What is a Good Companion Plant for Dill and Some to Avoid?

What is a good companion plant for dill? Luckily, they come in many variations of plants to help keep your garden diverse. Flowers, vegetables, and even other herbs work together to reduce the amount of work and pests in your garden, all while providing a beautiful harvest. Many different types of plants have a beneficial relationship with herbs like dill. Some deter pests or attract predators, while others aid in growth. Different types of companion planting have been done for thousands of years across the globe by many different cultures. As far as 3000 years ago by American Indigenous cultures.

Companion planting is an extremely beneficial way of growing your food. Providing low-maintenance garden beds that provide reduced workload and ample harvests while eliminating the need for heavy watering or harsh chemicals and pesticides.

Soil Type and Location

Dill requires moderately rich soil with a ph between 5.0 – 7.0. Requiring at minimum six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. Good companion plants for dill usually require similar ph levels and hours of sunlight. Choosing a protected area free of high winds is ideal for the dill plant. High winds will cause the stalks to blow over and crack if they are not supported. Being hollow, the stalks of the dill plant are not very strong and would need to be staked and supported if there is a risk of winds.

Good Companion Herbs

Many other herbs make great companion plants for dill that are widely available, including other herbs like basil, oregano, cilantro, mint, garlic, and anise. Cilantro is known to deter a variety of insects that could plague your garden. Its strong scent also attracts beneficial insects as well as repelling the pests that effect the dill plant.

Good Companion Herb Quick List

• Basil
• Oregano
• Cilantro
• Mint
• Garlic
• Anise

Companion Crops

Good companion plants for dill are vegetables like lettuce, asparagus, cucumbers, corn, and onions. Broccoli, collards, kohlrabi, and cabbage all benefit from dill as it repels cabbage worms and loopers.

Beans, peas, and other legumes are my favorite companion crops. Legumes, like beans, provide a healthy and nutrient-dense crop. Beans and legumes also remove nitrogen from the atmosphere, where it causes damage. This nitrogen is returned into the soil by the legumes. This helps keep your soil healthier without fertilizer. Many farmers already use nitrogen-fixating crops like beans to keep growing healthy and productive crops.

Good Companion Crop Quick List

• Asparagus
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Corn
• Onions
• Broccoli
• Collards
• Cabbage
• Kohlrabi
• Beans

Preferring cooler weather, dill requires early planting. Early spring, once the soil is workable in your garden area, is the best time to plant your dill seed. Dill does best when seeded directly into the soil or garden bed as it doesn’t handle transplant very well. High heat slows the growth of the dill plant. Middle summer seeding can still provide a harvest depending on your zone, but at a reduced capacity.

Dill’s Not-so-Good Neighbors

Dill has the ability to help you attract beneficial insects. As well as deter some of gardening’s major annoyances, but dill doesn’t play well with all plants. You want to avoid nightshades like eggplant and tomatoes. Hot and bell peppers do not work well together. Also, fennel, carrots, and lavender don’t incorporate well with the dill plant. Dill should be kept away from nightshades because dill’s roots release chemicals that affect the tomato’s root system and growth. A minimum of 4 to 5′ away from tomatoes and other nightshades that share garden space. For nightshade to still benefit from dill, keep some dill in pots and place them near to attract those beneficial pollinators. This takes root’s allelopathic properties out of the equation, allowing all your plants to benefit from dill. Even the not-so-good neighbors.

Dill’s Bad Neighbors Quick List

• Hot Peppers (Cayenne, Habanero, jalapeno, etc)
• Bell Peppers (California Wonder, Mixed Bells, etc)
• Eggplant
• Fennel
• Carrots
• Lavender
• Tomatoes (and other nightshades)

Dill attracts many beneficial insects like honey bees, butterflies, and ladybugs. Dill also attracts pests like aphids, however ladybugs happen to love eating aphids. If you have another plant being overwhelmed by aphids, simply place a potted dill beside it. The aphids will be drawn to the dill as well as the ladybugs and beneficial insects. Potted dill plants can also provide protection from pests for plants like nightshades that are negatively affected by dill.

Companion Plants for Dill: Quick Facts

• Dill is allelopathic to members of the nightshade family. (tomatoes, eggplant, etc.)
• 100 grams of dill provides 141% of your daily vitamin C.
• Overhead watering causes mildew on dill plants.
• Dill is a good source of many vitamins and nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin A.
• Dill comes from the word “dilla” in old Norse. Referring to its carminative properties.
• Dill is antimicrobial and antifungal.
• Contains an impressive number of antioxidants to help rejuvenate skin.
• Dill seeds infused in hot water were used as gripe water to ease flatulence in children.