Growing plants can be a serious hobby and a strong addiction. But even if you are not interested in growing plants for a living, you can spend time making your property more environmentally friendly by engaging in serious gardening. Gardens can unleash our inner desire to connect with nature and nurture us while being funny and creative.
“We may think we are nurturing our garden, but of course, our garden is nurturing us”- Jenny Uglow.
There is a saying that “fresh herbs really belong anywhere you put them.” We believe in this, especially when cultivating dill. Fast-growing dill is known for giving food taste and enhancing the lives of other garden plants. You don’t actually need to wait long to use this herb in your favorite meals because it soon goes to seed.
But while dill in your garden, what other plants can you grow nearby? In other words, what plants can be paired with dill? Is dill a good plant to be paired with other garden plants?
These are frequently asked questions by those who want to grow dill with other plants. So, keeping all these questions in mind, we have rounded up 10 of the best dill companion plants. Furthermore, we will also explore if dill is a good companion plant and whether dill is a suitable companion plant.
Companion Planting: The Basics and Benefits
Before enquiring about the best companion plants for dill, let us shed some light on the basics and benefits of companion planting.
So, why are we even concerned about dill companion planting? What is there in the concept of companion planting that makes it so popular?
Companion planting can be seen as a gardening science based on the concept that when grown together, friendly plants can benefit each other. How? Well, there are several ways in which plants take care of each other and help watch others thrive. Therefore, companion planting can be done for several reasons and benefits.
- Shelter: Taller and larger plants often create shade for low-growing, shade-loving plants.
- Support: Other plants may physically benefit from certain plants to grow. For instance, growing pole beans can be supported by maize plants.
- Enhanced Yield: In order to boost the overall productivity of the garden, companion planting is also carried out. Particularly with vegetable farming, this is true.
- Deter Pests: The prevention of pests is one of the main benefits of companion planting. To ward off pests, herbs are specially paired with other herbs, vegetables, fruits, and flowering plants. Herbs like mint, basil, and others are effective natural pest deterrents.
- Lure Beneficial Insects: Certain plants like yarrow, sunflower, and so on are pollinator magnets. Pairing these with other friendly plants can help in faster pollination.
- Soil Improvement: Leguminous plants, like beans, fix nitrogen in the soil, improving the soil’s quality for other garden plants.
- Trap Plant: Some plants serve as magnets for pests such as aphids, flea beetles, and whiteflies, protecting their host plants from infestation.
Dill as a Companion Plant
So many dishes use dill as an ingredient. Dill’s ability to draw in beneficial insects and pollinators is one of the key advantages of planting it in the garden. Additionally, it aids in keeping pests out of the garden. The best feature of this herb, though, is how well it grows alongside various other garden plants.
Aka Anethum graveolens, dill is an annual herb that is a member of the Apiaceae family, including celery and parsley. Dill leaves are consumed fresh in salads, and the seeds are used as a seasoning. Dill, primarily found throughout Eurasia, needs warm to hot summers with strong, direct sunlight to grow and thrive. Rich, well-drained soil is also ideal for growing this herb.
| Common Name | Dill |
| Botanical Name | Anethum graveolens |
| Family | Apiaceae |
| Type | Annual herb |
| Origin | Mediterranean countries and southeastern Europe |
| Sun Exposure | Hight and direct |
| Soil Requirement | Rich and well-drained |
| Mature Size | Up to 3 feet tall |
| Health Benefits | Yes |
| Rich in Nutrition | Yes |
Plants that Pair Well with Dill
A wide variety of garden plants match well with dill. Some of the best plants that pair well with this herb are also edible. However, if you are new to this herb, here is a list of top companion plants that can be planted with dill.
Dill will grow ‘dillicious’ if planted with friendly garden plants!
1. Asparagus
When combined, asparagus and dill both benefit from one another. One of the dill’s best qualities is that it draws ladybugs, which feed on the aphids that frequently annoy asparagus plants.
Additionally, dill attracts birds that disperse asparagus seeds, consume pests, and aid in eradicating spider mites. In return, dill would receive the much-needed shade from asparagus, which is beneficial, especially during the warmer months.
2. Onion and Garlic
Onion and garlic are two of the most effective natural pest deterrents. Therefore, if these crops are paired with dill plants, they can assist get rid of pests like aphids that might otherwise cause damage to your dill plants.
In exchange, dill improves the flavor of onions and discourages Japanese beetles by preserving helpful bees and wasps that eat the Japanese beetle grub. In contrast, onion blossoms can increase the rate of pollination in your garden by attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies.
3. Cabbage
Planting dill close to cabbage is one of the best ways to improve the latter’s health. Aphids, loopers, cabbage worms, and other pests are drawn to cabbages like a moth to a flame. So, growing dill next to cabbage plants can serve as a natural pest deterrent.
In addition, dill attracts beneficial insects, many of which prey on these pests, preserving the health of your crops. Considering this, you can plant dill next to any brassica crop to benefit from pest control.
This herb has a reputation for promoting cabbage growth. However, dill may not receive any benefit in return from cabbage plants.
4. Cucumber
If you grow cucumbers in your yard, you should be aware of the three primary pests that might affect your crop: cucumber beetles, green peach, and melon aphids. The growth of the plant and the yield can both be severely hampered by these three pests.
Even if there are chemical ways to get rid of these parasites, you can choose to grow dill nearby if you prefer going organic, and the infestation isn’t too bad. This herb will entice pest-eliminating predatory insects. Wasps are particularly drawn to dill and will feed on troublesome cucumber bugs.
