Germination temperature
Cool to mild soil; sow outdoors once nights stay above about 7 °C (45 °F), indoors at about 15 °C (59 °F) or warmer.
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Dill is a fast annual herb grown for its feathery leaves and aromatic seed. Sow it shallowly where it is to grow, keep the soil moist and sow small batches every few weeks for a steady supply.
Cool to mild soil; sow outdoors once nights stay above about 7 °C (45 °F), indoors at about 15 °C (59 °F) or warmer.
About 0.6 cm (1/4 in); a light covering only.
7-21 days, faster in warmer soil.
Full sun, at least six hours a day.
None needed.
Direct sow; dill resents root disturbance.
Dill seed is ready to sow as it comes. Sow thinly along a drill so that thinning later is easy.
Not needed. The seed coat lets water in without treatment.
Not needed. Dill germinates without a cold period.
Not needed. Keeping the shallow seedbed evenly moist matters more than soaking.
Dill starts best in cool to mild weather. Sow outdoors once nights stay above about 7 °C (45 °F); indoors, keep modules at about 15 °C (59 °F) or warmer. Heat above about 35 °C (95 °F) reduces seed production, so in hot climates dill is a cool-season crop: in semi-arid north-west India ICAR trials at Ajmer gave the best seed yield from sowing on 15 October.
Make a drill about 1 cm (0.4 in) deep and cover the seed with only about 0.6 cm (1/4 in) of fine soil. Penn State Extension notes that the seed germinates best with very light cover.
Any well-drained, reasonably fertile soil. For containers, use a pot at least 30 cm (12 in) deep and wide, because dill makes a taproot.
Keep the top layer moist until seedlings are up, then keep the soil moderately moist. Dry spells push plants into early flowering.
Grow in full sun: six to eight hours of direct sun outdoors. Indoors, give a sunny window or about 12 hours under grow lights; indoor plants grow tall and need staking.
Seedlings appear in about 7-21 days; Penn State gives 10-14 days as typical.
Sow direct where possible. If you start dill indoors, sow one seed per module and plant out about four weeks after sowing, lifting the whole root ball so the taproot is not disturbed. Harden plants off first.
When seedlings are about 5 cm (2 in) tall, thin them to 20-30 cm (8-12 in) apart in rows 30-60 cm (1-2 ft) apart. Crowded plants bolt sooner.
Keep the bed weeded while seedlings are small. Tall plants have hollow stems that blow over, so choose a sheltered spot or stake them.
Cause: heat, dry soil or crowding. Fix: sow in the cool season, water in dry spells, thin on time and choose slow-bolting varieties such as 'Dukat' or 'Tetra'.
Cause: seed buried too deep or the surface dried out. Fix: cover with no more than about 0.6 cm (1/4 in) of soil and keep it moist until seedlings appear.
Cause: aphids, often as plants begin to flower and set seed. Fix: rub off or hose off small colonies and check plants regularly.
Cause: slugs and snails. Fix: protect young plants and remove the pests by hand.
Cause: swallowtail butterfly larvae (parsley worms). Fix: they rarely do lasting damage; move them to a spare plant if needed.
Sow a short row every two to six weeks while the weather suits dill. Each sowing gives leaves for a few weeks before it flowers.
Varieties range from about 30 cm (12 in) to over 1 m (3 ft) tall. Compact, slow-bolting varieties suit pots and leaf harvests; tall types are better for seed heads.
Leaves are ready about six to eight weeks after sowing. Pick until the flower umbels open and always leave at least a third of the plant. Use fresh, because the flavour fades quickly.
Cut seed heads just before the seed turns tan, hang them upside down in a warm, airy place out of direct sun, with a paper bag around the heads to catch the seed.
Sow dill shallowly in a sunny bed and repeat every few weeks for fresh leaves and seed.
Heat, dry soil and crowding make dill bolt. Sow in the cool season, keep the soil moist, thin plants to 20-30 cm apart and sow again every few weeks.
Yes. Use a pot at least 30 cm deep and wide, sow directly into it and give at least six hours of sun. Indoor plants grow tall and spindly and need staking.
Treat it as a cool-season crop. ICAR trials at Ajmer in semi-arid Rajasthan gave the best seed yield from sowing in mid-October; in cool hill areas, sow from spring to mid-summer as in temperate gardens.