How to Grow Dill: A Practical Guide from Seed to Harvest

Dill is a lovely herb to grow if you have a sunny spot, and it gives you more than one harvest. You can pick the soft, feathery leaves while the plants are young, enjoy the yellow flower heads later in summer and eventually collect the seeds as well.

It's an annual, so you'll normally sow it again each year. The good news is that dill grows quickly and is straightforward to raise from seed.

I prefer to sow dill directly where it's going to grow. It develops a long root and isn't particularly keen on being moved once established. You can grow it in the garden, raised beds or containers, although choose a reasonably deep pot if you're growing it on the patio.

One thing worth knowing is that dill can become quite tall. Those delicate little seedlings don't look particularly ambitious at first, but established plants can easily reach around a metre depending on the variety and conditions.

Sow small amounts through spring and early summer if you want a regular supply of fresh leaves, and let a few plants carry on to flower. The flowers are attractive to hoverflies and other beneficial insects, so I always think they're worth leaving.

When to Sow

Dill can be sown from March to July.

For an early start, you can sow under cover in March, but I generally prefer direct sowing outside from April onwards once the soil has started to warm.

Make small sowings every few weeks through spring and early summer if you're mainly growing dill for its leaves.

There's little advantage in sowing a huge amount at once. Like coriander, dill eventually wants to flower, so having younger plants coming along behind the older ones gives you a much longer supply of fresh leaves.

Later sowings can continue into July, although how well they develop will depend on the weather and where you garden.

Dill enjoys warmth and sunshine, so don't worry if your first outdoor sowing is a little later. Plants grow quickly once conditions suit them.

How to Sow

Dill seeds are large enough to handle easily.

For direct sowing, prepare the soil and make a shallow drill around 1cm deep.

Sow the seeds fairly thinly, cover with soil and water gently if conditions are dry.

Keep the soil reasonably moist while the seeds germinate.

For containers, choose a pot with good drainage and enough depth for the roots to develop. Fill it with multipurpose compost and sow directly into the container.

I wouldn't start lots of dill seedlings in small modules with the intention of repeatedly potting them on. Dill generally prefers having its roots left alone.

If you do start plants under cover, use individual pots or modules and move them while they're still young, disturbing the roots as little as possible.

Once the seedlings appear, give them plenty of light.

Thinning and Growing On

Thin seedlings once they're large enough to handle if they've come up too thickly.

For plants you're mainly growing for young leaves, they can be reasonably close together. If you want large plants for flowers and seed, give them more space.

Around 15–20cm between plants is a useful guide.

Don't waste the thinnings. Once they're large enough, those young feathery leaves can go straight into the kitchen.

Keep weeds under control while plants are small and water during prolonged dry weather.

Once established, dill grows surprisingly quickly.

Taller plants can sometimes lean or blow over in exposed positions. Growing several together gives them a little natural support, or you can add a cane if an individual plant needs some help.

I wouldn't worry about making them perfectly upright. Dill looks particularly good allowed to move naturally amongst other plants.

Growing Dill in Pots

Dill can be grown successfully in containers, so it's a useful addition to our Herbs for Pots selection.

The main thing is to choose a reasonably deep pot. Dill develops a long root and isn't particularly suited to a very shallow container.

I'd use a pot at least 25–30cm deep, with good drainage holes.

Sow directly into the container and thin the seedlings as they develop.

Place the pot somewhere sunny and reasonably sheltered. Taller dill plants can catch the wind, so an exposed balcony isn't necessarily their favourite place.

Container plants need checking regularly for water because pots dry out much faster than open ground.

If space is limited, you don't need dozens of plants. A few healthy dill plants can provide plenty of fresh leaves, particularly if you make another small sowing a few weeks later.

Watering and Feeding

Dill likes reasonably consistent moisture while it's actively growing.

Water young plants while they're establishing and don't repeatedly allow container plants to become completely dry.

At the same time, dill doesn't want to sit in permanently waterlogged soil.

Established plants growing in the ground generally cope perfectly well with normal conditions, although they'll appreciate water during prolonged dry spells.

Dill isn't particularly demanding when it comes to feeding.

In reasonable garden soil or fresh multipurpose compost, I generally wouldn't feed it much at all.

Container plants that have been growing for a long time may appreciate an occasional general-purpose liquid feed, but don't overdo it.

Lots of fertiliser isn't the answer to everything. Sunshine, reasonable moisture and enough room will usually give you perfectly good dill.

Harvesting the Leaves

You can start harvesting dill leaves once the plants are established and have enough growth to spare.

Snip off small leafy stems as you need them, taking a little from several parts of the plant rather than stripping one young plant completely bare.

The younger leaves are particularly tender and useful in the kitchen.

If you want a regular supply, keep making small sowings. Older plants eventually become taller and concentrate more of their energy on flowering.

You can still use the leaves as flowering approaches, but I prefer having younger plants coming along for picking.

Dill is one of those herbs that's particularly nice used fresh, so having a pot somewhere convenient makes a lot of sense.

Flowers, Wildlife and Seeds

Eventually, dill produces tall stems topped with yellow umbrella-shaped flower heads.

If you're growing primarily for leaves, you can remove flower stems from some plants to keep them leafy for a little longer.

But I always let a few flower.

Dill flowers are very attractive to hoverflies and other beneficial insects, and they add a lovely light, airy feel to the garden.

Once flowering finishes, seeds begin developing.

If you'd like to harvest dill seed, leave the flower heads on the plant until the seeds have developed and begun turning brown.

Cut the heads before all the seed falls, place them somewhere dry and airy and allow them to finish drying.

Once completely dry, rub or shake the seeds from the heads and store them somewhere cool and dry.

So one sowing can give you leaves, flowers for insects and seeds for the kitchen. Not bad for something that takes up very little ground.

Common Problems

Slugs and Snails

Young dill seedlings can be damaged by slugs and snails, particularly during damp spring weather.

Keep an eye on them until they're established. Larger plants are generally much better able to cope with a little damage.

Aphids

Aphids can occasionally gather around tender growth and flower stems.

Small infestations can often be washed away. Once dill begins flowering, you'll also attract hoverflies whose larvae are enthusiastic aphid eaters — one of the reasons I like leaving some plants to flower.

Plants Becoming Tall and Floppy

Dill naturally becomes quite tall.

Plants grown in very rich soil or somewhere exposed can be more likely to fall over. Avoid excessive feeding and provide a little support if necessary.

Plants Flowering Too Soon

Warm weather, dry conditions and plant stress can encourage dill to flower earlier.

Keep plants watered and make small sowings every few weeks if fresh leaves are your priority.

Once an established plant has decided to flower, I generally let it. Another younger sowing can provide the leaves.

Yellowing Leaves

A few older yellow leaves aren't usually anything to worry about.

Widespread yellowing can result from waterlogged soil, exhausted container compost or other growing stresses. Check the conditions before automatically adding fertiliser.

Poor Growth in Shade

Dill prefers plenty of sunshine.

Plants grown in too much shade can become weak and stretched. Give them a sunny position, particularly if you're growing in containers.

Dill is an easy herb once you accept that it won't stay as a neat little leafy plant forever. Sow a few seeds, pick the young leaves and keep another sowing coming along behind. Then let some of the older plants flower — the hoverflies will appreciate them, and you'll have dill seed to collect afterwards.