Kitchen Garden Forum

I’ve successfully grown lots of herbs in my unheated greenhouse including dill and coriander, all growing in pots. Will they be ok to transplant into the soil outside once I’ve acclimatised them to the slightly colder conditions? Also, will dill and coriander grow on well in pots or should they ideally be planted out.

Both will grow happily outside in the Summer, I would suggest June onwards. I don't very often grow coriander outside usually just keeping a rotation going in the polytunnel beds, I've never tried keeping it in pots, it has quite big roots so I guess you would need a deep pot. Every year I try dill (keep getting free KG seeds) both inside and out but it always goes to seed without making a worthwhile plant so if somebody has a trick I'd love to hear it.

Dear Helen,
dill and coriander are both hardy annuals and can be sown outside from April onwards. They prefer a well drained soil and if that is not available then a large pot or crate is probably best. If you want them for their leaves then they should be prevented from flowering, however both are loved insects especially by hoverflies and bees so are good for wildlife if they are allowed to flower. The seeds are, of course, welcome in any good cooks kitchen and there is the bonus of free seeds for next year. Be warned, if you let them flower in a pot, make sure it is well wedged so it cannot fall over as coriander will get to 75cms high and dill to 100cms.
Regards Sally Wright.

Thanks Geoff and Sally for the advice.

Because of the pots with tall dill blowing over, I am growing dill Nano for the first time this year (from DT Brown). It has been slow to germinate in the greenhouse, but I hope for better things. Might be worth trying this, Helen, in future years.

Thank you Monika.

I ,ve never grown coriander but did grow a few dill plants two years ago and they grew very tall. Some of them self seeded in my veg plot and now i seem to have hundreds of little feathery seedlings growing up everywhere, even in cracks in the paving between my slabs so if yiu grow dill in pots make sure the seeds don't, get blown around. At least you'll have a free supply of seedlings the following year!

I’ll certainly watch out for that Primrose as I will be planting some in pots and some in the border. Is it necessary to pinch out Dill plants as they are growing as the plants in my greenhouse seem to be quite tall, a couple are about 18”. Not sure whether they are supposed to be like that or whether they have bolted.

My dill Nano, a dwarf variety, is now large enough to harvest. It's ok but the taste is not as strong as 'normal' dill and also appears to be a bit tougher. I think I'll go back to the tall dill next year and stake it.