When to Plant Dill in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Sow September to January. Right now in October you can sow.
Grow Dill in your space
- Planting window
- Sow from September to January once frosts ease. Short but productive season.
- Days to harvest
- 45 days
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Tolerates light afternoon shade in hot zones.
- Water needs
- Regular watering. Drought stress accelerates bolting. Keep soil consistently moist but...
- Spacing
- 15cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Soil pH
- 5.5-6.5
Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Dill guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A tall, feathery annual herb essential for Scandinavian, Eastern European and Asian cuisines. Both leaves (dill weed) and seeds are used. Like coriander, dill bolts in warm weather, but it's more forgiving. Excellent butterfly attractor. The fernlike foliage adds texture to any garden.
See what grows now in your own postcode
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/D | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | S/D | S/T/D | S/T/D | S/T/D |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 13.6°C (optimal range: 10–20°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
How to Grow Dill in Cold / Highland Australia
When to Plant
Sow from September to January once frosts ease. Short but productive season.
- Soil
- Well-drained, average to rich soil. Not fussy about soil quality.
- pH Range
- 5.5-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun. Tolerates light afternoon shade in hot zones.
- Spacing
- 15cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Regular watering. Drought stress accelerates bolting. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Companion plants: Cabbage, Broccoli, Lettuce, Onion, Cucumber
Avoid planting near: Fennel (will cross-pollinate), Carrot, Tomato
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Dill
Recommended Varieties
- Common dill
- Dukat
Key Challenges
- Short season
- Cold soil delays germination
Pro Tips
- Pre-warm soil with black plastic
- Sow thickly for wind protection at altitude
- Let bolt for seed, good spice crop
Harvesting Dill
When ready: Harvest leaves once plants are 20cm+ tall. Harvest before flowering for strongest leaf flavour. Seeds ready when brown and dry on plant.
How to harvest: Snip leaf fronds as needed. Cut no more than 1/3 of plant at once. For seed: cut entire seed heads when brown, dry in paper bag.
Common Dill Pests in Cold / Highland Zones
Aphids and Powdery Mildew, risk: MODERATE (score: 47/100)Organic prevention (Aphids): Healthy plants. Good air circulation.
Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.auCommon Questions About Dill
When do you plant dill in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to May, Aug to Sep
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Mar, Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan, Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Sep
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Aug to Nov
Does dill grow all year round in Canberra?
No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Jan, Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.