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How to grow dill

Frost-hardy · Carrot family

When to sow and plant

  • Sow outdoors 5–12 April
  • Sow outdoors 19 April – 3 May

Based on: average for Germany, last frost 19 April, safe from 6 May

Planting calendar for your area
Where the dates come from

The weeks come from our sources; the dates use the average frost in Germany. Enter a German postcode to get dates for your area.

  • Sow outdoors: 1–2 weeks before the last frost (Illinois Extension, Herb Gardening: Dill)
  • Sow outdoors: 0–2 weeks after the last frost (University of Maryland Extension: Dill)

Good and bad neighbours

Disputed · 1

  • CarrotDisputed· X

    Said to be a good neighbour and it cut carrot fly damage in a trial – but carrot yield fell markedly.

    X: Sources disagree

    Carrot

Gardeners’ lore, not proven · 3

  • CucumberLore: good· D

    Considered a good pair; dill attracts hoverflies. A benefit for cucumbers has not been tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Cucumber

  • Butterhead lettuceLore: good· D

    Traditional advice, not tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Butterhead lettuce

  • OnionLore: good· D

    Traditional advice, not tested.

    D: Tradition, named by at least two sources

    Onion

Crop rotation

After the carrot family, leave the bed free of it for at least 4 years (sources: 4–5 years).

  • The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.
  • Example: grown here in 2026, again from 2031.

At a glance

Family
Carrot family (Apiaceae)
Nutrient needs
Light feeder
Frost
Hardy, tolerates frost
Spacing (row × plant)
30 × 23 cm (12 × 9 in)
Plants per m²
14.5
Per square foot (30 × 30 cm)
4 plants
Life cycle
Annual
Harvest
After 42–56 days from sowing

Spacing according to Utah State University Extension: Dill in the Garden. Other sources: – × 20 cm (– × 8 in) (RHS Grow your own: Dill).

Questions and answers

When can I sow dill?

Sow outdoors, average for Germany: 5–12 April. Enter a German postcode above for your area, or your own frost date in the planting calendar.

How far apart should I plant dill?

30 × 23 cm (12 × 9 in) (row × plant), according to Utah State University Extension: Dill in the Garden.

What grows well next to dill?

Carrot: Disputed (X), Cucumber: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D), Butterhead lettuce: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D) and Onion: Gardeners’ lore, not proven (D).

How long a break do dill need in the same bed?

After the carrot family, leave the bed free of it for at least 4 years (sources: 4–5 years). The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.

More from the carrot family

Sources

Show 12 sources
  1. Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein: Fruchtfolge im Garten (Gartenmerkblatt, 2020)
  2. RHS Find a plant: Anethum graveolens
  3. University of Maryland Extension: Dill
  4. Utah State University Extension: Dill in the Garden
  5. RHS Grow your own: Dill
  6. Phipps Conservatory: Square Foot Gardening (PDF)
  7. Illinois Extension, Herb Gardening: Dill
  8. Südtiroler Bauernbund: Merkblatt Fruchtfolgen im Gemüsebau (Oktober 2022)
  9. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (über die GBIF-API, species/match)
  10. BUND: Mischkultur – Gute und schlechte Nachbarn (August 2026)
  11. Wierzbicka & Majkowska-Gadomska 2012: The effect of biological control of the carrot fly (Psila rosae) on the yield and quality of carrot storage roots. Acta Sci. Pol. Hortorum Cultus 11(2)
  12. Oregon State University Extension: Herbs and Flowers in the Vegetable Garden (o. J.)

Retrieved on 23 October 2026. Facts in our own words, one source per value.