Dill

Quick facts

Category

herbs soft

Difficulty

beginner

Days to harvest

40 to 60 days

Harvest type

cut leaves, plant regrows for repeated harvests

Spacing

20 cm between plants

Environment

Temperature

10–24°C

pH

5.5 to 6.5

EC (hydroponic)

1 to 1.6 mS/cm

Daily light

14 to 20 mol/m²/day

Climate and zones

USDA zones

3 to 11 (winter low around -40°C or warmer)

Frost tolerance

tolerates light frost

Season

cool (spring and fall crops)

Viable growing environments:

• outdoor year-round (in zone)
• outdoor in growing season (annual)
• unheated greenhouse / hoop house
• heated greenhouse
• indoor (heated home)
• indoor hydroponics under grow lights

USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.

Growing systems

Dill works in:

• deep water culture (rafts)
• NFT channels
• media bed (ebb and flow)
• wicking bed
• soil bed

Growing media

The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (dill works in the media listed below).

Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.

Nutrient demand by stage

NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.

Aquaponics suitability

Compatible with typical aquaponics nutrient profiles. Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth; supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.

Care notes

A fast-growing hydroponic herb that bolts relatively quickly but produces usable product at all stages. EC 1.0-1.8 mS/cm. pH 5.5-6.5. Temperature: 15–25°C (cool to moderate; bolts faster in heat but tolerates warm conditions better than cilantro or chervil). Moderate to high light (DLI 14-20 mol/m2/day). NFT, DWC, or media bed systems work. From seed to first leaf harvest: 4-6 weeks. The leaves (dill weed) are harvested by snipping fronds from the stems. Once the plant produces flower heads, leaf production slows; the flower heads and green seeds are also useful in the kitchen (green dill seed is excellent in pickles and fish dishes). Each planting lasts 6-10 weeks before bolting. Succession plant every 3-4 weeks for continuous leaf supply. Compact varieties ('Fernleaf', 'Dukat') are better suited to hydroponic systems than tall garden types because they bolt slower and stay more compact. The main pest is aphids, which cluster on the tender new growth and flower heads. For pickle-making season, time a large planting to mature when your cucumbers are ready for harvest.

Further reading

• The Kratky method: grow lettuce with zero electricity
• What to grow in an aquaponics system (and what won't work)