The only difference I have noticed between fernleaf dill and regular dill is the size of the plant. I plant fernleaf as it only grows to about 3 feet tall, just perfect for my pots on my deck.

Renata in Iowa

I've not noticed any flavor difference between the two. As Renata said, the fernleaf is definitely smaller and the regular has given me more seeds. If you want really pungent, try Dukat dill ... you can really taste the difference in the leaves.

thanks for the input!

My fernleaf dill is growing quite well, but is not aromatic. Is this a problem, or will be become so later? I have seen seedlings in the market that are aromatic and smaller than mine.

Plant dill seeds in poor soil and they have a better flavor. I grow Dukat, fernleaf, and mammouth dill. The mammouth is about 5-6 foot tall. The fernleaf is slower to go to seed, and is about 3 foot tall. If the dill has no smell, suggest, you pluck off a piece and rub it in your fingers to see. If it has no noticable dill smell, it may not be in a good soil suitable for the herbs. I recently read that the poorer the soil, the better herbs do when it comes to flavor and aroma. Just got my Richters order for 3 French Tarragon plants, and three Greek basil bush type plants. None has any really strong flavor as they are in tiny pots and need to get outside to be planted soon.

This has probably been answered before but I had no luck finding the answer.

How and when do you harvest it to dry and use later. What parts are saved?

Thanks

karyn

Has been recently answered before. The plants send out a small spray of thin stems with a tiny blossom on each tip. After the blossoms die out, the green seeds appear. Seed heads turn from tiny green seeds to tan color seeds, one per stem in the 'spray'. The fern leaves can be harvested any time UP UNTIL they start to die out, or when they turn yellow or tan color. You can use the fern type leaves any time, and the seed heads anytime as well. For seed heads I like using the softer immature green seeds, and just drop a whole seed head into each jar of dill pickles. Keep in mind that the 'spray stems are a bit tough, so they shouldn't be used as a food. In a jar of dill pickles, the seed heads are noticable as they are grouped together in a small round spray mass.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo of mature dill seed head.

I gotta say that the last picture of "dill" looks more like wild parsnip than wild dill. But maybe that's just me....

FataMorgana

The background has a lot of pine needle branches and the tan color 'spray' (to the right) is a well aged seed head of dill. Mine, last year were bigger than my open hand in diameter.