How to Care for Dill Plants in the Garden

Overview

Many gardeners grow annual dill weed for its versatile culinary uses. Easy to grow, it adds tall, attractive foliage wherever planted. Simple care yields a bountiful harvest before you know it.

Step 1: Prepare Bed

After last frost, cultivate 4 inches deep. Incorporate 1–2 inches compost. Rake smooth.

Step 2: Mark Rows

Space rows 1–2 feet apart. Furrows ¼ inch deep.

Step 3: Sow Seeds

Scatter seeds along rows (thin later).

Step 4: Cover and Water

Cover with ¼ inch soil. Water generously. Keep evenly moist through germination.

Step 5: Thin Seedlings

At ~4 inches tall, remove weakest, leaving strongest every 12 inches.

Step 6: Fertilize

At 6–8 inches tall, apply all-purpose fertilizer per package for bed size.

Step 7: Harvest Leaves

Snip as needed with shears. Prevent flowering (clip buds) to prolong leaf production—blooming stops leaf growth.

Step 8: Harvest Seeds

After bloom, wait for flowers to brown. Clip entire seed head. Place in paper bag; shake gently to release seeds.