Dill: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting

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Planting

Sow dill seeds about 1/4-inch deep and 18 inches apart in rich soil, then gently rake the seeds into the soil. The soil should be around 60 to 70ºF for best results.
Dill does not grow well when transplanted, so start the seeds fresh in the garden in early summer. Make sure to shelter the plants from strong winds.
After 10 to 14 days, the plants should appear in the soil. Wait another 10 to 14 days, then thin the plants to about 12 to 18 inches apart.
In your garden, plant dill next to cabbage or onions, but keep the dill away from carrots.

Care

Water the plants freely during the growing season.
In order to ensure a season-long fresh supply of dill, continue sowing seeds every few weeks. For an extended harvest, do not allow flowers to grow on the plants.
If the soil remains undisturbed throughout the growing season, more dill plants will grow the next season.

Pests

Leaf spot and occasionally a few other types of fungal leaf and root diseases

Harvest/Storage

As soon as the plant has four to five leaves, you can start harvesting. Pinch off the leaves or cut them off with scissors.
If you have a lot of plants, you can pinch off entire stalks.

Recommended Varieties

Fernleaf dill, which is good in potato salads, cucumber soup, and fish dishes

Recipes

Wit & Wisdom

For sweeter breath, chew dill seeds.

Comments

By Anonymous

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I recently moved to a new apt, and my dill is in a rectangular pot, it was happy for a day but then it died, with died i mean all the leaves have withered away> what could be the probable reason? is the temperature too warm for it? now only that there were other dill growing in few other pots all of them have gone bad.. my dill were lovely lush green about 8-10 inches :( can anyone suggest what happened? i had left it next to the heater vent for warmth also the sun did not shine for 3 days since i moved..did that cause it?

By Almanac Staff

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Not sure what happened. The temperature was maybe too warm next to the heater vent. Indoors dill needs at least 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight or you can use a fluorescent light above the plant. Dill roots are long so your pots need to be deep.

By Rowan FitzGerald

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I don't have a bug pest problem - I have an animal problem. Something keeps digging into the roots of my dill. I have it growing in a tall pot among a lot of other herbs on top of a tall herb table. Whatever it is that is eating it passes up a lot of other plants, climbing up into my herb table at night to rip it apart, leaving dirt everywhere and dill stems/leaves. I've tried to watch for it, leaving lights on the area and staying up, but I can't seem to catch it. We sometimes have a skunk come through, but I didn't think skunks climbed. Any ideas what might like to dig up and eat dill roots?

By Janice Stillman

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Hi, Rowan, Thanks for your interest in The Old Farmer's Almanac. Strange as it might be, it sounds like pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae) are getting into your pots. These little critters like the roots of several plants—dill, potatoes, even ornamental bulbs. We found a couple of possible solutions: commercial animal urine (apply as directed) and/or wire mesh (put over the pot at soil level, around the base of the plant—easier said than done, to be sure). You might also try a few moth balls scattered on the surface of the soil.
FWIW, some caterpillars eat dill (and parsley and carrot) greens, but they are not like to beneath the soil. We hope this helps!

By Skinfan

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I grew dill and basil between my tomatoes as a pesticide free alternative to keep tomato horn worms away. I have done so for two years with great success. Plants that didn't have dill, I had to use Seven Dust. Now, I've got a yellow and black worm all over my dill. Should I kill it? Is it a good worm? Should I leave it alone? Please help.

By Almanac Staff

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You have a black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar on your dill. Dill, carrot tops, parsley, and fennel are their favorite food and they will eat a lot. Don’t get rid of the caterpillar; just plant more dill.