Cool-season produce

Dill

Anethum graveolens

Also known as Dill weed

Grow for leaves or allow umbels to make dill seed. Heat and long days end the leaf harvest quickly.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyApiaceae (carrot)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowOctober–November or February–April.

How to plantDirect sow seed; taprooted seedlings dislike transplanting.

Plant spacing8–12 in

FrostProtect tender plants if a hard freeze is forecast.

Time to harvestLeaves as soon as established; seed heads later

SuccessionSow every 2–3 weeks in cool weather.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestCut foliage in winter; gather seed heads before shattering.

Right plant, right place

Will Dill grow at your Arizona property?

Grow for leaves or allow umbels to make dill seed. Heat and long days end the leaf harvest quickly.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.