When to sow parsley and dill before winter and is it possible to do it

Parsley and dill are widely used in cooking. They are included in salads, appetizers, marinades, first and second courses. Greens can be easily to grow in a personal or summer cottage. To get an early harvest, many gardeners use the winter method of planting seeds.

This sowing option has its own characteristics, which we will discuss in the article.

Is it possible to sow parsley and dill before winter

Parsley and dill are plants with high frost resistance. With autumn sowing, greens quickly and amicably sprout immediately after the snow melts. If seeds are sown in spring, their germination rate will be much lower.

This phenomenon is due to two reasons:

1. The seeds contain essential oils that retard germination and prevent the absorption of moisture necessary for germination.
2. In spring, the soil may not be sufficiently moistened.

Seed material planted before winter not only tolerates frosts well down to -4 ° C, but also receives a lot of moisture when the snow melts. A large amount of water in the soil helps to wash out essential oils, which ensures rapid swelling of seeds and their germination.

The best varieties for winter cultivation

In personal and summer cottages grow both root types of parsley and leafy ones. The variety for planting is chosen depending on the purpose of the plant culture.

Most often, the following varieties are planted before winter:

1. Sugar. It has a high leaf rosette and a conical root crop. Ripens early. Possesses excellent taste in root crops and leaves.
2. Russian size. Refers to root species. The underground part reaches a length of 30 cm. The pulp is white with a pleasant aroma and excellent taste.
3. Eagle. The root variety is undemanding to growing conditions. It has lush greenery and a pronounced aroma.
4. Ordinary leaf. It has a pleasant taste. It tolerates low temperatures well and rises quickly in spring.
5. Italian giant. Refers to mid-season varieties. Produces lush and aromatic greens that grow back quickly after being cut.
6. Esmeralda. The leaves of the plant are corrugated. Due to their decorative appearance, they are often used to decorate a variety of dishes.

When planting dill before winter, they choose zoned varieties that are suitable for a certain climatic zone.

The most popular among gardeners are:

1. Gribovsky. It has a sprawling bush with a small rosette about 30 cm high.Leaves reach a length of 20 cm.The variety is well suited for growing in the open field... Contains a large amount of vitamins and essential oils. It has a positive effect on digestion.
2. Kibray. Refers to late-ripening and highly productive varieties. Up to 80 g of greens are harvested from one bush. It has large leaves of light green color with a delicate aroma. Possesses excellent taste, undemanding to care.

When is the best time to plant

Seed sowing times may differ for different climates. Depending on the weather, greens are planted in October or early December. A necessary condition for winter sowing is a stable cooling. The air temperature should be around 0 ° C. They select the time when the soil is already freezing at night and thaws during the day.

Reference! If snow is already falling, this will not be an obstacle to sowing. Snow is simply swept from the garden and the seeds are planted.

Features of planting in the cold season

Planting greenery before winter has its own characteristics and advantages. The harvest will be as early as possible. Plants actively germinate, strong and strong seedlings appear. They are edible immediately after the snow melts.

Attention! Early harvesting of greenery makes it possible to reuse this area.

How to choose the right place

For sowing seeds, open areas are chosen that warm well in the sun and on which snow melts quickly in spring. A good option for a garden bed is the southern slopes.

You can choose a place for planting under the crown of a tree - there is no risk of shading, since the greenery appears much earlier than the buds bloom.

It is not recommended to use the site in the shade of buildings and fences. When sowing parsley and dill in the winter, lowlands should also be avoided.

When choosing a location, keep in mind that greens are demanding on the composition of the soil. Plant crops love fertile, organic soil with a light and loose structure. The best option for growing them is soil with neutral acidity.

Reference. Dill and parsley do not grow well on acidic soil. However, excessive liming is also not recommended, as if there is an excessive amount of lime in the bed, the dill changes color from green to red.

It is useful to plant seeds in areas where they were previously grown:

• cabbage;
• potatoes;
• cucumbers;
• beets;
• carrot.

Planting and growing technology

Although parsley and dill are undemanding to care, when growing these crops, it is worth considering the peculiarities of agricultural technology.

Seed preparation

Winter sowing of greens does not require soaking, dressing and germination of planting material.

Attention! Before winter, the seeds are placed in the ground in a dry form.

During planting and after planting, the soil is not watered, since any measure aimed at stimulating seed germination can lead to the death of the plant culture.

Damaged and low-quality seeds are discarded during inspection.

Soil preparation

The soil for parsley and dill begins to be prepared in a few weeks. In the selected area, weeds are well selected, carefully removing their root system.

During the digging, compost or humus is added and a small amount of mineral fertilizers is added. For 1 sq. m of land is recommended to use a composition that includes:

• ammonium nitrate (15 g);
• superphosphate (10 g);
• potassium salt (10 g).

The bed is well loosened and leveled with a rake. To prevent the germination of weeds and waterlogging of the soil, the prepared area is covered with slate, roofing felt, cardboard or coniferous branches.

Landing

When sowing dill and parsley, the following rules are followed:

1. The seed is placed in the furrows to a depth of 5 cm, leaving a distance between rows of 10-15 cm.
2. The seeds are placed more densely, since part of the planting material can freeze during the cold season.
3. To get a more even sowing, dry river sand is used. It is pre-mixed with green seeds.
4. Fill the furrows with a mixture of soil, peat, humus and sand. Such a composition not only protects well in frosts, but also promotes the rapid germination of seed material in spring.

Then the bed is covered with mulch (fallen leaves, hay, straw, pine paws).

Attention! When growing greenery, it is recommended to arrange the rows from north to south so that they are evenly warmed up by the sun throughout the day.

Dill before winter can also be sown according to a different scheme. Seeds are scattered over the site in a fan, and a small amount of humus and mulch is scattered on top. With this method, it is possible to obtain a higher yield of greens.

Care features

Taking care of the greenery, the following agrotechnical measures are carried out:

1. Watering. In the spring, the soil is moistened as needed several times a week. Water in the evening. In the hot period, the amount of watering is increased so that the plants do not form peduncles.
2. Top dressing. If in the fall, during the preparation of the site, the soil was enriched with mineral and organic fertilizers, the greens will not need additional feeding in the next season.
3. Weeding and loosening. Weeds are removed regularly and the soil is loosened. This is done 1-2 times a month.
4. Shelter from the heat. In the heat, it is advisable to shade the greens so that they do not wither. For this, an opaque material is used, which is fixed on special racks.
5. Pest control. To protect plants, tobacco dust, harmless to the body, is used. It is mixed with sand in equal proportions and sprinkled with a garden bed around the bushes.
6. Treatment diseases. The use of modern biological agents that are safe for health is shown.

Conclusion

Planting crops in autumn has several advantages over spring planting. With this method, vitamin greens are obtained on the site in early spring, when other vegetable crops are just beginning to be planted.

A correctly selected variety and adherence to the recommended agricultural techniques are a guarantee of a rich harvest of dill and parsley.