A Review of the Best Dill Varieties: Description, Planting, and Yield

Dill pairs beautifully with any dish. Its varieties vary in flavor nuances, yield, ripening time, leaf color, and size. Everyone can choose one or several varieties to suit their taste.

Early ripening

Early dill varieties form umbels very quickly, making them unsuitable for large-scale cultivation. Early varieties are grown primarily for their stems and umbels, which are used in culinary preparations. Most importantly, early dill allows you to harvest your first greens before summer arrives.

Grenadier

This is one of the most well-known early-ripening varieties. It takes about a month from the first sprouts to the first green shoots ready for cutting. The seed umbels ripen in three months. Sow the seeds in April.

Dill forms a rosette of shoots reaching 30 cm in height. In 'Grenadier,' the green mass, seeds, and shoots are used almost throughout the entire growing season. The green mass is emerald green, with a subtle, fragrant aroma. The leaves are large and dissected. It can be grown outdoors, under cover, or even indoors—on balconies or windowsills.

Pros:

• high yield – up to 3.5 kg per 1 sq. m;
• unpretentiousness;
• good raw material for processing;
• resistant to viruses;
• does not bend to the ground;
• pleasant taste with a bright dill aroma.

Gribovsky

A well-known variety among gardeners, it produces abundant green foliage. Yields are high under a variety of growing conditions. The color is dark green with a glaucous bloom. It takes 33-38 days to ripen. Sow seeds from April to July. To ensure a constant supply of fresh greens, sow additional seeds every three weeks. Harvest the finished foliage 1.5 months after sowing; for spices, harvest after two months. Large inflorescences, up to 30 m in diameter. Plant height is up to 32 cm. Yield per square meter is 1.3-2 kg.

Pros:

• intense flavor aroma;
• practically never gets sick;
• aromatic inflorescences and other parts are used for canning;
• highly productive in all weather conditions.

Further

This early-ripening variety is suitable for greens, drying, freezing, and also for pickling and marinating. The yield is high – 2-2.5 kg/sq. m. From sowing the seeds to the first harvest takes 38-40 days, by which time a semi-erect rosette 0.25 m tall has formed. The leaves are greenish and waxy.

Pros:

• resistant to lodging;
• resistant to pests and diseases;
• After defrosting, the original taste is preserved.

Redoubt

One bush of 'Redut' dill yields 40 grams of greens. Medium-sized green leaves are collected in a semi-erect rosette. The maturation period is 40 days from sowing. The plant is not spreading, with a short stem and a waxy coating. The leaves are oblong and slightly dissected. The yield of greens is 1.2 kg/sq. m, and of spices, up to 2.9 kg/sq. m.

Pros:

• exquisite aroma of shoots;
• high yield of herbs and spices.

Umbrella

This mid-early variety was bred to produce abundant green foliage. The bright green leaves form a small rosette. It matures in approximately 40 days. Height: up to 1 m. The plant yields 13 g of greens and up to 75 g of spices.

Pros:

• good yield;
• The variety is very aromatic.

Anchor

Compact bushes. Rosette height is 22 cm. Green, medium-dissected leaves. Each bush weighs 35-40 g, with 54-64 g harvested for spices. The yield of green foliage per square meter is 1.3 kg, and spices 3-3.2 kg. Harvesting is from May to September. Cultivated both outdoors and indoors.

Pros:

• excellent taste characteristics;
• Suitable for a variety of purposes – drying, freezing, pickling, etc.

Mid-season

These are the most successful dill varieties for greens. Another name for them is mid-late. They develop stems 8-10 days later than early varieties. Mid-season varieties have time to produce inflorescences with seeds.

Lesnogorodsky

A mid-season, tall variety with large leaves. Dill grows to a height of 1-1.3 m. Umbels are convex, 20-28 cm in diameter. Harvest: 1.4-2 kg/sq. m. This variety is suitable for all culinary purposes.

Pros:

• increased foliage;
• long-lasting freshness;
• disease resistance.

Amazon

An undemanding plant with lush green foliage. From germination to harvest is 45 days. A couple of weeks after harvesting, dill begins to bloom. If the shoots are not cut back, but rather picked little by little, powerful umbels will soon appear. The yield of greens is 1.5-4 kg/m2, and of spices 2.9-6.7 kg/m2. The plant grows up to 1.6 m.

Pros:

• versatility – suitable for drying, freezing, pickling, and making seasonings;
• lush greenery is forming harmoniously.

Richelieu

It is rarely affected by pests. The plant has serrated leaves, and the bush grows up to 1.3 m tall. Sowing is repeated repeatedly, from April to August. The period from germination to harvest is 40 days. The yield of green foliage is 1.1-1.6 kg/sq. m, and of spices – 3.6 kg/sq. m. The rosette is semi-erect, with large shoots.

