Herb guide

Dill

Anethum graveolens · Annual

Needs depth more than width. Dill puts down a taproot, so a deep container matters more than a wide one.

What it needs indoors

Light: Full sunMinimum 6 hours direct sun
Water: Keep moistKeep evenly moist
Temperature: 65–75°F
Growing medium: Potting soil or coconut coir, deep unglazed terra cotta
Native range: The eastern Mediterranean and south-west Asia
Difficulty: Beginner

What usually goes wrong

Grows tall and thin, then folds over at the middle

Hollow stems with not enough light behind them. Dill keeps reaching upward on a dim sill until the stem cannot hold its own weight.

Fix: Six hours of direct sun, or a grow light. A slim cane and a loose tie will hold it up in the meantime, and pinching the top out early brings on side shoots to carry some of the load.

Flowers early and stops producing feathery leaf

Heat and cramped roots both bring flowering forward, often well before the plant has made much of a harvest indoors.

Fix: Sow a fresh pot every few weeks so there is always young growth. Let one plant go all the way through as well. Those flower heads become dill seed, and the flavour is worth having.

Never gets going after a move into a bigger pot

The taproot again. Dill wants its depth from day one, and it takes the check badly.

Fix: Start it in a pot at least 10 to 12 inches deep and leave it alone. Direct sowing beats transplanting every time with this one.