Also, cucumber and dill can be used together in food- dill pickles!
5. Basil
Basil is a great plant to grow in a garden since it has many beneficial qualities. For example, this simple-to-grow culinary herb serves as a mosquito and housefly repellant. On the other hand, dill can assist in repelling them by luring helpful (bug-loving) insects, which can annoy pests that afflict basil.
In addition, you may easily grow dill and basil together because they are both culinary herbs and have comparable growing requirements. As a result, they won’t compete with each other for the fulfillment of their needs.
6. Celery
Celery and dill can be used to draw pollinators to the garden. Furthermore, two pests, aphids, and cabbage loopers, can spread diseases to celery. And growing dill close to this crop can be quite successful in keeping pests away. But keep in mind that celery needs a lot of water and does better in a garden area with a drip irrigation facility.
On the other hand, dill requires moist soil—but not water. Contradictory irrigation requirements for these crops may make it tough to grow them together on the same soil. Therefore, you can plant dill in a different container and maintain it close to celery if you wish to pair these crops.
7. Chervil
When dill and chervil are combined, your garden will gain the advantages of attracting beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps and pollinators. In addition, all of your garden’s crops would benefit from increased protection if these herbs were combined. If you have a vegetable garden, this companionship may be hugely advantageous.
8. Marigold
A fantastic floral plant recognized for its ability to repel pests is the marigold. Although we cannot escape the striking contrast that marigold and dill would make when combined, both of these plants can be quite helpful in warding off pests. Because of their aroma, marigold plants discourage aphids like dill. You can also deter rabbits from your garden by planting marigolds.
9. Nasturtium
If you want a pest-repelling plant beside a trap plant, dill can also be combined with nasturtiums. Nasturtiums are excellent trap plants because they draw pests to their leaves rather than luring them away. As a result, pests like cabbage moths and aphids will target the nasturtiums rather than the nearby crops. Nasturtium can promote the healthy growth of dill by attracting pests that might otherwise harm the herb.
10. Tomato
Dill and tomatoes have an ambivalent relationship. Some gardeners advise keeping these two crops apart, but others prefer to combine them. What, therefore, ought to be done?
Dill and tomato plants can be paired, but one thing needs to be remembered: pair these crops as long as dill is immature. Immature dill can aid in promoting the growth of tomato plants and deter tomato hornworms and spider mites.
However, when it reaches maturity, problems can arise. Tomato growth may be hampered by mature dill. As a result, keep an eye on the tomatoes’ growth and remove the dill when you see the growth or the production has slowed down.
Additionally, consider that dill, which emits compounds that harm tomato plants’ roots, can be allelopathic. So, plant the dill far from the tomato bed or in a separate pot if you want it to set seed.
Other Good Companions for Dill
In addition to the plants described above, here are some other names for plants that get along well with dill. You can do your own research if you want to combine any of these plants with this herb.
- Beans
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Chives
The Not-So-Good Companions for Dill
Dill is a useful herb that goes well with many garden plants. Several plants, though, should not be grown near this herb. We can refer to those as the “not-so-good” dill’s pals. You must remember that dill, in addition to its positive effects, can also inhibit the growth of surrounding plants and result in cross-pollination. So, some plants should be kept at a distance from dill.
1. Carrots
Do not mix dill and carrots. Dill has a notorious reputation for being a growth inhibitor. And you can see this in action if you combine carrots and dill:
- Carrots’ growth can be hampered by dill.
- Cross-pollination between these two crops may produce an unappealing hybrid.
- This herb can draw carrot-feeding carrot flies.
2. Fennel
One herb with a poor reputation in the realm of companion planting is fennel. In addition to spreading aggressively, fennel and dill may cross-pollinate, giving both an unpleasant flavor.
3. Cilantro
Cross-pollination may be a problem in your garden if you plant cilantro near dill.
4. Pepper
Dill can slow down pepper’s growth if cultivated beside it. Dill is one herb, in particular, that doesn’t work well with nightshades. Therefore, to be on the safe side, it is advised to keep dill away from members of the nightshades family, such as potatoes, eggplants, and tomatoes.
Note: Please refer to the above sections to know if tomatoes and dill can be paired.
FAQ’s
Here are some extra information about dill plants that could help you dig into more about dill plants.
Yes, dill serves as an organic or natural insecticide. Aphids, cabbage worms, flea beetles, spider mites, and squash mites are some of the pests this herb helps keep at bay. So growing dill can be an organic approach to keep pests away from your garden.
Because dill attracts insects to itself, the adjacent plants are no longer at risk of aphid infestation. But if the infestation is severe, you should consider using chemical insecticides.
No, there isn’t enough proof to say that dill is poisonous to animals.
Butterflies are drawn to the plant’s scented, green foliage and yellow buds.
Dill is mostly bothered by Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars. These bugs enjoy eating dill much as we do.
The Takeaway
So here it is- the companion planting of dill. Dill is a simple-to-grow herb with many uses, including food and medicine. Dill could make a wonderful addition to your garden, and matching it with other plants could be even better.
This flavorful herb makes an excellent partner for other plants in the garden since it naturally deters pests and invites pollinators. Dill will thrive when paired with the ideal plant and contribute to the success of your garden.
Are you a dill farmer? Please share your herb-growing experiences in the comments section below.