How to Grow Dill
Dill At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -7°C
Plant Family
Apiaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Sow right where it will grow, from about your last frost date onward, since dill has one long main root and does not like being moved. Scatter seeds thinly, cover with 0.5 cm of soil, and keep it moist: they sprout in 7 to 10 days. Thin them (pull the extras) so each plant has 15 cm, and sow a new short row every 2 to 3 weeks until midsummer for a steady supply of leaves.
Dill grows fast and bolts (rushes to flower) in hot weather, which is why small, repeated sowings beat one big one. Let a few plants flower: the yellow umbrellas feed helpful insects, give you seed for pickles, and drop seed that comes up on its own next spring.
When To Start
First chance to plant
30 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Dill?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Dill Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Dill Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow dill outdoors, then sow a little more every 2 to 3 weeks
Around your last frost· every year
Snip dill leaves young and let a few plants flower
40 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your dill seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Time to thin the dill seedlings: snip the extras at soil level so each one has room to grow.
About 20 days after you plant it
How is your dill doing? Keep the soil lightly moist while the feathery leaves fill in.
About 27 days after you plant it
Your dill should be ready to snip. Pick the leaves often, and sow more for a steady supply.
About 43 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your dill.
About 50 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Dill's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 7–10 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow dill in full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours a day, in a spot out of strong wind since the tall stems flop.
- 2Use loose soil with a little compost mixed in, as dill does not need very rich soil.
- 3Water when the top few cm of soil feel dry, because dry soil makes it bolt sooner.
- 4A light feed of compost tea once a month is plenty.
- 5Spray aphids off with a strong jet of water, and leave the striped green caterpillars you may find, since they turn into swallowtail butterflies and one plant can feed them.
- 6Keep dill away from fennel, which can cross with it and stunt it.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~50
Days to Maturity
90 cm
Mature Height
45 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Harvest leaves or seeds before bolting
How to Harvest
- 1Start picking leaves once the plant is about 20 to 30 cm tall.
- 2Snip whole outer stems near the base with scissors and let the centre keep growing.
- 3Pick in the morning, when the leaves taste best, and use them fresh or freeze them in a bag.
- 4For pickling, cut the flower heads just as the yellow flowers open, or later once the seeds turn tan.
- 5Hang seed heads upside down in a paper bag to dry, then rub out the seeds to use as a spice.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Dill comes true from seed, unless it is a hybrid F1, but it can cross with fennel, so do not let both flower near each other. Leave a few strong plants to flower and wait until the seeds on the umbrellas turn tan or brown and dry. Cut the heads and hang them upside down in a paper bag in a dry place for 1 to 2 weeks, then shake the bag to free the seeds. Store them in a labelled envelope or jar somewhere cool, dark and dry, where they keep 3 to 5 years.
Seed Production
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