Content
Dill Crocodile is a variety that was bred in 1999 by breeders from the Gavrish agricultural firm. It is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation and is recommended for cultivation throughout Russia.
Description of dill Crocodile
Crocodile is a bush type of dill, characterized by medium late ripening. It is perfect for fresh consumption, drying, freezing and salting for the winter. Since this is a mid-late variety, it is more often grown for greenery, and rarely used for umbrellas. The ripening period for greens is 40 - 45 days. The plant throws out umbrellas about the 115th day. Dill Crocodile is considered unpretentious and is recommended for cultivation in all regions of Russia.
The bush, as a rule, reaches a height of 1 m.As the photos and reviews of summer residents about Crocodile dill show, the variety is distinguished by fluffy, delicate and fragrant emerald greens. The central umbrella is large, the stem is green-blue and has a waxy coating. The leaves are long, threadlike, strongly dissected, have a triangular shape, and are also covered with a waxy coating. The main advantage of Crocodile dill is that green shoots can be cut several times.
Yield
Dill Crocodile is a high-yielding variety. Productivity per 1 sq. m is about 7 kg. The key to good yields is choosing the right place for planting, first of all, it must be well lit.
Sustainability
Dill Crocodile is characterized by high resistance to shooting, thanks to which the seeds can be sown both in spring and summer, which allows harvesting the whole season. It is also characterized by high resistance to stalking.
The plant is frost-resistant and can withstand even a slight minus temperature. Among other things, it is famous for its good immunity to most fungal diseases inherent in related crops.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of the Crocodile variety:
- equally suitable for growing in open and closed ground;
- high productivity;
- unpretentiousness of the plant;
- the possibility of re-cutting the stems.
Disadvantages:
- medium late grade.
Landing rules
The best time to plant seeds in spring is the first days after the snow melts, since the seeds and the plant itself are highly frost-resistant.
Before planting, the seed must be soaked in water for several days. It is recommended to change the water 3-4 times a day. After soaking, you need to discard the seeds on a cloth and let the water drain. They should be free-flowing and still moist by the time they are planted. This treatment will provide the first shoots on day 10.
Dill variety Crocodile grows well in soil with a neutral pH level. A nutritious, loose, airy soil will be ideal for a plant. Before sowing seeds, the soil must be fertilized with humus at the rate of 2 kg per 1 sq. m. You can replace humus with a complex of mineral fertilizers, including:
- superphosphate (30 g);
- urea (20 g);
- potassium salt (20 g).
Seed planting algorithm:
- moisten and slightly loosen the soil;
- divide the site into beds, keeping the distance between the rows at 20 cm;
- sow seeds, deepening them by 2 - 3 cm.
Growing technology
After planting, Crocodile dill does not require additional feeding. The plant needs to be watered 1 - 2 times a week, per 1 sq. m use about 5 liters of water.
The beds are weeded regularly and the soil is loosened. It is very important to do this especially often at the initial stage of development of the bushes. After the plants release 3 - 4 leaves, the stage of active growth begins, in which weeds for dill are not such a big problem, so the number of weeding and loosening can be reduced.
Diseases and pests
Dill variety Crocodile is famous for its high immunity, but it can still be affected by some diseases. For example, the plant's resistance to powdery mildew is average. The disease can affect dill at the end of summer, diseased shoots and leaves are covered with a white bloom.
Another dangerous disease for dill is fusarium - leaf wilting, which is often caused by sudden changes in temperature. Disease prevention is the soaking of seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate before planting.
It is extremely rare that plants are affected by phomosis, which can be recognized by brown spots on the leaves and shoots. For the prevention of disease, the beds are treated with Fundazol.
Conclusion
Crocodile dill is a variety that definitely deserves attention due to its high yields and the ability to collect greens twice a year. The variety is undemanding to care for, can be grown in almost any climatic conditions.