Shelf life and shelf life of dill seeds for planting
Both the leaves and seeds of the fragrant plant have beneficial properties. In ancient times, dill was cultivated by both the Romans and the Greeks, it was planted both in India and Egypt. Without this green culture, vegetables cannot be pickled and canned, meat and fish lose their taste. Gardeners are interested in the shelf life of dill seeds to be sure that they will germinate. Preparations based on these flattened grains soothe nerves, expand the walls of capillaries and blood vessels, improve digestion, fight parasites, and eliminate fatigue.
Storage preparation
So that dill seeds do not quickly lose their aroma, do not lose their medicinal properties, they start harvesting from the end of August, when they acquire a brownish tint, the inflorescences of umbrellas will ripen. To prevent insects from laying the larvae, the seeds are left in the sun, then they are heated for a couple of minutes in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 120 degrees.
Summer residents also use another option for harvesting dill. In dry weather, the stems with umbrellas are cut and placed in a paper bag or placed in a canvas bag, which is hung from the ceiling or wall. Having dried, the seeds crumble. They are used for the preparation of medicines and planting, for 5 years they are stored in tin containers or glass jars.
The leaves are cut when their height is at least 10 cm, the greens, packed in a plastic bag, do not wither in the refrigerator for a whole week.
Dill storage
Fish and meat dishes are seasoned with fragrant herbs. It is added to soups, borscht, vinaigrette, pickled, salted, frozen. The fragrant leaves are rich in:
- potassium and calcium;
- proteins and carbohydrates;
- flavonoids and fats;
- phytoncides and essential oils.
Most of the useful components are present in the leaves. Many housewives use different methods of storing dill, in which it does not lose its presentation, does not dry out, and does not rot for a long time.
At room temperature
In order for the herb to remain fragrant and tasty, it is necessary to wash it only before use. For a while, it can be left not in the refrigerator, but simply indoors.
Keeping fresh in water at room temperature
Heavily soiled dill is not placed under the stream, but rinsed, placed in a bowl, and then laid out on a towel and dried. For 5 days, a bunch of greens can be put in a glass of water, which must be changed every day. To protect fresh dill from the sun's rays, cover it with polyethylene wrap.
At room temperature, the grass can be left for several days in a special container..
Storage of dried dill
Fresh greens wither and lose flavor in less than a week. In order not to go to the market for spices, not to buy in the store, it is harvested for long-term storage:
- Sliced stems and whole leaves are spread on a towel in a thin layer.
- The mass is transferred to a ventilated balcony or loggia.
- Mix the greens and stir.
- Dried dill is placed in glass jars, which are tightly closed and placed in a dark place.
The herb is stored without losing its aroma and properties for up to 3 years. You can speed up the preparation process if you spread it on a baking sheet, send it to the oven, where it can be dried at 50 degrees with the door ajar.
Some housewives hang dill in bunches in the sun. A week later, they are removed, wrapped in linen and left in the dark.
Cold storage
Stocking up on spicy grass for the winter, which needs to be done in August or September, cut off yellowed and diseased leaves, leaving only healthy greens.
In plastic containers
So that the dill does not lose color and aroma, the branches are not washed, but together with the shoots are placed in the refrigerator. The herb will stay fresh and smelly for several days if you put it in a plastic container. Condensation does not accumulate in such a container, due to which the product quickly rots.
In a jar of water
Taken up greens will last for a long time, will not lose flavor if stored in several ways. Using one of them:
- Dill bunches are placed in a glass jar.
- A container, a quarter filled with water, is wrapped in plastic wrap.
- The neck of the container is tied with tape or braid.
They put such dishes with grass in the bottom drawer. After opening the container, it is advisable to use the spice quickly.
In glass jars
The leaves and umbrellas of the spice plant do not lose their freshness and smell for a month when stored in the refrigerator in the following way. The unwashed and dry herb is placed in a glass jar, screwed on with a lid.
In a plastic bag
All week the spice remains fragrant and juicy if you place the branches with leaves in a wet towel, wrap them in parchment paper and sprinkle with water.
For short-term storage, bunches of dill can be folded into a plastic bag, sucked in air and tied.
With an onion
Some housewives know where to put the dill in order to use fresh grass for up to three weeks without freezing it. For this, bunches of dill, together with a cut onion, are placed in a polyethylene bag, which is tightly tied. Holes are punctured to allow air to enter.
Freezer storage
It does not lose its beneficial properties for much longer, the frozen grass remains tasty and fragrant. The washed and dried dill twigs are crushed, wrapped in foil, in polyethylene film or placed in molds and filled with water. In this form, greens can lie for up to 12 months.
Shelf life
How long the seeds will be stored depends on when they are harvested, whether they are well dried. With proper harvesting, fragrant grains are used for at least three years; you can plant odorous grass for no more than 2 seasons. Germination worsens faster than seeds lose their beneficial properties.
Frozen dill is stored for 6 to 12 months, dried - 24; fresh at room temperature - 5 days, in a plastic bag with a bulb in the refrigerator - 3 weeks.
