Herb · Apiaceae
Dill
Anethum graveolens
A soft blue-green cloud of thread-fine leaves on tall hollow stems, topped with flat yellow heads.
Full sun
Every 3–7 days
50–77°F · 10–25°C
40–90 days
Overview
Run your fingers near a dill plant and the texture gives it away: the foliage is so finely cut it feels almost weightless, each thread-like leaf branching into soft blue-green filaments that catch the light differently than broader herb leaves. The color sits cool and muted, a smoky green tinted with blue rather than the flat green of basil or parsley.
Above the leafy base, hollow stems shoot upward and end in the plant's signature flourish: flat, open umbels where small yellow flowers fan out from a single point. These heads start bright and airy, then dry down as the flowers give way to ribbed, aromatic seed. The plant grows quickly and runs a deep taproot straight down, which is why it stays put where you sow it and dislikes being moved.
This is a cool-season grower at heart. In the mild stretches of spring and early fall the plant pours its energy into that feathery leaf, but summer heat flips a switch: the central stalk stretches, leaf growth slows, and the plant rushes to flower and set seed, the process known as bolting. Drought and root stress only push it faster, so steady conditions keep the soft green foliage coming longer.
Care
The short version: Give dill full sun, even moisture, and loose, well-drained soil, then sow the seed right where it will grow because the taproot hates being disturbed. Keep it cool, pinch the foliage often, and it stays bushy and green; let heat and drought take over and it bolts to flower fast.
Light
Set dill where it catches six or more hours of direct sun and the plant grows dense and feathery, the thread-fine leaves packed tight along the stems. A little afternoon shade is fine when summers run hot, but heavy shade thins the plant out: you get floppy, stretched stems, early bolting, and far less of that soft blue-green leaf.
Water
Aim for steady, even moisture, roughly an inch of water a week, and the foliage stays plump and green. The seedlings care most about this, so keep the soil consistently damp through germination and the early weeks. Let the plant dry out and drought becomes a trigger that rushes it into flower before you have harvested much leaf.
Soil
Give dill a loose, well-drained, fertile loam with organic matter worked in and a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. The looseness matters as much as the richness: a soft, open soil lets that deep taproot drive straight down unobstructed, which anchors the tall hollow stems above.
Temperature
Dill is happiest in the cool range, 50°F to 77°F (10°C to 25°C), where it keeps making fine blue-green leaf. Push past that and the plant changes character, shifting its energy from foliage to flower and bolting in the heat as the central stalk stretches up.
Humidity
Outdoor air in the usual 40% to 70% range suits dill fine, and the plant is not fussy about moisture in the air. What matters more is airflow around those feathery stems. Crowd the plants and the dense foliage stays damp, which invites problems, so let the air move through.
Feeding
Dill is a light feeder, content with one balanced feed or a little compost worked in at planting. Pile on the nitrogen and you get the opposite of what you want: soft, leggy stems that grow too fast and flop over rather than standing firm under the umbels.
Pruning
Reach in and pinch or cut the foliage often. Regular trimming keeps the plant bushy, fills it out with fresh thread-like leaves, and delays bolting by slowing the rush to flower. Snip off the flower heads if you want more leaf, or leave the umbels in place to mature into aromatic seed.
Repotting
Dill is not repotted. It is a direct-sown annual whose taproot resents any move, so it goes into the ground once and stays. Confined to a container, that root has nowhere to run, and the plant tends to stunt or bolt fast instead of filling out.
Size & spacing
Grown well, dill rises 2 to 4 feet (60 to 120 cm) tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm), all of it carried on tall hollow stems. Because those stems are light and open, space the plants close so they lean on one another and brace against the wind.
When to plant
Dill keeps time with the cool season. The soft feathery growth comes fastest when temperatures stay mild, so spring and early fall give you the longest run of leaf before the plant turns its attention to flowers and seed. Sowing a fresh row every couple of weeks keeps young, tender plants coming along behind the older ones.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Direct-sow in early spring after danger of hard frost; cool-season crop that bolts quickly in summer heat. Succession-sow every 2-3 weeks for continuous leaf harvest.
- Harvest: Cut leaves anytime once plants are established; yellow flower umbels form in summer, followed by seeds harvested as they ripen and turn brown.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 2–11
Temperature: down to -46°C
Troubleshooting
Most trouble with dill shows up first in the plant's shape and color: stems stretching skyward, fine leaves chewed back, or a tall stalk leaning where the wind caught it. The notes below walk through what those physical changes look like up close and how to read them.
