Growing Dill

Introduction

Dill (Anethum Graveolens) is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is the only species in the genus Anethum.

Dill is grown widely in Europe and Asia where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring food.

Dill has been found in the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep II, dating to around 1400 BC. It was also later found in the Greek city of Samos, around the 7th century BC, and mentioned in the writings of Theophrastus (371–287 BC).

Types

There are thirteen main types of dill; Bouquet, Compatto, Delikat, Dukat, Elephant, Fernleaf, Greensleeves, Hera, Herkules, Mammoth Long Island, Superdukat, Teddy and Vierling.

The following table breaks down the differences:

Types Image Description
Bouquet This variety gets its name because it’s often used in cut flower bouquets, thanks to its tall stems and big, showy umbels of bright yellow flowers. It features beautiful dark green foliage, which makes it ideal if you want an ornamental plant for your garden that is also edible. This variety of dill does it all. Perhaps that’s why it’s one of the most commonly grown types.

If you want to make pickles, this is an exceptional option thanks to its abundant seeds. It’s also frequently used for making a soothing tea. Bouquet dill plants grow up to two feet tall at maturity, and the leaves are ready for harvest in approximately 2 months. Quick to flower; only 85-100 days.
Compatto Compatto dill is a compact variety with blue-green foliage and a bold, aromatic taste. Plants grow to a diminutive 12-18 inches tall at maturity, and is slow to bolt. Plants are somewhat drought and heat tolerant. Leaves are ready to harvest in just 40-50 days. It’s the perfect size if you’re looking for a container herb.
Delikat Delikat has abundant, thick, dense foliage. It’s a reliable producer, and has a heavy leaf and seed yields compared to other dill varieties. It grows about 10-24 inches tall at maturity and foliage is ready to harvest in about 40 days, with seeds maturing in 90 days.
Dukat Dukat dill, also known as ‘Tetra,’ is a Danish variety that is slower to bolt than other types. With an intense flavor, it’s a good option if your primary goal is to harvest the leaves for cooking.

The variety boasts a high oil content, which makes it especially aromatic and flavorful. Plants top out at about one to two feet tall at maturity, which makes it very suitable for growing in a pot. The leaves are ready for harvest in 40-50 days, and the seeds are good to go in about 90-100 days.
Elephant Elephant dill is a late-flowering cultivar that is slow to bolt. This will facilitate a longer season of clipping the dark green leaves. Mild-flavored, the leaves mature in between 60-90 days, and seeds are ready at 110-140 days.

With a mature height of four feet tall and a spread of two feet, ‘Elephant’ can be planted in borders or raised garden beds.
Fernleaf A winner of the All-America Selections award in 1992, Fernleaf dill matures to a petite 18 inches tall, with a compact growth habit. It’s ideal for growing in a container or a small herb garden. The leaves have a bushy fern-like appearance.

Fernleaf also makes a beautiful specimen plant in the ornamental garden, or it is suited to growing in a container indoors. After cutting, the leaves retain their flavor for longer than some other varieties. ‘Fernleaf’ is ready to harvest in 40-60 days for the leaves, and 90-100 days for the seeds.
Greensleeves Greensleeves, sometimes referred to with the alternate spelling "Green Sleeves", is resistant to bolting and produces an abundance of dark green leaves with a sweet, mild flavor. It grows to a relatively compact height of 30 inches tall, and has a long harvest window. Suitable for growing in containers, you can harvest the leaves in 45 days. Seeds mature in about 100 days.
Hera Hera dill is slow to bolt and has dark green, almost blue leaves. Considered a “bunching” variety, the fragrant leaves mature in about 40-60 days. The seeds are ready in approximately 100 days. Growing to a compact size of 12-18 inches at maturity, Hera works well for container growing.
Herkules Herkules dill, also known as "Hercules", grows to an impressive three feet tall at maturity, with lots of long, arching leaves. It produces massive flower heads and is slow to bolt. Theolder leaves tend to lose some flavor, and plants may need to be staked because of their height.

This is a great option if you want to attract beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. Pluck the leaves after 40-60 days. The seeds are mature in between 90 and 100 days.
Mammoth Long Island Mammoth Long Island dill, aka "Mammoth" or just "Long Island dill", is a large cultivar. It averages about three feet tall, but in the right conditions, it can grow up to six feet at maturity.

It’s popular for its large, flavorful leaves that are perfect for chopping up and sprinkling on fish. Because of its large size, this variety may require staking. The leaves are ready to harvest after just 65 days, and the seeds are ripe around 110 days after planting.
Superdukat Superdukat dill is a heavy producer that is very slow to flower. The plant's abundant foliage has a high oil content, for an intensely aromatic flavor and can grow up to five feet tall at maturity.

Plants tend to grow uniformly and quite straight, and stems may need staking. It takes 40-50 days to reach leaf harvest and 90-100 days for seeds.
Teddy Teddy grows fast, with dense foliage in an upright form. This cultivar has thicker leaves than the typically fine, delicate structure typical of other dill plants.

A dwarf variety, Teddy dill is a good candidate for container growing. The leaves are ready in 45-55 days and the seeds can be harvested in between 95 and 115 days.
Vierling Vierling is an heirloom variety with dark blue leaves and thick stems. It is slow to bolt. The seed heads are popular with commercial florists for use in cut flower arrangements. In the garden, it attracts beneficial insects and pollinators.

Vierling tops out at about 36-60 inches tall at maturity. This dill weed is ready to harvest in 45 days, and the seeds are ready in 95 days.

Germination & Propagation

Dill seeds need some light to germinate. Sow seeds no more than ¼” deep. Water the germination mix first and then sow the seeds on top and sprinkle a fine soil mix like worm castings or black gold in a thin layer, barely covering the seeds.

Watering with a pressure sprayer on the mist setting will disturb the seeds far less than using a watering can. Seeds are best stored in the refrigerator and can be purchased directly from us via our Seed Store.

Dill can also be propagated via rooting cuttings. Use a sharp scissors to cut a 4-6 inch growing tip. Remove the growth from the lower stem and leave 2-3 leaf nodes remaining. Place in a glass of water and change the water every day. Roots will appear in approximately 2-3 weeks.

Planting

Dill should be planted in rows 18 inches apart, two feet for larger varieties. Thin the plants to stand at least 15cm (6″) apart.

The ideal pH rage for dill is on acidic side at 5.0-7.0. Dill does very well in pots, use the Best Hawaiian Soil Mix. Dill does not transplant easily so planting seeds in the final pot you will use and thinning out the plants is the best approach.

Sun and Water

Plant dill in a location that receives at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. Choose a spot protected from high winds because the tall, hollow stalks can easily blow over if you do not stake them.

Watering dill can be tricky. The plants do need ample moisture to stay healthy, however, too much shade and not enough water causes dill to wilt and turn brown. Overwatering or slow draining soils cause root rot which can turn the dill yellow and eventually die.

Fertilizing

Dill is a light to medium feeder depending on plant size. Use nitrogen dominant plant food like desert bat guano, fish, kelp or blood meal. Fertile beds only need a few feedings during the growing season.

Harvesting

You can use dill weed once the fern-like leaves develop (about 8 weeks); cut them next to the stem. However, peak quality is just as flower heads open. Culinary quality of dill declines after cutting; if possible, cut just what you need when you need it. Gently harvest your herbs; use pruning scissors.

To cut fresh dill so that it keeps growing, you must never cut back more than a third of the plant and be sure to leave enough time for the plant to recover after pruning. This will ensure that the dill is able to regrow after having been cut back.