How to Grow Mammoth Dill
Anethum graveolens 'Mammoth'
Mammoth Dill stands tall as a robust culinary herb prized for its feathery foliage and aromatic seeds. Gardeners cultivate this easy-to-grow variety to flavor pickles, salads, and sauces while attracting beneficial pollinators like bees.
📷 Wikipedia: DillStarting Mammoth Dill: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Mammoth Dill is not usually started indoors.
Direct sow Mammoth Dill outdoors two to six weeks before your last frost date; do not transplant seedlings as they dislike being moved.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, well-draining soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 for optimal growth. Sow seeds directly outdoors two to six weeks before your last spring frost date, as dill thrives in cool weather. Press seeds gently into the soil surface without covering them deeply, since they require light to germinate. Expect sprouts to appear within seven to twenty-one days.
Space plants six to twelve inches apart to ensure good air circulation around their tall stems. Because Mammoth Dill can reach heights of three to eight feet, provide sturdy stakes or a trellis early on to prevent the heavy seed heads from snapping in wind. Maintain consistent moisture for lush leaf production and apply light mulch to retain soil water.
Watch for aphids, carrot rust fly, and parsley worms; avoid overhead watering to reduce risks of damping off or powdery mildew. Harvest fresh leaves anytime after they mature, but wait ninety days from sowing to collect seeds once the flower heads turn brown. Snip stems with scissors rather than pulling to keep the base healthy.
When to Plant Mammoth Dill
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | August – September |
| Zone 3 | April – May | — | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | July – October |
| Zone 5 | March – April | — | June – October |
| Zone 6 | March – April | — | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | June – November |
| Zone 8 | February – March | — | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January – February | — | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January | — | April – December |
| Zone 11 | January | — | March – December |
Companion Plants for Mammoth Dill
✓ Good companions
Dill attracts wasps that parasitize cabbage worms and aphids
Dill deters cabbage loopers and imported cabbage worms
Dill repels cabbage worms and other brassica pests
Dill attracts beneficial insects that control corn earworm and aphids
Dill repels cucumber beetles and attracts pollinators
Dill provides light shade and repels aphids that attack lettuce
Onions repel dill's pest insects while dill attracts beneficial predators
Dill attracts beneficial insects that control tomato hornworms and aphids
✗ Keep away from
Can stunt carrot growth and may cross-pollinate with wild carrots
May bolt prematurely when grown near mature dill plants
Both are umbellifers that compete for resources and may cross-pollinate
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
