How to Grow DILL from Seed & When to Harvest | Why we LOVE this herb & the BEST WAY to PRESERVE it

Dill is an essential herb is a must-have for pickles, dressing, bread and more. Plus, it's so easy to grow!

Just plant your dill in well-drained, fertile soil. For best results, start your seeds off indoors or in a greenhouse. It does best in cooler weather, so it's nice to keep things green during those fall and winter months.

If you let it go to seed, no problem! The seeds and flowers are great.

Planting by Zones
Zones 9-10

Dill is a cool season plant that can be grown from fall until late spring in Zones 9 and 10. Its growing season can be extended by using shade cloth or row cover. Dill will naturally want to flower and go to seed as the days get longer.

Zones 2-8
Direct sow in spring after the threat of frost is gone.

-Dill is most easily direct sown into the garden. Plant seeds in debris-free, well-worked soil that has been pre-irrigated. Cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil.
-Once the seedlings have germinated and have a first set of true leaves be sure to fertilize regularly with an organic liquid fertilizer.
-Dill grows well thickly sown; it does not need to be thinned.

Growing Bouquet Dill Seeds
-Keep your plants weed-free by pulling any weeds that may compete with your dill.

Succession Planting Dill Seeds
-If you enjoy large amounts of dill, succession planting is a good idea. Start a new round of seeds every 14 days.

Growing Dill Seeds in Containers
-Dill is an excellent container crop. Make sure your container is at least 10″ deep. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture.

Harvesting Dill
-The key to happy dill is to use it! Trimming dill back often will slow its desire to flower and go to seed. Harvest by cutting the top 1/4″ of the plant.
-When the flower is ready to flower, let it and watch the butterflies and pollinators go wild! This dill also makes a great cut flower.

Southern California Pro-tips for Dill Seeds
-In areas of Zones 9 and 10, dill is an easy crop that will give you delicious foliage through late spring. As the days get longer it will want to go to flower. Allow to flower if you have space; beneficial insects love dill flowers!
-Mulch heavily around your plants to ensure the soil does not dry out or heat up too much. -Compost added to the soil at the time of planting will help retain moisture in the soil during hot, dry weather.
-During our hottest months, plants can suffer from the heat. Using shade cloth can help protect the plants from extreme heat.

Companion Flowers/Crops
-Dill is an herb that is also ornamental when it goes to flower. Interplanting dill with flowers is a great way to utilize space and create a beautiful and edible garden. Dill looks particularly beautiful when planted with alyssum and nasturtium.

[SanDiegoSeedCompany]

If you're growing dill, how many plants do you have?

[apokalypthoapokalypsys]

Not many people will think about this but it's very impressive that this lady was able to speak clearly, fluently, systematically, staying on topic, never slowing down or speeding up, for 4 minutes with no cuts. It might not sound much at first but try it yourself and you'll find yourself catching your thoughts, rephrasing your words... and your tone won't be even, your eyes will probably dart around, etc. I know I do, and I'm a good public speaker. This is proof that either #1 she studied her script for hours and rehearsed the scene dozens of times - But at 1:30 you can see that the dill plant is missing about 3-4 stems at most so that's how much she rehearsed it at most. Meaning, #2 she really knows all this info about dill by heart and is very confident talking about it. I love dill and I'm glad she likes it too!

[trebis]

Do not ever worry about how to grow Dill. It is a weed and will grow everywhere you plant it. I mean everywhere. If you do not pick Dill b4 it goes to seed then it will be everywhere for the rest of your gardening life. Which is a good thing. Happy gardening everyone.

[ironsoul]

Salt your dill it will last a month in the refrigerator just chop it fine and mix in generous amounts of salt I use it like a condiment in soups or sauces

[manwithaporpoiseYTsucksD]

I'm really into the health benefits of herbs and have been growing my family herbs plant's from the shoots and clippings of my plants. I've recently been giving them Dill plants and the looks I get are hilarious. They're Puerto Rican and Dill is completely alien to their cuisine. It's the look of somebody being nice while accepting a gift, but then thinking what the hell am I going to do with this. 🤣

[johnsheetz]

So great on top of salmon! It doesn't get the credit it deserves. Way more versatile than just pickles.

[clairwilliams]

Thank you, a very comprehensive video on dill.

[deonb]

Great advice, thank you! Growing my first seedlings in our winter right now. Good to know it's a cool weather crop. Cheers from Durban, South Africa.

[CalledOutOfDarkness]

I love your ice cube trick. Thanks for sharing.

[kurtnunn]

Great tip about how the plant goes quickly to flower. I actually want the flowers so I will be cutting away those side stems on my plants

[patricia]

Thank you for explaining about Dill, great job.

[charlesbale]

Enjoyed the video, thank you for sharing.

[cut--]

Herb is so fantastic especially if you're doing your own canning! Thanks so much! I recall so many times harvesting some dill and the fragrance is more intoxicating that any perfume.

[travelsalottofish]

This is my first year growing dill. I have a small plant in a 2 galon bucket. I didn't realise how awesome it is. Everytime I touch it or take the flowers off to keep it from stop growing (not sure if thats a thing but it might be) I love the smell it leaves me on my hands and keep thinking I might want to use it for more than my pickles I think it would make a great dill potato soup

[parkpatt]

Super helpful video. I've always struggled with dill, cilantro etc. but I planted some dill this spring and I'm excited to give it another shot.

[krisyallowega]

Gardeners please don't be wary of growing too many herbs. No matter how little or how much you have, there is someone that needs it. I just got back from delivering a few boxes of vegetables and herbs at the mission. I asked the worker if it was too much of the herbs and she said, "it all goes and people ask for them frequently."
P.S. I love that Stetson! But you look great all the time. XOXO Hope all is well with all of you down in San Diego!

[happuccinolife]

Thank You. Awesome video, great information. This will be my first time growing dill, and I think I’ve got it🙃

[karenstone]

I make my own pickled okra and putting fresh dill in it. It's so much better than adding different kinds of seed's like mustard seeds and dill seeds.

[catherinebassettrose]

I put the feathers of dill in a freezer bag coverer with kosher salt and place in freezer. Have fresh dill all winter long. Just rinse salt off dill before using.

[Mady-loqb]

I recently discovered that I can cut my chardon beni/culantro (not cilantro) down to the ground and it will spring back up again the same way. Of course, I realised this as some patches are growing wild in the lawn and they get mowed frequently without killing them while the plants I have under tender loving care carefully snipping one or two leaves don't seem to last as long. lol. I got a dill recently, but as this isn't a common culinary herb in my country, I think I will try getting seeds to germinate first before hacking it. haha.