How to Grow Dill UK

When to Plant Dill in the UK

When to plant dill in the UK: in Southern England, sow early April to early July. Find your area in the table below.

Region	Sow
Southern England	early April to early July
Midlands	early April to early July
Northern England	early April to early July
Scotland	early April to early July

Southern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing direct outdoors from spring to mid-summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Midlands - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing direct outdoors from spring to mid-summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Northern England - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing direct outdoors from spring to mid-summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Scotland - detail & sources

RHS recommends succession sowing direct outdoors from spring to mid-summer; a single broad window is applied uniformly across all four sub-regions since RHS gives no UK-region-specific gradient.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil pH	6 - 7
Optimal growing temp	15-18°C
Minimum survivable temp	-2°C
Time to harvest	42-42 days
Drainage	Well-drained
Lifecycle	annual
Edible parts	leaves, seeds

At a Glance

Soil & Growing Conditions

Soil pH range

6 7

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	Sow direct outdoors 1cm deep in rows from spring to mid-summer, in succession; roots dislike disturbance so do not transplant (RHS).
Thinning and foliage growth	3	Thin seedlings to 15cm apart; develops finely dissected, aromatic blue-green foliage (RHS).
Flowering	6	Produces flat umbels of tiny yellow flowers on ribbed stems in mid-summer (RHS).
Seed set and harvest	8	Seed heads mature for harvest; plants complete their 1-2 year lifecycle as an annual or biennial (RHS).

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: RHS: leaves ready "about six weeks after sowing", continuing from early summer to autumn; keep at least one-third of the plant in place when picking, as leaves wilt quickly after cutting. UMD: pick leaves just as flowers open. Seed harvest: RHS/FAO indicate seeds collected in late summer/autumn once ripened and turned brown (FAO EcoCrop: 150-180 days total for seed production); UMD: pick seeds when flat and brown.

Storage

Fresh leaves used immediately (wilt quickly); seeds dried and stored

Pests

Aphids

Aphididae (various spp.)

Slugs

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

Snails

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

Dill, Grown for Foliage and Seed

An upright annual to 1m

RHS: an upright annual or biennial herb 60-100cm tall, up to 1.5m for the Mammoth cultivar.

Tiny yellow flowers

RHS: flat umbels of tiny yellow flowers on upright, finely ribbed stems in mid-summer.

A classic Apiaceae umbel

The flat-topped umbel structure is characteristic of the carrot/Apiaceae family that dill belongs to.

Finely dissected, aromatic foliage

RHS: finely dissected, aromatic blue-green leaves about 35cm long are the main culinary harvest.

Seeds carry essential oils

RHS: seeds contain essential oils with medicinal properties, alongside their culinary use.

What the research guides add

Dill is a fast annual, and the four extension services below agree on how to keep a supply going all season.

• It does best in full sun in well-drained soil: moist (Illinois), average to fertile (Wisconsin) or moderately fertile (Utah State). (Illinois Extension, Wisconsin Extension, Utah State Extension, NC State Extension)
• Sow in spring one to two weeks before the last frost, about ¼ inch (6 mm) deep because the seed needs light to germinate; seedlings emerge in about 10 to 14 days. (Illinois Extension, NC State Extension)
• Illinois advises sowing again every two weeks through the season because plants decline soon after they flower (bolt); Utah State says it takes about six weeks to harvest, so plant continuously. (Illinois Extension, Utah State Extension)
• Cut leaves anytime after the plant is a few inches high until the seed stalk begins to form. For seed, cut the flower heads when the seeds are fully developed but before they turn brown, because they shatter when ripe (Wisconsin); NC State harvests seed once the stems begin drying and the seeds turn golden brown. (Wisconsin Extension, NC State Extension)
• It reseeds readily: plants left in the garden in autumn drop seed that germinates the following spring. (Illinois Extension)
• Utah State names ‘Tetra’ and ‘Dukat’ as slow-bolting; Illinois adds ‘Green Sleeves’ as bolt-resistant and ‘Ella’ and ‘Monia’ as compact types for containers. (Utah State Extension, Illinois Extension)
• Plants grow 18 inches to 4 feet tall. (Wisconsin Extension)

Sources for this section

• University of Illinois Extension: Dill
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension: Dill, Anethum graveolens
• Utah State University Extension: How to Grow Dill in Your Garden
• NC State Extension: Anethum graveolens (Plant Toolbox)

Section researched and checked on 24 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

References

1. FAO EcoCrop - Anethum graveolens data sheet
2. GBIF - GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Anethum graveolens
3. NC State Extension - Anethum graveolens (Dill)

   Aromatic SELF-SEEDING ANNUAL, 2.5-5ft tall and 2-3ft wide. Full sun in well-drained slightly acid soil; tolerates partial shade but does best with 6+ hours. Sow in early spring a week or two before the last hard frost, about 1/4in deep AS THE SEED NEEDS LIGHT TO GERMINATE; seedlings emerge in 10-14 days. TRANSPLANTING IS NOT RECOMMENDED because of the long taproot. Sow every 2-4 weeks for a continuous supply. Young leaves have the strongest flavour and are best as the flowers first open; consistent watering prevents premature bolting. Seed is harvested once the stems begin drying and the seeds turn golden brown. Problems: aphids, powdery mildew, phytophthora blight and aster yellows. Larval host to the black swallowtail butterfly.

4. Royal Horticultural Society - Anethum graveolens | dill
5. Royal Horticultural Society - How to grow Dill | RHS Guide
6. University of Maryland Extension - Dill

6 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.