When to plant Dill in Cool Australia

Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Dill has a short, sharp window in the cool zone: sow direct in October and November, after the worst frosts, into ground where it will stay — its taproot resents transplanting. Germination is unhurried at 14–21 days, but from there leaves are ready to pick in just 40–60 days, so a late-October sowing in Canberra gives fresh fronds by Christmas. Sow shallow at 2–4 mm and thin plants to 20 cm in rows 25–30 cm apart. A second batch sown three weeks after the first keeps soft leaf coming well into summer.

Sowing calendar — cool zone

Green months are your sowing window: October to November.

Growing notes

Dill's cool-zone window is deliberately narrow: October and November, once the spring frosts around Canberra and Ballarat have mostly passed and — just as importantly — once the soil has warmed. Seed sown into cold, wet October ground stretches the already leisurely 14–21 day germination even further and often rots instead of sprouting. If the soil still feels cold to the touch mid-morning, wait a fortnight.

Sow where the plants will stay. Dill grows a taproot and sulks or bolts when transplanted, which is why it goes in direct at just 2–4 mm deep, then gets thinned to 20 cm in rows 25–30 cm apart. The slow germination creates the crop's quietest failure mode: weeds outrun the seedlings and the row disappears before you can find it. Mark rows clearly and hand-weed gently for the first month.

The other failure is bolting. Dill is pushed to flower by long days and heat, and although cool-zone summers are gentler than most, a December heat spike will still send plants to seed. Keep water even, pick fronds often, and sow a second batch three weeks after the first so soft leaf keeps coming. When plants do flower, leave a few standing — the seed is a spice in its own right, and the umbels draw hoverflies and parasitic wasps into the garden.

Dill at a glance

Companion planting

Grows well with

Cabbage: Attracts parasitic wasps that prey on caterpillars

Cabbage: Attracts parasitic wasps that prey on cabbage caterpillars

Keep away from

Carrot: Cross-pollinate and hybridise if both allowed to flower; mature dill stunts carrot growth

Cucumber: Mature dill inhibits cucumber growth

Carrot: Dill and carrot cross-pollinate; mature dill stunts carrot growth

Common questions

When should I plant dill in a cool climate in Australia?

Sow direct in October and November, once frosts are mostly done and the soil has warmed. Cold, wet soil slows the 14–21 day germination and can rot the seed.

Why does my dill keep going to seed so quickly?

Long days, heat and water stress all trigger bolting. Keep the soil evenly moist, pick fronds regularly, and sow a second batch three weeks after the first so you always have young plants in leaf.

Can I transplant dill seedlings?

It is best not to — dill has a taproot and usually sulks or bolts after transplanting. Sow direct where the plants will grow and thin to 20 cm.

How long does dill take to grow?

Germination takes 14–21 days, then leaves are ready to pick 40–60 days from sowing. A late-October sowing typically gives fresh fronds by Christmas.

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