Dill Growth Requirements

Planting

• Dill needs well-drained, slightly acidic soil. The soil shouldn't be too rich, but you can add 1 or 2 inches of compost, or an all-purpose fertilizer at the rate of 1/2 tbsp. per square foot. Plant dill from seeds, sowing seeds about 1/4 inch deep. Planting seeds every four weeks or so will ensure a steady supply of herbs. Rows should be spaced 12 inches apart and seedlings should be thinned to 9 inches apart. Dill plants need six to eight hours of full sun every day.

Water/Fertilizer

• Dill doesn't require a lot of fertilizer. If you added compost or fertilizer prior to planting, it may not need any fertilizer at all. A light feeding in the late spring should suffice. Water plants once or twice a week and keep the soil moist until the plants are established, then let the soil dry between waterings.

Insects

• Most insects attracted to dill are beneficial. These include bees, wasps, lady beetles, lacewings and butterflies. If you find tiny, bright green caterpillars with black stripes on the plants, leave them alone. Parsley worms are the larvae of swallowtail butterflies and won't harm your dill. Aphids can be a problem during flowering and when the seeds ripen. Avoid overwatering since dill is prone to powdery mildew infections when it gets wet.

Indoors

• If growing dill indoors, provide it with at least five or six hours of direct sunlight every day or 12 hours of fluorescent lighting. Stake plants because lower light levels make indoor plants taller and more spindly than plants grown outside. Use pots that are at least 12 inches deep because dill has a taproot. Pots should have holes in the bottom to ensure adequate drainage. Every four to six weeks, fertilize dill that's grown indoors with a liquid fertilizer, at half the strength recommended on the label.

Harvesting

• Snip leaves as you need them throughout the growing season. Dill leaves taste best when harvested just before the flowers open. When the flower turns brown, it will not produce more leaves. Harvest the flower heads before the seeds are fully dry.