Dill is the feathery, anise-scented herb of pickles, fish dishes and potato salads — a plant that looks delicate but grows fast, self-seeds freely, and attracts more beneficial insects than almost any other herb in the garden. It is an annual that goes from seed to harvest in just 40–50 days, the fastest herb in this guide, and it asks for almost nothing: sun, ordinary soil, and to be left alone.
Dill's great virtue is also its great fault: it bolts quickly in heat, going to flower and seed within weeks of sowing in summer. The trick is succession sowing — a small row every few weeks — and letting some plants go to seed, because dill self-seeds so freely that you may never need to sow it again. This guide covers direct sowing, the taproot that hates transplanting, and harvesting leaves and seed.
Dill at a glance
| Growing factor | What this crop needs |
|---|---|
| Sun | full sun |
| Soil pH | 5.5–6.5 |
| Days to germination | 7–14 |
| Days to maturity | 40–50 |
| Spacing | 12–18 inches |
| Water needs | moderate |
| Cold tolerance | hardy |
| Family | Apiaceae |
Starting seeds
Dill is sown directly where it will grow — it does not take kindly to being moved. Sow into prepared, raked soil and keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination, which takes 7–14 days. Sow in short rows and thin the seedlings to the final spacing once they are big enough to handle. Our seed-spacing calculator works out how many seeds you need for your bed.
This is a hardy crop, so it suits the cool parts of the year: in Zones 3–5 sow in early spring and again in late summer; in Zones 6–8 spring and autumn sowings do well, with summer sowings struggling in heat; in Zones 9–10 sow through autumn, winter and early spring; and in Zones 11–13, which are frost-free, grow it in the cooler months with afternoon shade. Check your dates with our frost-date calculator or the last-first frost lookup — and when in doubt, ask your local extension service.
Dill is direct-sown where it will grow — it has a taproot and hates transplanting, so do not start it indoors. Sow thinly in rows in spring, barely covering the seed, and keep the soil moist until germination, which takes 7–14 days.
Transplanting and planting out
There is no transplanting step for Dill — it is sown in place and thinned instead. Once seedlings have two or three true leaves, thin them to their final spacing of 12–18 inches apart, pulling the weakest and leaving the strongest. Thin on a calm, cool day and water the row afterwards so the remaining seedlings settle back in. Thinning feels wasteful, but crowded plants stay small and are far more prone to pests and disease. Our plant-spacing calculator shows how many plants fit your bed at 12–18-inch spacing.
Soil and feeding
Dill grows best in soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5, so test your soil before you plant — a cheap test kit tells you more than guessing ever will. Work in a little compost to improve structure, but keep the soil lean — herbs prefer soil that is not over-rich — and make sure the bed drains freely. Our soil-volume calculator and raised-bed soil calculator work out how much soil or compost your bed needs.
Feed lightly: herbs grown in soil that is too rich produce lots of soft leaf with diluted flavour. A little compost at planting time is usually enough, with at most a light feed in spring. Our fertiliser calculator works out how much to apply if your soil is genuinely poor.
Dill likes ordinary, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5 — it is not fussy, and it grows well in soil too poor for hungrier crops. Dig in a little compost before sowing, but do not overfeed: too much nitrogen gives soft, flavourless growth.
Watering
Water evenly and avoid letting the soil swing between soaked and bone dry. A deep soak once or twice a week beats a daily sprinkle, because it encourages roots to grow down where the soil stays cooler and moister. Mulch helps enormously here, holding moisture and keeping the soil temperature steady. Our watering calculator gives a starting point for your bed size and soil, and the watering schedule generator can build a routine around it.
Sunlight and temperature
Give Dill full sun — at least six hours of direct sun a day, and more is better in most zones. Sun drives flavour and yield in this crop, and plants in shade stay leggy and unproductive. Our sunlight calculator can check whether your spot gets enough sun.
It is hardy and copes with cool weather and light frost. In cold zones it dies back and regrows in spring; in warm zones it grows through the year, with a little afternoon shade in the hottest weather.
Pests and diseases
The pests and diseases to watch for with Dill are carrot rust fly, aphids and wireworms.
Carrot rust fly maggots tunnel into roots.
Aphids cluster on tender new growth and under leaves, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew.
Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles and bore into roots and tubers.
Prevention beats cure: rotate crops so the same family does not grow in the same bed year after year, clear debris at the end of the season, and inspect the undersides of leaves weekly. Our pest identifier helper can help you name a pest from its damage, and the plant-disease checker can narrow down a leaf problem.
Companion plants
Good companions for Dill are tomatoes, peppers, marigolds and cabbage.
Tomatoes share this plant's love of sun and rich soil, and the pairing works well when both get enough space and airflow.
Peppers enjoy the same warm, sunny bed and similar watering, so they make a natural neighbour.
Marigolds are the classic companion: their roots and scent deter several soil pests, and their flowers bring in pollinators and beneficial insects.
Cabbage shares similar soil and water needs, and planting herbs nearby helps confuse the cabbage white butterfly.
Plant companions in the same bed rather than in a separate corner — that is how they do their work. Our companion-planting finder can suggest more pairings for your bed.
Harvesting
Dill is ready about 40–50 days after sowing, and you can start picking the feathery leaves as soon as the plant is big enough. Cut the outer stems near the base, or snip the ferny leaves with scissors — pick little and often, and the plant keeps producing until it bolts. Harvest in the morning, when the flavour is strongest, and use the leaves fresh: dill loses its flavour fast once picked and does not dry well.
Once the plant flowers, the leaves turn coarse — let it go to seed instead. The umbrella-shaped flower heads attract beneficial insects all summer, and the seeds are a spice in their own right: harvest the heads once the seeds turn brown, shake them into a paper bag, and dry them fully before storing in a jar. Dill seed is essential for pickling, and a plant left to self-seed will give you free dill next spring.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Plants bolt within weeks | heat and long days | Succession-sow every few weeks and let some plants self-seed. |
| Seedlings flop over | sown too thickly or in too much shade | Thin to 12–18 inches apart and give the plants full sun. |
| Leaves turn yellow | drought or poor soil | Water evenly and feed lightly; sow a fresh row if the plant has stalled. |
Plants bolt within weeks
Likely cause: heat and long days. Bolting is dill's nature in heat: it is a fast annual that flowers quickly in warm weather. The answer is succession sowing — a small row every two to three weeks — so there is always a young plant coming on.
Seedlings flop over
Likely cause: sown too thickly or in too much shade. Floppy dill seedlings are usually crowded or short of light. Thin ruthlessly to the final spacing, give the plants full sun, and shelter them from strong wind — tall, feathery dill snaps easily.
Leaves turn yellow
Likely cause: drought or poor soil. Yellow dill leaves usually mean the plant is dry or hungry, or simply old and about to bolt. Keep the soil moist, dig in compost before sowing, and remember that dill is a fast crop — if a plant stalls, a fresh sowing will outgrow it within weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How long does dill take to grow?
Dill takes 40–50 days from sowing to harvest — the fastest herb in the garden. You can start picking feathery leaves within a month of sowing, and the plant keeps producing until it bolts in heat.
Why does my dill keep bolting?
Dill bolts in heat and long days — it is a fast annual. Sow in spring and late summer, keep the soil moist, and succession-sow every two to three weeks so there is always a young plant coming on.
Can dill be transplanted?
No — dill has a taproot and hates transplanting. Always sow it directly where it will grow.
How do you harvest dill seed?
Let the plant flower, and harvest the seed heads once the seeds turn brown and dry. Cut the heads into a paper bag, dry them fully, and shake the seeds out.