Pros:

• stable yield;
• many shoots during flowering.

Bush varieties—Salut, Kibray, and Buyan—take a long time to grow before producing umbels. Bush dill allows for a long-lasting harvest of large quantities of greens.

Patterns

Produces 1.1 to 3.4 kg/sq. m of greens and up to 4.5 kg/sq. m of spices. Ripens in approximately 50 days, spices in 80-90 days. The leaves are succulent, green, and deeply dissected. Height: 1.2-1.4 m.

Pros:

• high aromaticity;
• strong foliage;
• not afraid of cercospora.

Buyan

This is a bush variety. The semi-erect rosettes reach 47-55 cm in height. The leaves are large and dark green. A single plant, once ripe, weighs 230-245 g. Yields 4.9-5.5 kg/sq. m. From sprout to maturity: 60-66 days. Fruiting occurs from May to September.

Pros:

• long period of economic shelf life;
• can be stored for a long time, maintaining its consumer qualities.

Max

A mid-season variety with moderate aroma. Ripens in 45 days. Yield: 1.6 kg/sq. m. Green bush weight: up to 45 g, with 60-70 g of seasoned fruit.

Pros:

• not a spreading plant;
• undemanding to agricultural technology.

Abundantly foliated

The plant matures in approximately 40 days. The shoots reach 1.3 m in length. The bushes are vigorous, with abundant foliage. The yield of greens is 1.5-3 kg/sq. m, and of spices – 3-5.5 kg/sq. m.

Pros:

• the plant does not produce umbrellas for a long time;
• can be dried, frozen, canned;
• maintains marketability for a long time.

Bushy

The greens are ready in 39-42 days. After 80 days, the dill is harvested for spices. Height: 1.5-1.8 m. Leaves are medium-dissected. Yield: 3-3.4 kg/sq. m.

Pros:

• lots of greenery;
• maintains freshness for a long time.

Hercules

It is among the most popular mid-season varieties. It is prized for its abundant green shoots, making it an ideal choice for growing for market. It stands out among other varieties for its faster growth and development. The yield of greens is up to 2 kg per square meter, and spices – 3.8 kg.

Pros:

• a decent harvest;
• rapid regrowth after harvesting;
• late flowering.

Fireworks

The bush has 3 or 4 stems. It takes 30-45 days from germination to harvesting the greens; after 55 days, the umbels emerge, and after 110 days, you can begin collecting the seeds. The yield of greens is up to 2.3 kg per square meter. Bush dill for canning.

Pros:

• the variety is good for sale – beautiful bunches;
• pleasant aroma.

Late-ripening

These varieties have abundant foliage—the rosette contains more than 10 leaves—and are productive. From germination to stem formation, the plant takes 65-75 days.

Borey

The rosette height is 34-36 cm, containing 8-10 large, glaucous-green leaves. During the flowering phase, the height reaches 1.35 cm. The ripening period for greens is 40-65 days, and for spices, 65-95 days. The yield of greens is up to 4 kg/sq. m, and for spices, up to 5 kg/sq. m.

Pros:

• lots of seeds;
• excellent foliage;
• delayed stem formation.

Frost

When flowering, the bush grows to 1.5-1.6 m. It is ready in 65 days. The yield is 1.7 kg/m2 for greens and 2.8 kg/m2 for spices. The plant weighs 30-40 g when cut for greens and 60 g when cut for spices.

Pros:

• strong foliage;
• powerful aroma.

Kutuzovsky

Produces a large amount of greenery. Suitable for one-time cutting. Marketable yield: 16 kg/sq. m for greens and 1.8 kg/sq. m for spices. During flowering, the plant reaches 1 m in height. Greens are harvested in 45-50 days.

Advantages:

• strong foliage;
• excellent presentation;
• high aromaticity.

Dill

A very high-yielding variety of Dutch selection. It's quite short. Bushes reach 1.5 cm in height. From sowing to harvesting takes 30 days. Approximately 2 kg of green mass is harvested per square meter.

Pros:

• easily tolerates frosts – up to -4°C;
• Rich in nutrients, this dill is recommended for disease prevention and rehabilitation, to boost immunity.

All parts of dill are rich in essential oil, which gives the plant its aroma. It contains carotene, a source of longevity, phytoncides, and other beneficial properties. Interestingly, dried dill has many times the nutritional value of fresh dill.

Peacock

A late-ripening variety, it's recommended for both home gardening and large-scale cultivation. Young leaves have strong anthocyanin content. When flowering, it grows up to 1.8 m. A single bush, harvested for greens, weighs 150-200 g. Greens are harvested at a rate of up to 6 kg per square meter.

