Dill

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade can help in very hot climates.

Water

Water regularly while seedlings establish, then water when the surface soil dries. Avoid prolonged drought and waterlogged soil.

Soil

Well-drained soil with moderate fertility; tolerates sandy or loamy soil and a broad pH range.

Height

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Summer into early autumn; small yellow flowers in broad, flat-topped clusters.

Foliage

Fine, threadlike, blue-green leaves with a distinctive aromatic scent.

Growth

Fast; leaves are usually ready for light picking about 6-8 weeks after sowing.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (0.9 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Sow directly where it will grow; its taproot makes established plants difficult to transplant.
• Thin seedlings to about 8-12 in (20-30 cm) apart.
• Water during dry spells, especially while plants are young or grown in containers.
• Mix a little compost into poor soil before sowing; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Give tall plants a sheltered position or support them with twiggy stakes.

Pruning. Pick small amounts of foliage once plants are well established, leaving plenty of leaves for further growth. Remove developing flower heads to extend leaf production, or leave them for insects and seed; cut ripe seed heads before they shed if you want to limit self-sowing.

Snip leaves as needed once plants are about 15–20 cm (6–8 in) tall, taking outer sprigs and leaving the central growing tip; leaves are best before flowering. For pickling, cut flower heads when the yellow flowers open or while the developing seeds are still green. For dried seed, cut heads when the seeds turn tan-brown but before they fall, then hang them upside down in a paper bag somewhere dry and airy.

Spring

Direct-sow when soil is workable and warming; protect emerging seedlings from hard frost.

Late spring

Thin seedlings and begin light leaf harvesting once plants are established.

Early summer

Sow another small batch to replace plants that are starting to flower.

Summer

Water during dry weather and leave some flower heads for beneficial insects.

Late summer

Cut seed heads as the seeds turn brown; finish drying them in a paper bag in an airy place.

Autumn

Remove spent plants, leaving a few seed heads if you want volunteers. In frost-free climates with hot summers, sow for a cool-season crop.

• Thread through a vegetable garden for edible foliage and flowers that attract beneficial insects.
• Plant in loose groups among calendulas and cosmos for fine texture and airy yellow flower heads.
• Use behind low herbs in a sunny herb bed, where its height adds a light seasonal backdrop.
• Grow in a deep container near the kitchen, choosing a compact variety and a sheltered spot.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Herb parterre, Edible landscape, Pollinator garden and Sensory garden.

Plant it with: Lettuce, Cabbage, Calendula, Nasturtium, Cosmos and Chives.

Wildlife: Flowers feed hoverflies, small bees and parasitic wasps. In North America, the foliage is a host food for black swallowtail caterpillars; leave spare plants for them rather than spraying.

• Aphids cluster on soft growth: rinse them off with water and preserve ladybirds, hoverflies and other predators.
• Slugs and snails eat young seedlings: check after dark, remove hiding places and protect new sowings.
• Seedlings collapse in wet soil: improve drainage, avoid crowding and do not keep the seedbed saturated.
• Plants flower early and produce fewer leaves in heat or drought: keep moisture steady and sow small batches through the suitable growing season.

Dill is not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. The leaves and seeds are edible for people in normal culinary amounts; uncommon allergic reactions can occur. Concentrated essential oil is not equivalent to eating the herb and should be kept away from pets.

• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

  Fennel also has threadlike foliage and yellow flower heads, but usually becomes taller and more robust, with a pronounced anise scent.

• Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)

  Poison hemlock has white rather than yellow flowers, broader fernlike leaf divisions and often purple-blotched stems. It is dangerously poisonous;

The botanical epithet graveolens means strong-smelling, referring to the plant's aromatic foliage and seeds.

Propagation. Propagate by seed, sown directly about 1/4 in (6 mm) deep. Sow small batches every 2-3 weeks during mild growing weather for a longer leaf harvest; seedlings usually emerge within 1-3 weeks.

Accepted botanical name

Anethum graveolens

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada, Hawaii, the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Algeria, Chad, Cyprus, Gulf States, Iran, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

Measured

Average height 59 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.