Growing Dill in Arizona: When to Plant, How to Harvest and Ways to Eat It
Every fall I tuck a row of dill seed into the garden, and every spring I end up with a feathery green cloud that smells like a jar of pickles the second I brush past it. Dill is one of the easiest herbs you can grow in the Arizona low desert, as long as you grow it in the right season. Plant it in summer and it sulks, flowers and dies in a few weeks. Plant it now, in early November, and you can be snipping fresh dill for tzatziki and potato salad from Christmas through spring.
Here is everything I have learned about growing dill in Arizona: when to sow it, which varieties hold up best, how to keep it from bolting too early, how to harvest both the leaves and the seeds, and some of my favorite ways to eat it.
Why Dill Is a Cool-Season Herb in the Desert
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an annual in the carrot family, a cousin to cilantro, parsley and fennel. Like those cousins, it loves mild weather. It grows its best leafy foliage when days are in the 60s and 70s and nights are cool. Once daytime highs climb into the high 80s and 90s, dill gets the signal that it is time to make seeds, and it shoots up a tall flower stalk. That is called bolting, and once it starts, leaf production slows way down.
In most of the country, dill is a spring and summer herb. In Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma and the rest of the low desert, our "spring" happens from October through March. That flip is the single most important thing to understand. If you have tried dill in April and watched it fail, it was not you. It was the calendar.
If you garden in the high desert, like Prescott, Flagstaff or Show Low, the story is closer to the rest of the country. Wait until after your last frost in spring, then sow dill from late spring into summer.
When to Plant Dill in Arizona
For the low desert, the sweet spot is roughly mid-October through February. Early November is about perfect, because the soil has cooled down enough for good germination but there is still plenty of warmth for the seedlings to get going.
My favorite trick is succession sowing. Instead of planting one big patch, I sow a short row every three to four weeks from October into February. That way, when the first planting starts to bolt in late winter, the next one is just hitting its stride. It is the best way I know to have fresh dill on hand for months instead of weeks.
Dill handles light frost fine. On rare nights in the 20s, toss a frost cloth over the bed.
Picking the Right Variety
Not all dill is the same. Some types are bred for leaves and some for seeds and flower heads. Here are a few I like for Arizona:
Fernleaf: A compact, dwarf dill that stays around 18 inches tall. It is slow to bolt and perfect for containers or small raised beds.
Dukat (also sold as Tetra): A leafy variety with lots of foliage and a sweet, mild flavor. It is also slower to bolt than standard dill.
Bouquet: The classic. It grows fast, makes big flower heads and is the one most people use for pickling seed.
Mammoth or Long Island: A tall type that can top 4 feet. It is great if you want seed heads for canning, but it may need staking in our spring winds.
If you only grow one, I would pick Fernleaf or Dukat. In a climate where heat can sneak up in March, slow-to-bolt varieties buy you extra weeks of harvest.
Soil, Sun and Spacing
Dill is not fussy, but a few things make a big difference.
Sun: In winter, give dill full sun, at least six hours a day. For late-winter sowings, a spot with afternoon shade can help delay bolting.
Soil: Dill likes loose, well-drained soil with some organic matter. Native desert soil tends to be alkaline, compacted and low in nutrients, so I mix a couple of inches of compost into the bed before sowing. You do not need rich soil. Too much nitrogen gives you lush growth with less flavor.
Containers: Dill grows a long taproot, so choose a pot that is at least 10 to 12 inches deep. Fernleaf is the best choice for pots. Use a good potting mix and make sure the container drains well.
Spacing: Thin seedlings to about 8 to 12 inches apart for leafy types. You can grow them a bit closer if you plan to harvest young plants heavily.
How to Sow Dill Seeds
Dill really does not like to be transplanted. That long taproot gets damaged easily, and transplanted dill often bolts early out of stress. Direct sowing is the way to go.
Rake the bed smooth and water it the day before you plant.
Scatter seeds or sow them in shallow rows, about 1/4 inch deep. Just barely cover them with fine soil or compost.
Pat the soil down gently so the seeds make good contact.
Keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings show up. In cool weather that usually takes one to three weeks, so be patient.
Once the seedlings are a few inches tall, thin them to their final spacing. Snip the extras with scissors instead of pulling them, so you do not disturb the neighbors' roots.
Watering
In the cool season, dill does not need much water. Keep the soil evenly moist while seeds germinate, then switch to deeper, less frequent watering. In November and December, that might mean watering every three to five days in the ground, depending on your soil and whether it rained. Containers dry out faster, so check them by poking a finger into the soil.
