Dill: Spacing, Yield & Planting Dates
Plant count & yield calculator
Pre-filled for this crop — adjust bed size or pick a different vegetable.
Enter bed size to count plants.
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Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
Seed starting dates
Pre-filled last frost — change the date to rebuild the full crop schedule. For Dill with this frost date : start indoors ~Mar 4, transplant ~Apr 29 .
Pick a last frost date for the schedule.
Your result
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Show the math & assumptions
Assumptions and formulas will appear here once you calculate.
About dill
Dill provides feathery fronds for fish and salads early on, then seed heads for pickling cucumbers later — a dual-purpose herb that self-sows reliably.
Spacing & yield
Dill wants 10×12 inches and about 0.3 lb per plant at ~60 days to maturity.
Growing tips
- Succession-sow every 3 weeks since individual plants bolt quickly in warm weather.
- Let some plants flower to attract beneficial insects and provide dill seed for pickles.
- Support tall stems with a low ring or neighboring plants to prevent wind toppling.
- Harvest fronds before flower buds open for best leaf flavor.
Common mistakes
- Trying to transplant mature plants — dill has a taproot and resents disturbance.
- Planting near fennel, which cross-pollinates and produces off-flavored seed.
Harvest & storage
Clip fronds freely once plants reach 8 inches, or let flower for seed heads at about 60 days.
Use fronds fresh or freeze flat on a tray; dried dill loses most flavor.
Companion planting
Good neighbors for dill: cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, corn. Avoid planting beside: carrots, fennel, tomatoes.
Planting calendar
Start indoors about 6 weeks before last frost, then transplant 2 weeks after frost. Use the seed-starting calculator above with your real county frost date — the April 15 default is only a worked example (zone 6 style).
Estimates only — consult your local extension office for advice specific to your land and animals.
Frequently asked questions
- How far apart should dill be planted?
- Space 10 inches in-row with 12 inches between rows; dill grows upright and does not need much lateral room.
- How much does one dill plant produce?
- About 0.3 lb of fronds and seed heads combined over its short lifecycle.
- How quickly does dill mature?
- Leaf harvest begins in 40 days; full seed-head maturity takes about 60 days from sowing.