cucumber beetles are one of the nastiest cucumber pests, and the natural solution to these pests is Dill. If your aim for companion planting, especially on your cucumber farm, is pest protection, dills are your best bet. Dills will attract braconid wasps that prey on cucumber beetles and other cucumber pests. One additional advantage of combining Dill and cucumber in the same garden space is that the presence of Dills significantly improves the cucumber’s flavor.
3. Yarrow
Yarrow is a ladybug attractor, and ladybugs are predatory to armyworms. Ladybugs feed on armyworm eggs as soon as they are laid, thereby giving them no chance of advancing their destructive cause on Dills. If armyworm is allowed to fester around Dills, the effects of their festering are farther-reaching than you can imagine. That is the job Yarrows specialize in when planted around Dills. Yarrow also attracts pollinators (such as butterflies) to the Dill farm.
4. Basil
Planting Basil and Dills in the same space will work to improve each other’s flavors significantly. Moreover, they grow under similar conditions, so you do not have to worry about unique care routines for the Basil or the Dill when they are inter-planted.
5. Onion
The fragrance of onions deters many pests from the dill planting space. Dill itself has a strong aroma, which is a deterrent to many garden pests. Combining these two in the same garden space will produce an almost pest-free gardening space. Dills can keep Japanese beetles which are dangerous to onions, away from the farm space. Onions planted close to Dills also tend to have an improved flavor.
6. Garlic
Garlic is a deterrent to pests of Dills such as aphids. Aphids, in particular, are dangerous little creatures when they plague a Dill farm. That is why you should consider growling Garlic around your Dill. Moreover, Garlic doesn’t take up a lot of space to develop, so it helps you get a better farm yield without necessarily expanding space.
7. Corn
Aphids are enemies of corn growth; they infest the corn farm till your corn farm turns into the exact opposite of what you would call a perfect corn farm. Cutworms and Corn Earworms are other ferocious pests of corn. The natural solution to all this nastiness in corn pests is to plant dills around the corn. Dill is a deterrent to many garden pests, and the scope of Dill’s pest deterrence also covers aphids and other corn pests.
8. Broccoli
Dills are mostly planted for their pest-deterrent abilities. This is also why you should consider planting Dill close to your Broccoli plantation or within it. Broccoli can be disturbed by cabbage worms and loopers, which are voracious when they infest the broccoli farm.
9. Chervil
Well, chervil isn’t precisely directly beneficial to Dill. Aside from primary benefits and the fact that they do not hinder each other’s growth, Chervil and Dill are great companions because of their benefits to other plants in the garden space. Each of these plants is an excellent pest repellant. When you have both plants in the same garden space, you amplify the pest replant abilities of both plants and ensure double protection on your farm space.
10. Kale
Although cabbage moths are named after Cabbage, they are pests of many plants in the Brassica plant family, to which Kale belongs. You can handle and overcome cabbage moths and other pests’ infestation of your kale farm by having Dill interplanted with your Kales.
11. Kohlrabi
Planting Dill and Kohlrabi in the same garden space can significantly improve the health of the Kohlrabi. How does Dill do this? You ask. Dill repels pests that would have been responsible for Kohlrabi’s unhealthiness, such as cabbage worms. The pest repulsion ability of Dill is what makes it a perfect fit for Kohlrabi.
12. Brussel Sprout
Brussel sprout is another member of the brassica (Cabbage) plant family. Like other members of this plant family, Brussel Sprouts benefit from being planted around Dill because of the ability of Dills to repel pests. Dill is a deterrent to pests such as cabbage loopers and cabbage worms which are a nightmare to any plant in the brassica family.
13. Swiss Chard
Dills assist the growth of Swiss Chards. The presence of Dills will deter pests of Swiss Chard, such as Cabbage Worms, Cabbage Loopers, and Cabbage Moths. These pests severely hinder the growth of Swiss Chards, and the natural solution to their terror is to plan Dill as an anti-terrorist.
14. Tomatoes
Tomato Hornworm is the nightmare of tomato farmers, but not to worry, the presence of Dill is also a natural solution. Dill attracts predatory pests to the pests of Tomatoes, thereby ensuring the tomato plant is kept safe in the farmland.
15. Lettuce
Aside from the fact that Lettuce helps the farmer make the best use of land space because it is a small plant, Lettuce benefits greatly from being planted with Dills. Dills attract parasitic insects that prey on Lettuce pests, and in that process, the Lettuce would be protected.
16. Cilantro
Cilantro, like Dill, has a strong fragrance that strongly deters many garden pests. Planting both Cilantro and Dill in the same space ensures both plants are protected. Beyond both plants, Cilantro and Dill will also ensure the safety of most other garden plants with which they are planted.
17. Zucchini
Asides from the pest repulsion abilities of Dills, which can significantly benefit Zucchinis, Zucchinis, and Dills grow well together. The fact that they do not hinder themselves is why both Zucchini and Dill are great companion plants.
18. Summer Squash
Summer squash and Dills do not hinder each other’s growth, which is why you can combine both in the same space. Then, Dill’s pest-repellant abilities will also help the summer squash and other plants in the garden space.
19. Collard Green
Cabbage moths also disturb Collard Green, so you should plant them around Dills. Dill is a deterrent to cabbage moths and other pests of Collard Green, so having it around will ensure better protection for the Collard Green.
20. Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the plants that benefit the most by being planted around Dills. Many pests are named after Cabbage, such as Cabbage Moths, Cabbage Loopers & Cabbage Worms, and their names represent how they function and what they best enjoy. These pests of Cabbage are repelled by the presence of Dill, which is why you should consider planting Dill around your Cabbage.
Precautionary Measures for Using Dill Companion Plants
There are certain plants you should keep as far away from your dill farm as possible because they do not do well with Dill. Plants in the nightshade and the Umbelliferae plant family generally do not thrive properly with Dills. Be sure to keep plants in those categories out of your Dill farm.