Planting Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro in My Vegetable Garden
Fresh, delicious vegetables will soon be growing in my garden.
Planting is in full swing here at my farm. My new vegetable garden is looking excellent this season and my gardeners are busy filling each and every bed. We've already planted many crops including the brassicas, asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes, onions, leeks, shallots, and potatoes. Yesterday, we also planted cilantro, dill, and parsley. Everything I grow is shared with family and friends, used for video and print shoots, and saved for making my daily green juice. Whatever is left over goes to my beloved birds - the chickens, the peafowl, and the geese. I am looking forward to a very bountiful season.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
-
- The weather this week here at my Bedford, New York farm has been excellent for gardening. Ryan McCallister and Brian O’Kelly have been so busy getting more of our crops in the ground. Here are just some of the herbs ready to plant.
-
- A few weeks ago, I planted some lettuces – look how beautiful they are now. I can’t wait to try them.
-
- And remember our asparagus? We already have many stalks growing, but since this is its first year, we cannot harvest it. Asparagus needs a couple of years to get fully established.
-
- On this day, Brian planted lots of curly parsley. Curly parsley is an easy-to-grow type of parsley with round, curly leaves. In general, it is milder than the flat leaf variety.
-
- Brian digs the holes as he plants. Parsley should be spaced about six to eight inches apart in an area with full sun and nutrient-rich, well-drained soil.
-
- Before planting, Brian always teases the roots – gently pulling them apart with his fingers.
-
- This is what the root ball looks like from the bottom. Loosening or teasing the roots before planting stimulates the roots and enables them to spread out and grow, forming a good foundation for the plant.
-
- The young plant is now ready to be placed into the hole at the same depth it was in its container.
-
- Once in the ground, Brian lightly tamps down around the plant to ensure good contact.
-
- Here is a close look at the top of the curly parsley. Notice it has thicker ruffled, “curly” leaves. This is a very healthy plant.
-
- And here is a row already planted. If well-maintained, we’ll be harvesting parsley in just a few weeks.
-
- Here is a crop of dill in pots already placed where they will be planted – about a foot apart. Dill is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is native to North Africa, Chad, Iran, and the Arabian Peninsula. Its leaves and seeds are often used as a herb or spice for flavoring food.
-
- Brian uses a garden trowel to dig the holes. Herbs should be grown in soil that’s at least four to five inches deep.
-
- Brian removes the dill plant from its pot, teases the roots and inserts it into the hole like the others.
-
- And then lightly presses the soil around the plant.
-
- Here, Brian plants younger dill plants in a row between more mature dill plants. We always plant in succession. Succession planting is a practice of seeding crops at intervals of seven to 21 days in order to maintain a consistent supply of harvestable produce throughout the season. This dramatically increases a garden’s yield, while also improving produce quality.
-
- Dill grows well in full sun or partial shade. Dill is also a cool weather herb and will bolt in hot weather.
-
- Do you know what these tiny sprouts are? Cilantro. Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, is also known commonly as coriander or Chinese parsley. Coriander is actually the dried seed of cilantro. Cilantro is a popular microgreen garnish that complements meat, fish, poultry, noodle dishes and soups.
-
- Cilantro is not for everyone – some truly abhor it. Interestingly, those who dislike cilantro tend to have a gene that detects the aldehyde part of cilantro as a soapy smell and taste. What’s your opinion on this herb?
-
- I like cilantro and plant lots of it every year. Brian places our crop of cilantro in another bed where it will get full sun.
-
- Once all the cilantro, dill, and parsley are planted, Brian gives them all a good watering. Everything in the garden looks great! Be sure to visit my blog tomorrow when I share photos of the building of my newest vegetable garden. You can also watch the process on “Martha Gardens” starting tomorrow, exclusively on Roku.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
