Dill
Dill Weed, Garden Dill, Fernleaf Dill, Bouquet Dill, Dill
Direct sow — doesn't transplant well. Attracts beneficial insects (lacewings, parasitic wasps). Bolts quickly in heat; stagger sowings every 3 weeks. Harvest fronds before flower umbels open for best flavor. Allow some plants to go to seed for pickling and self-seeding. Keep away from fennel (cross-pollinates and may reduce flavor of both).
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Soil temperature
- 16–24 °C
- Harvest after sowing
- 40–60 days
- Spacing
- 25–30 cm
When to plant dill
Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks before your last spring frost.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow dill
- 1
Sow direct
Sow 6 mm deep 2–4 weeks before the last frost. Dill has a taproot and does not transplant well.
- 2
Site it well
Keep dill away from fennel, as they cross-pollinate. Its flowers attract hoverflies and parasitic wasps that help control pests.
- 3
Keep sowing
It bolts quickly in heat, so sow again every 2–3 weeks.
- 4
Harvest
Snip fronds before the flower heads open, from 40 days. Leave a few plants to set seed for pickling and self-sowing.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Temperature
4–27 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
Days to maturity
70 days
Plant spacing
15 cm
How Tomatograph watches your dill
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- First frost within 14 daysReminder to mulch the roots before winter.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for powdery mildew, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Dill questions
- When should I plant dill?
- Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks before your last spring frost.
- How long do dill seeds take to germinate?
- Usually 7–14 days at a soil temperature of 16–24 °C.
- How long until I can harvest dill?
- About 40–60 days after sowing, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant dill?
- Allow 25–30 cm between plants.
- What grows well with dill?
- Good neighbours include cucumber, lettuce, onion, carrot.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).