How to Harvest Dill
When you harvest dill, it will depend on how you intend to use it: dill weed as needed, dill weed to preserve, or dill seed.
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Harvesting Dill Weed as Needed
For the freshest quality, dill weed can be harvested on an as-needed basis. Dill weed is ready to be picked about eight weeks after planting when the leaves develop. The plant’s essential oils give dill its flavor, so picking your leaves in the morning is best before the oils evaporate as the day progresses.
Harvesting Dill Weed to Preserve
To preserve the flavor of dill at its height, you will want to harvest dill directly before the flowers open. Cut the sprig of dill rather than the individual leaves when harvesting for preservation. After you have dried your dill, you can remove the leaves from the stems for storage.
Harvesting Dill Seed
In order to harvest your dill for seed, you will need to allow the flowers to open. Once the flowers have bloomed, allow them to go to seed, which will take about three weeks. Cut the whole sprig, leaves, flowers, and stems. In order to preserve the seeds, you will need to hang the dill upside down in bunches with a paper bag over the bunch to collect the seeds as the dill plant dries.
Resources
- The University of Rhode Island Landscape Horticulture Program – “Growing, Harvesting & Using Culinary Herbs.”
- The University of California Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County – “Harvesting and Preserving Dill.“
Related: Can You Freeze Dill?
