Why does my dill bolt so quickly?

Dill is an annual with a short window of leaf production — typically 6–8 weeks from sowing before it starts flowering. Successional sowing every 3 weeks is the only way to keep tender foliage available all summer. Bolt-resistant varieties exist (Dukat is the standard, holds leaf production 2–3 weeks longer than generic dill, and won't run to seed in average UK conditions). Heat triggers bolting — late-spring sowings bolt faster than early or autumn ones.

Can I transplant a dill seedling?

Not really. Dill has a long taproot that resents disturbance. Transplants typically bolt within 2–3 weeks of being moved (the stress signals go to seed now). Two workarounds. (1) Sow direct where you want the plants — easiest by far. (2) Use deep modular cells (root-trainer or 10+ cm) and plant out before roots reach the bottom. Standard module trays don't give enough depth.

Leaves: from 6 weeks after sowing, before flower buds form. Cut whole stems just above a side-shoot for re-growth. Flowers: in July–August, used in some pickle recipes (the whole flowering head goes into the jar). Seeds: in early September, as flower heads brown but before they shatter. The leaf, flower, and seed all have slightly different flavours and uses.

What's the difference between dill leaf and dill seed?

Dill leaf (the feathery foliage, called dill weed in old recipes): mild, fresh, slightly anise — fish, eggs, soft cheese, dressings, gravlax. Dill seed: stronger, more pungent, more aniseed — pickled cucumbers, rye bread, vinegars, spiced fish. Most recipes specify which form; don't substitute equal amounts of one for the other.

Can I grow dill in a pot?

Yes — and it's often easier than in-ground. Use a deep (30+ cm) pot to give the taproot room. Sow direct into the pot. Water consistently — pot-grown dill bolts faster in dry conditions. A pot on a sunny doorstep gives you a fresh handful of foliage from June to September. One pot's worth lasts about 4 weeks before bolting; sow a fresh pot every 3 weeks.

Why can't I plant dill near fennel?

They cross-pollinate and produce hybrid seedlings the following year (from any self-sown seed) with muddy, neither-quite-fennel-nor-dill flavour. Pollen drifts between umbels of the two species easily. The fix: grow them at opposite ends of the garden (10 m+ apart), or pick one or the other. Cutting flower heads before they set seed avoids the hybrid problem entirely.

Eneldo (planta entera)

Anethum graveolens

Sow dill direct from April to July, every 3 weeks, in sunny well-drained soil — it's a hardy annual that bolts to seed quickly in heat so successional sowing is the only way to keep fresh foliage going through summer. Dill is moderately hardy (RHS H3–H4) and tolerates spring frosts but not hard winter cold. Don't transplant dill — it has a long taproot and resents being moved; sow direct where you want it to grow, or use deep modular cells. Pick young feathery foliage for fish dishes, soft cheese, and dressings; let later sowings flower and set seed for pickling (dill seed has a stronger, more aniseed flavour than the leaf). Dill is a magnet for hoverflies and parasitic wasps — invaluable in any veg garden. Don't plant near fennel: they cross-pollinate and produce muddy-flavoured hybrids.

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