Fernleaf Dill

Family: Apiaceae Herb

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Fernleaf Dill to a garden.

Feathery, fernlike fronds unfurl with a fresh, aromatic snap—bright dill flavor that’s unmistakably vivid from the first harvest.

Fernleaf Dill forms dense, finely divided foliage with tender, aromatic leaves and stems that stay flavorful for weeks, making it ideal for using fresh and for preserving the unmistakable dill character. Sow for a steady supply of fragrant greens at about 40 days to maturity.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 40 DaysHabit: Upright

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Fernleaf Dill Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Direct Sow	Jun 1st	Jul 11th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 25th	Jul 4th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 24th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 24th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Jun 28th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 24th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Jun 22nd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Jun 17th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Jun 13th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jun 10th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	Jun 4th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	May 30th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	May 20th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	May 11th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	May 2nd – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	Apr 15th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	Mar 21st – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	40
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	50
Min Night Temp (°F)	40
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Fernleaf dill is all about that feathery, aromatic snap—tender greens with a vivid, almost seedlike perfume that doesn’t get muddy when chopped fine. Use it late for maximum fragrance, or lean into it in brines and creamy sauces where its brightness cuts the fat cleanly.

Best Uses

fresh-chopped dill on hot potatoes so it clings instead of wilts
quick pickle brines and refrigerator pickles where dill needs to stay assertive
salmon gravlax or cured fish with a sweet-salt dill backbone
yogurt or sour-cream sauce where the fronds stay light and fragrant
fines herbes-style finishing for soups and borscht at the last minute

Flavor Profile

bright, citrus-leaning dill tang fine, feathery herbal snap sweet-aromatic dill seed perfume tender fronds that stay flavorful

Kitchen Pairings

lemon sour cream Greek yogurt garlic cucumber pickling brine constituents like kosher salt and vinegar salmon

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease commonly affects dill (Anethum graveolens), and how can I stop it?

A frequent issue is powdery mildew, which appears as a white, powdery coating on dill leaves during warm, humid spells. Improve airflow by thinning plants and spacing rows so leaves dry quickly, then remove heavily infected foliage. If it keeps spreading, treat with a labeled fungicide for powdery mildew and avoid watering the foliage.

How often should I water fernleaf dill during peak growth, and what soil moisture level should I keep?

During the main growth phase (from sprouting through leaf production), keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy—aim for lightly damp soil at about the top 1 inch. In warm weather this usually means watering about 1–2 times per week, increasing frequency if the top inch dries out sooner. Avoid letting dill dry completely between waterings, because leaf growth slows and plants can become less flavorful.

How do I know when fernleaf dill (Anethum graveolens) is ready to harvest?

For the best frond flavor, harvest leaves when plants are roughly 30–40 days old and reach a good, leafy size before heavy flowering. Snip fronds regularly from the outer growth; plants are ready when the foliage is abundant and the stems are still tender. If you want seeds, wait until the umbels turn brown and dry, then cut the seed heads.