Dill is a semi-hardy annual with erect, freely branching annual herb with finely dissected, lacy, blue-green foliage. Dill is best known for its use in the making of pickles but can be used both as a culinary and medicinal herb. Magickly, Dill – our herb of the month, is a powerful and potent plant ally.
Plant: Dill
Latin Name: Anethum graveolens
Family: Apeacia (a member of the parsley family)
Folk/Secret Names: Dilly, Dill Weed, Garden Dill, Meeting House Seed, Hairs of a Hamadryas Baboon, Semen of Hermes
Gender: Masculine
Elements: Fire
Planet: Mercury
Astrological Signs: Gemini
Deities: Anubis, Hermes, Janus, Khensu, Mercury
Magickal Uses of Dill
Parts Used: Leaves, flowers, and seeds
- Attracting Money – Place dill seeds and leaves in a spell bag then place in your wallet or purse to attract money.
- Attracting Romance – Add dill seed to a sachet and hang it on your showerhead or place in a bath to make you irresistible to your lover.
- Breaking Jinxes (leaves)
- Dispelling bad dreams – create a sachet and place under your bed or pillow.
- Emotional and Mental Balance
- Good Fortune in Court (seeds)
- Good Fortune in love affairs (seeds)
- Love
- Luck
- Lust
- Protection -Hang dill in doorways to promote protection. Place a sprig of dill in a child’s crib for safety and peaceful sleep.
Substitutions: You can substitute Fennel in your spell work if you are out of Dill as it has similar correspondences.
Growing Dill
Dill, our herb of the month, does not transplant well, so sowing the seeds is recommended. Plant 12 to 15 inches apart in a weed-free, semi-rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil in a sheltered sunny position. It takes well to pots and containers, just be sure that they drain well.
Plants may grow to 2 or 3 feet in height. Pinch off the flowers if you wish to increase the leaf production.
As soon as the plant has four to five leaves, you can start harvesting. Pinch off the leaves or cut them off with scissors.
Leaves can be used fresh or dried. Dry your harvested leaves by either hanging them upside down in bunches or spread on a mesh screen or muslin. Place in a warm – not hot – area out of the direct sunlight. You may also dry in a dehydrator.
When growing for the seed try growing more than one plant, one or two for the leaves and one or two for the seed. Do not plant Dill next to Fennel as the plants will cross-pollinate. Keep them away from Carrot as well as the carrots will not grow well with Dill around.
Dill seeds in the late summer or early autumn. Flower can take up to 25 days for the seeds to germinate. The seeds should be collected when they are light brown and fully formed. Place a paper bag over the seed heads and cut, leaving a bit of the stem sticking out of the bag. Tie the stems together and hang to dry for a 10 to 15 days. You will know that they are ready when you shake the bag and you hear the seeds fall.
Warning: Mature dill seeds are toxic to birds! Harvest all seeds before they drop.
Culinary Uses of Dill
Add Dill – our Herb of the Month – to potatoes for a tangy treat.
Create a Dill infused vinegar for use on salads by adding Dill to white wine vinegar and infuse for 2 weeks.
Add some dill to scrambled eggs, omelets and frittatas for some zest.
A pinch of dill creamed into butter with some added garlic makes a great spread for toast, bread and biscuits.
Let’s not forget the pickles! Dill – our Herb of the Month- is essential in making a crisp and crunchy dill pickle. Check out this great dill pickle recipe here
Medicinal Uses of Dill
The information provided below is for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. More information on these disclaimers can be found here.
- Antimicrobial
- Bacteriostatic
- Carminative
- Digestive aid
- Flatulence reducer
- Helps to soothe colic in infants
- Sleep Aid
- Soothes a gassy stomach
- Stimulant
- Stress reliever
- Dill helps relieve flatulence and a gassy stomach when taken as a tea or by chewing the seeds.
- Use Dill to assist in relieving infant colic.
- German health authorities have approved dill as a treatment for intestinal complaints related to bacteria.
- Chew on the seeds of the Dill plant to dispel bad breath (Halitosis)
- Taken as “dillwater” it aids in promoting the secretion of milk and, when taken regularly by nursing mothers, is said to help avoid colic in their babies.
