When and How to Start Dill Seeds Indoors
Do you love fresh dill from your garden? Start dill seeds indoors to get these aromatic herbs a head start before spring. In this article, plant expert Matt Dursum shows you when and how to get dill seeds started early.
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Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an ancient herb with a long use in food and medicine. It’s part of the Apiaceae family and thrives as a biennial in zones 2 to 8 and as a perennial in zones 9 to 11. Most gardeners grow it as an annual in herb gardens, vertical planters, and garden beds.
This flavorful herb is great in sauces, dips, salads, and spreads. I blend mine with stewed garden beets and bone broth to make borscht soup. Try adding the chopped leaves to Greek yogurt for a Mediterranean sauce or dry the seeds as a spice.
This winter, start your seeds indoors to get your dill ready for the growing season. When the temperatures are warm enough, you’ll have healthy herbs to harvest at the start of summer. Let’s dive into the top steps to starting dill seeds indoors and when to begin.
Step 1: Choose Your Varieties
There are several varieties and cultivars to choose from. The most common are ‘Bouquet’, ‘Mammoth’, ‘Compatto’, and ‘Dukat’. Some are compact and easy to grow in containers, while others are large and bushy.
Decide where you want to grow your dill and what flavor profile you’re looking for. For classic flavors, try growing ‘Bouquet’ varieties. ‘Superdukat’ is a highly aromatic variety that tastes amazing in sauces and spreads.
Buy several seed varieties for the ultimate assortment. Try growing and planting these varieties to make the most out of this flavorful herb. Find high-quality and organic seeds from reputable suppliers.
Step 2: Choose Biodegradable Containers
Try sowing your seeds in biodegradable pots or trays. Dill is notoriously susceptible to transplant shock. They have delicate root systems that sometimes cannot survive the shock of being transplanted to another container or garden bed.
Biodegradable containers are easy to use and prevent transplant shock. When your seedlings are ready to transplant, simply place the container in a bed, and the biodegradable pot will slowly decompose. Your herbs will slowly acclimate to their new environment without showing signs of shock.
Peat pots, paper pots, and recycled food containers are all excellent biodegradable containers. Make sure they have plenty of drainage holes to let out excess moisture and prevent soggy soil.
Remove the bottom of your container to allow the long taproot to develop. Ideally, this should be around 12 inches deep. As sustainable as egg cartons are, they may not be the best for dill’s long root system.
Step 3: Prepare Your Soil
Use a well-drained mixture that retains moisture without becoming waterlogged. Mixtures with coco coir work very well for indoor dill seeds. It can hold over 8 times its weight in water.
Make sure your soil is full of rich organic material. It should be slightly acidic, although dill can thrive in a neutral pH.
Add a little compost to increase the nutrient content when preparing your mixture. Garden sulfur works great to bring down the soil pH naturally. Apply it to your mixture according to the product’s directions. It’s best to go light and mix it around completely.
Step 4: Know When to Start Your Seeds
Sow your seeds 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date. In places such as Southern California and Florida, this can be in January. In northern climates such as Michigan, it can freeze into May.
Check The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s handy map showing average last freeze dates across the country. Find your location and start your seeds 8 to 10 weeks before that date.
After starting your seeds indoors, your dill seedlings will be ready to plant outdoors in early summer. Dill can handle a light freeze, but anything under 25°F (-4°C) will kill its foliage.
Step 5: Sow Your Seeds
Gently press clusters of 3 seeds into the surface no more than ⅛ to ¼ inch deep. Space them apart by 4 inches and cover them with a thin layer of soil.
Give your seedlings a good amount of water and let the container drain before repeating. You can use a mister to keep them moist. Be careful not to let the soil dry out.
Step 6: Label Your Plants
Once you sow your seeds, label them with a wooden popsicle stick. This helps you keep everything organized. This will help you if you’re growing several varieties.
Step 7: Place Your Containers in a Bright Area
After planting your seeds, move your dill to an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight (ideally 8). South-facing windows or greenhouses work best. Your seedlings may have trouble germinating if they don’t get enough bright sunlight.
If you don’t live in an area with enough light, consider growing your seeds under grow lights. These artificial lights provide enough light to get your dill to germinate indoors.
Step 8: Keep the Soil Moist
While you wait for the seeds to germinate, keep the soil moist with regular misting. Don’t let the medium dry out.
If you notice water pooling on the surface, you’re watering your dill too much. Wait until it is moist but not dry before lightly misting again.
Step 9: Keep Your Seedlings in Warm Spaces
Once your herbs mature, they can handle a light freeze. As seedlings, it’s best to keep them away from heavy freezes. The ideal temperature range for the herb to germinate is between 60 to 70°F (16-21°C).
If you live in a cold region, keep your containers away from large windows. If you have a deep freeze, it could bring the inside temperature down and stress your seedlings as they emerge.
Step 10: Watch for Your Dill to Emerge
Keep an eye on your baby herbs as they emerge. Look for overcrowded clusters of sprouts. You’ll start to see the strongest ones grow quickly and put on their foliage.
As they emerge, keep their soil moist. Keep them under as much direct light as possible.
Step 11: Stake Your Plants
Dill plants have a hollow central stem that needs support when they’re young. If you choose, you can use small stakes or pencils to support them as they grow.
This supports them as they grow taller and keeps them from falling over. Without support, dill can grow long, wispy branches. Training your herbs on stakes helps them form an upright appearance.
Step 12: Thin Out Your Seedlings
When your seedlings are over 3 to 4 inches tall, you can start thinning them out. Leave the strongest plants and gently pull up the weaker ones.
This will prevent the plants from competing and let each healthy plant have access to the moisture and nutrients they need to grow. Aside from disposing of these smaller plants, try them as microgreens.
Step 13: Prepare Them for Planting
When your plants are over 8 inches tall and the last threat of frozen temperatures has passed, they’re ready to plant. Before doing this, it’s best to harden off your plants. Choose a shady location to slowly acclimate your plants to the outdoors.
Continue hardening off your young plants by slowly exposing them to the sun. Bring them inside at night for the first few days. After about a week, they’re ready for planting outside.
Step 14: Plant Them Outside
After hardening off your plants, prepare your garden beds for planting. Choose a sunny spot that gets plenty of direct sunlight and well-drained soil.
Dig a hole deep enough for the biodegradable containers to fit. Fill any spaces with soil and spread mulch around the plant’s crown. This will help retain moisture and protect from late-season frosts.
Step 15: Grow Them Near Companion Plants
Dill grows remarkably well next to broccoli, cucumber, asparagus, and other brassicas species. Basil is another popular companion plant.
Try planting dill next to flowers such as nasturtium. Together, these plants will attract tons of helpful pollinators to your garden.
In my garden in Michigan, I enjoy growing dill near my onion crops. Onions repel pests because of their strong odors. Together, they form heavy-duty natural pest control.
Key Takeaways
Dill grows best when it’s directly sowed outdoors after the last frost date has passed. It doesn’t do well with transplanting. However, you can start it indoors ahead of time as long as it has enough light and a deep biodegradable container.
As long as the plant’s growing conditions are met, you can grow healthy plants by seed indoors. Try growing tons of varieties and try staggered planting to space out your harvests and enjoy microgreens.