Bolting: the stalk shoots up and the leaves thin out
Heat and long days flip dill from leaf to flower, and drought or root stress speeds it along. You see the central stalk elongate, leaf growth stall, and flower umbels form at the top. Stay ahead of it: harvest leaves early, succession-sow for backups, and hold the plant with consistent moisture plus a little afternoon shade when it is hot.
Fix:
- Harvest leaves promptly before flowering
- Succession-sow new plantings
- Provide consistent moisture and light afternoon shade in heat
Swallowtail caterpillars grazing the foliage
Spot green caterpillars banded with black and dotted yellow and you have black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) larvae, and dill is one of their favorite host plants. The chewing looks dramatic on the fine leaves but rarely sets a healthy plant back. Move them to spare foliage or grow a little extra, and they finish as butterflies.
Fix:
- Hand-pick and relocate caterpillars if foliage loss is a concern
- Plant extra dill to share with larvae as a pollinator host
Aphids clustering on the soft shoots
These small green or gray soft-bodied insects gather on the tender shoots and leave a sticky honeydew behind. Blast them off with a strong jet of water, step up to insecticidal soap if the cluster is bad, ease off the nitrogen, and welcome ladybugs and other beneficials to keep them in check.
Fix:
- Spray with a strong jet of water
- Apply insecticidal soap if severe
Lodging: tall stems bending and snapping near the base
A tall plant on hollow stems in an open, windy spot will bend or snap down near the base, and rich soil makes it worse by pushing soft, leggy growth. Stake the tall plants, give them a sheltered spot, and space them close so they prop each other up.
Fix:
- Stake taller plants
- Plant in a sheltered location
Toxicity
Dill is a kitchen herb through and through, the same feathery leaves and aromatic seed that flavor food, and it sits comfortably around people and pets. The ASPCA does not list it as a toxin for cats or dogs, and a nibble of the soft foliage is nothing to fret over.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Cats are safe around dill: the ASPCA does not list it as a toxin, and a nibble of the feathery leaves does no harm.
Dogs None
Dogs are safe too, the soft leaves cause no trouble, and some owners tuck a little dill into treats.
Horses Safe
Horses are safe with dill, which sometimes turns up in herbal feed blends.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits are safe and tend to enjoy fresh dill as a treat, drawn to the feathery leaves.
Livestock Mild
Livestock can eat dill safely, with one mild caveat: very heavy grazing of the furanocoumarin-bearing foliage may cause mild photosensitivity.
Birds Safe
Birds are safe around dill, and pet birds and backyard hens will peck at both the leaves and the ripe seeds.
People Safe
People are safe with dill as a kitchen herb, using the leaves and seeds; just rinse before use.
Edible herb safe to handle and consume; wash before use. Sap and furanocoumarins can rarely cause mild skin photosensitivity in sensitive individuals.
Varieties
Not every dill carries the same build. Some stand tall on long hollow stems for the biggest haul of foliage and seed, while others stay short and bushy, holding their fine blue-green leaves longer before the flower heads take over. A few favorites set out the differences below.
Bouquet
Bouquet is the popular compact pick, throwing a heavy crop of seed heads with a strong, classic dill flavor.
Fernleaf
Fernleaf stays dwarf and slow to bolt, small enough to fit a container while it keeps pushing out leaves longer than most.
Mammoth (Long Island Mammoth)
Mammoth (Long Island Mammoth) is the tall heirloom, standing high for the biggest yields of both foliage and seed.
Dukat
Dukat is slow to bolt with sweet, aromatic leaves, which makes it a favorite for fresh use.
Companions
Dill earns its keep near other crops by drawing in pollinators and the predatory insects that hunt garden pests.
How to propagate
Dill grows from seed only, and the deep taproot means you sow it straight into the ground where it will live. Press the seed in shallowly, keep the soil evenly moist, and let a few plants flower at season's end so they scatter seed for the next round.
SeedEasy
Direct-sow in early spring and succession-sow through the cool season · 7 to 21 days to germinate; harvestable leaves in about 40 to 60 days
Sow dill straight into the garden where it grows, pressing the seed in shallowly since the taproot resents transplanting. Expect germination in 7 to 21 days and harvestable leaves in about 40 to 60 days, then sow a fresh row every couple of weeks through the cool season and let a few plants flower so they self-seed for next year.
Myths
Dill transplants easily like any other seedling.
Not so. That deep taproot resents being moved, and the disturbance often shocks the plant straight into bolting. Direct-sow dill where it will grow rather than starting it in cells.
Dill is toxic to cats and dogs.
This one is wrong. Dill is a culinary herb regarded as safe, and the ASPCA does not list it among plants that poison cats or dogs. A nibble is nothing to worry about.