The biggest mistake I see is overwatering in winter. Let the top inch of soil dry slightly between waterings once plants are established.
Keeping Dill From Bolting Too Soon
Eventually all dill bolts. That is just what it does. But you can stretch out the leafy stage:
Plant early in the season so plants mature during the coolest months.
Choose slow-bolting varieties like Fernleaf or Dukat.
Harvest regularly, which encourages more leafy growth.
Use succession sowing so there is always a younger batch coming along.
When you see a thick central stalk start to shoot up, that is your cue to harvest heavily, because flavor in the leaves starts to fade once flowering begins.
Pests, Problems and the Caterpillar Question
Dill is pretty tough, but a few things can show up.
Aphids: These are common on dill in late winter and spring. A strong spray of water knocks most of them off. Ladybugs and lacewings will usually move in and clean up the rest if you avoid harsh sprays.
Damping off: Seedlings that suddenly wilt at the soil line are often a sign of soil that stays too wet. Water less often and improve drainage.
Swallowtail caterpillars: If you find chubby green caterpillars with black stripes and yellow-orange dots munching your dill, those are most likely black swallowtail caterpillars. They grow into beautiful butterflies. I plant a little extra dill just for them. If they are eating too much of your harvest, gently move a few to a "sacrifice" plant instead of killing them.
How to Harvest Dill Leaves
You can start snipping dill leaves once the plant is about 8 inches tall, often around six to eight weeks after sowing. The leaves are usually called "dill weed" on spice jars, and they have the brightest flavor right before the plant starts to flower.
Harvest in the morning, after the dew dries but before the day warms up. That is when the essential oils are strongest. Use clean scissors to snip the outer fronds near the stem, and never take more than about a third of the plant at once. Leaving the central growing point lets the plant keep producing.
Harvesting and Saving Dill Seed
Do not pull your dill as soon as it flowers. Those flat, yellow umbrella-shaped flowers are pollinator magnets. Hoverflies, small native bees and tiny beneficial wasps love them, and those insects help control pests all over the garden.
After flowering, the umbels form seeds. Let them ripen on the plant until they turn from green to tan or brown. Then cut the whole head with a few inches of stem, put it upside down in a paper bag and let it finish drying in a cool, dry spot for a week or two. Give the bag a shake, and the seeds will fall right off.
Store dry seeds in a labeled glass jar. They are great for pickling, bread and seasoning, and you can sow them next fall. If you leave a few heads in the garden, dill will happily self-seed, and you will find volunteer seedlings popping up next season.
Preserving Dill for Later
Dill loses a lot of flavor when air-dried, so I prefer other methods.
Freezing: Chop fresh dill and pack it into ice cube trays, then cover it with water or olive oil. Pop out a cube for soups, sauces or roasted potatoes.
Freezing whole sprigs: Lay clean, dry sprigs on a tray, freeze them, then move them to a freezer bag. They crumble right into recipes.
Drying: If you do dry it, dry it quickly in a dehydrator on low and store it in an airtight jar away from light.
How to Eat Your Dill
This is the fun part. Fresh homegrown dill tastes much brighter than anything from the store.
Tzatziki: Grate a cucumber, squeeze out the water and mix it with Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon, olive oil and a big handful of chopped dill.
Potato salad: Swap some of the mayo for sour cream or yogurt and add lots of dill and a little Dijon.
Salmon or white fish: Lay dill sprigs and lemon slices over the fish before baking.
Quick refrigerator pickles: Pack sliced cucumbers into a jar with garlic, dill heads, a pinch of seed and a hot vinegar brine. They are ready in a day or two.
Ranch dressing: Homemade ranch with fresh dill is a whole different thing from the bottled kind.
Dill also pairs well with other cool-season herbs. If you are planting a winter herb bed, check out my guides to growing cilantro in Arizona at https://www.greenthumbhobbies.com/post/cilantro-arizona and growing parsley in Arizona at https://www.greenthumbhobbies.com/post/parsley-arizona.
Quick Dill Growing Checklist
Sow mid-October through February in the low desert
Direct seed about 1/4 inch deep, no transplanting
Full winter sun, loose and well-drained soil
Thin to 8 to 12 inches apart
Water evenly, but do not keep the soil soggy
Succession sow every three to four weeks
Harvest leaves in the morning, a third at a time
Let some heads flower for pollinators and seed
Freeze extras in oil or water cubes
Dill makes a winter garden feel alive, and it brings in the good bugs. Grab a seed packet this week and get a row in the ground while the weather is perfect. What is the first thing you will make with your homegrown dill?
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