Pros:

• increased foliage;
• long shelf life;
• fragrantness.

Other varieties

Mischievous. The plant is tall, up to 1.3 m. Bushes with diamond-shaped leaves. Shoots have a bluish bloom. Its advantages include high yield and low maintenance.

Masquerade. The plant is early, compact, and tall. The leaves are oblong, dark green, and triangular. The stems are dark green and waxy. The bush yields 35 g of greens and 60 g of spices. This variety is distinguished by its intense aroma and low maintenance. The yield of greens is 3-3.5 kg/sq. m.

Anna. It grows from the Caucasus to the Far East. Greens are ready in up to 52 days, and spices in 95 days. When grown on a large scale, the yield per hectare is 122 centners of greens and 450 centners of spices. This mid-season variety boasts excellent flavor, maintains its commercial qualities for a long time, and is suitable for mechanical harvesting.

Ataman. Mid-season dill. Good fresh or dried. Ripens in 55 days. One plant yields up to 25 g of greens. Yields up to 3.6 kg/sq. m of greens and 4.4 kg/sq. m of spices. Aromatic.

Knight. A mid-season dill. Purpose: to produce greens. Intense aroma. Leaves are glaucous-green. When producing umbels, it grows up to 1 m.

Guard. A late-ripening variety. The bush is spreading and tall, with basal rosettes at the base of the stems. The stems are green with a bluish tint and a waxy coating. The bush yields 30 g of greens and 90 g of spices. The yield per square meter is up to 1.5 kg of greens and up to 5.7 kg of spices.

Carousel. An early variety, reaching marketable maturity 39-45 days after germination. This is for greens, while spices are harvested after 55-60 days. Leaves are 21-22 cm long. The yield per square meter is 1.1 kg of greens and 3.4 kg of spices.

Summer hit. Mid-season category. Ripens in 45 days. The plant weighs 35 g when harvested for greens, with a maximum weight of 110 g. The yield of greens is up to 3.8 kg/sq. m, and of spices – 5 kg/sq. m. Rapid regrowth after cutting. Intense aroma.

Centaur. A semi-erect rosette contains 8-10 leaves. Height – up to 29 cm. One dill bush weighs up to 57 g. During flowering, it grows up to 1.1 m in height. Foliage is dense, with large umbels. Intense aroma. Yields up to 2 kg of greens per square meter, and up to 3.5 kg of spices. Very demanding of soil. Resistant to Fusarium wilt. Leaves are glaucous-green, with deep dissection.

Kibray. A high-yielding variety with good foliage. Ready for harvesting in 30-40 days for greens and 60-70 days for spices. Plant weight when ready for cutting is 10-20 g, for spices – 30-45 g. Greens yield is 1.4-3 kg/sq. m, spices – up to 6 kg/sq. m.

Khanak. A mid-early variety. When flowering, it grows to 0.9-1 m. Yields in large-scale cultivation are 134 centners of greens per hectare and 135 centners of spices per hectare.

Alligator. Produces several harvests per season. The plant has glaucous-green leaves. The plant height is up to 1.6 cm. The weight of greens per plant is up to 20 g. It ripens in 45 days, and for spices – up to 120 days.

Spicy. Early dill. Plant weight: up to 20 g when harvested for greens; up to 40 g when cut for spices. Intense aroma. The yield per square meter is up to 1.4 kg for greens and up to 5 kg for spices.

Symphony. Belongs to the mid-season category. The flowering bush grows up to 1.4 m. The plant has abundant foliage. A dill bush, cut for greens, weighs up to 30 g. It has excellent aromatic properties. It yields up to 3.5 kg of greens per square meter, and up to 4.8 kg of spices.

Gem. An early variety. Ornamental. The greens are ready in 40 days after germination, and the spices in 60-75 days. One green bush weighs 15-20 g. The yield of greens is up to 2 kg per square meter, and the spices are up to 3.6 kg.

Firework. Resistant to stemming. Bush height is 55 cm. The rosette consists of 20-30 shoots. The green mass per bush weighs 70-80 g. It reaches maturity in 66 days. Up to 4.9 kg of green mass can be harvested per square meter.

Shmaragd. Belongs to the mid-early category. Grown primarily for its greens. The bush is compact, with well-developed foliage. The leaves have a waxy coating and are dark green. It is drought-resistant and retains its attractive appearance and marketability for a long time. The yield of greens is up to 1.2 kg/sq. m, and of spices – 2.4 kg/sq. m.

Dill is a versatile herb that can be grown from early spring to late fall. Simply select varieties with different ripening times and follow proper dill growing practices.

Frequently Asked Questions