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How to Grow Dills USA | Complete Growing Guide

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Dill (Anethum graveolens)

A field of flowering dill plants — “Anethum graveolens (7490802082)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons

5 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Ready in
42–42 days
Site
soil pH 6–7

In the UK, dills are ready to harvest 42–42 days after planting.

Dills (Anethum graveolens) — annual.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.

At a Glance

A field of flowering dill plants — “Anethum graveolens (7490802082)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Anethum graveolens (7490802082)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Anethum graveolens Dill Aphids Slugs Snails PESTS

Quick Facts

Close-up of dill's tiny yellow flowers — “Anethum graveolens (7490803296)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Anethum graveolens (7490803296)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7
Optimal growing temp 15-18C
Minimum survivable temp -2C
Time to harvest 42-42 days
Drainage Well-drained
Lifecycle annual
Edible parts leaves, seeds

Soil & Growing Conditions

Dill stems and finely dissected foliage — “Anethum graveolens (7490804904)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Anethum graveolens (7490804904)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Soil pH range

6 7

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

Growth Stages

The umbel structure of a dill flower head — “Anethum graveolens (7490803872)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Anethum graveolens (7490803872)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
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

A cluster of dill seedheads — “A picture I took in Egypt of Anethum graveolens,commonly known as dill” by Nourrmousa is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“A picture I took in Egypt of Anethum graveolens,commonly known as dill” by Nourrmousa is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

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

Dill stems and finely dissected foliage — “Anethum graveolens (7490804904)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Anethum graveolens (7490804904)” by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Aphididae (various spp.)

Slugs

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

Snails

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

References

  1. country=INTL

  2. country=INTL

  3. country=UK

  4. country=UK

  5. country=USA

5 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do dills take to grow?

Typically 42–42 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do dills need?

A pH of about 6–7. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

Plan next season before the problems start

Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

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Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real US growing conditions, and checked against USDA hardiness and frost-date data and Cooperative Extension growing advice before publication.

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Last verified 2026-08-29

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