When to Plant Dill in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Sow May to June. Right now in September it is out of season. The next sowing month is May.
Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Dill guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra 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.
Planting Calendar for Tropical
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | S | T/D | - | - | - | - | - | - |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 21.4°C (optimal range: 10–20°C) ✗ Outside optimal range
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
How to Grow Dill in Tropical Australia
When to Plant
Dry season only: April-August. Sow direct every 3 weeks.
- 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
Tropical Growing Tips for Dill
Recommended Varieties
- Dukat (more leaf, slower bolt)
- Common dill
Key Challenges
- Bolts rapidly in heat
- Short season
- Fungal issues in humidity
Pro Tips
- Treat as a cool-season annual
- Afternoon shade extends harvest
- Let final planting bolt for seed harvest
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.
Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join Garden BuddyCommon 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): May to Jun
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to May, Jul to Sep
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Mar, Aug to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): May to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec
Does dill grow all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are May to Jun. 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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.