Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gardening

The 6 best dill companion plants to grow in your garden

Plants that benefit from being next to dill

Stacey Nguyen
By
Dill herb
8618939 / Pixabay

Dill is a fast-growing annual that makes for a flavorful addition to food as well as a beneficial plant alongside other crops. While it goes to seed quickly, it’s a cold-tolerant herb that grows easily for a delicious garnish all year long. Dill features a sharp anise and citrus flavor, making it a great addition to pastas, salads, soups, and other savory dishes. And yes, it pairs perfectly with your preserved pickles!

Out in your landscape, dill makes for a wonderful fixture in gardens because it naturally attracts beneficial pollinators, such as bees. This tasty herb also repels unwanted pests such as spider mites, aphids, and, notably, cabbage pests, because it attracts predatory insects like ladybugs. Both these qualities make it great for companion planting, which is the concept that some plants can pair together to help encourage growth, repel pests, and attract pollinators. Ahead, we’ve rounded up six of the best dill companion plants so you can plan your garden accordingly.

Two cucumbers growing from a vine on the ground, with a yellow flower in front
Background expert / Shutterstock

Best companion plants to grow with dill

Dill pairs well with a range of different plants in the garden, especially edible plants that go hand-in-hand with it in dishes.

Recommended Videos

Cabbage

Of all the plants that you can grow alongside dill, cabbage is one of the best. Dill helps with detracting cabbage worms and loopers so that your cabbage foliage remains intact. In general, dill is great for other brassica plants like cabbage. Brussel sprouts, broccoli, and collards will definitely reap pest control benefits with dill next to them. Dill is also said to help cabbage grow. Cabbage itself, however, may not necessarily help dill all that much, although it can provide support under windy circumstances.

Related

Asparagus

Dill can attract lacewings and ladybugs that eliminate pesky aphids that prey on asparagus plants. This versatile herb will also help asparagus by repelling spider mites, which feed on plant sap and tissue. Additionally, it attracts birds that spread asparagus seeds and eat pests. In return, asparagus will give dill some much-appreciated shade, which is especially helpful in the warm growing season months.

Basil

Dill is also happy to reside next to other herbs, including basil. Not only can you combine them in your favorite savory dishes, but you can also keep dill and basil together in the same grow pot. Both plants enjoy moist soil, cool temperatures, and moderate fertilizing. When you grow these two together, you won’t need to worry about conflicting needs ruining your harvest. Other herbs that can do well with dill include chives, lemon balm, and lemon thyme.

Cucumbers

Dill can help cucumbers out by attracting predatory insects that get rid of pests. In particular, this herb attracts wasps, which will prey on those annoying cucumber beetles. Instead of resorting to chemical pesticides, try planting dill next to your cucumbers in your organic garden. When it comes to food, dill and cucumbers obviously go together: Dill is infamously pickle seasoning!

Onions

In the garden, dill and other herbs can help reduce Japanese beetles and aphids feasting on onions. Dill is said to enhance onion flavor as well. Onion, in turn, can repel pests that munch on dill while attracting pollinators.

Lettuce

You can often add dill to your salad, but did you know that it’s also great in the garden next to lettuce? Dill can help repel pests that gravitate toward lettuce, such as aphids. Keep in mind that dill may not reap as many benefits from lettuce, but they obviously complement each other in the kitchen.

A bundle of fresh carrots
LiliGraphie/Shutterstock

Plants not to grow with dill

Because of its pest-repellent properties, dill is a versatile plant in the garden. However, there are plants you shouldn’t grow next to dill, as it may stunt growth in some plants or even cross-pollinate with them. Ahead, we’ve taken note of some plants that don’t necessarily mix well with dill in the garden.

  • Tomatoes: Dill may initially help tomatoes grow, but as this herb matures, it can impede tomato growth.
  • Carrots: Dill may stunt carrot growth, but that’s not the only problem to keep on your radar. Dill and carrots are also incompatible because they’re closely related and may cross-pollinate.
  • Peppers: Dill doesn’t do well with nightshades, which include peppers and eggplants. In short, it can hinder growth in these plants.

A natural pest deterrent and pollinator magnet, dill can be an incredible plot partner with other plants in the garden. Although it goes to seed quickly, it can be grown repeatedly throughout the year. If you’ve got a garden with plenty of cabbage and herbs, it’s the perfect plant to keep around.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stacey Nguyen
Stacey Nguyen
Contributor
Stacey's work has appeared on sites such as POPSUGAR, HelloGiggles, Buzzfeed, The Balance, TripSavvy, and more. When she's…
Protect your sanctuary with these amazing garden fence ideas
Let these fencing ideas inspire your next project
Dark pink bougainvillea flowers along a fence top

A garden fence serves several important functions for your garden. They can protect your plants from certain pests, help stop spreading plants from escaping the garden, keep other people from trespassing, and even just look nice. There are many styles, colors, and features to choose from when it comes to selecting your fence, which can be overwhelming when you’re trying to decide what type of fence is best for your garden.

This handy guide to garden fence ideas will help you decide on a basic fence style and offer guidance for alterations and decorations you can use to personalize your garden fence.
Classic picket fence

Read more
The best (and worst) broccoli companion plants
Plant these with your broccoli
Harvesting broccoli

Broccoli is a delicious vegetable that is surprisingly easy to grow. However, unless you’re just a huge fan of broccoli, you’ll likely want to grow a few other plants as well. Unfortunately, brassicas (such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage) aren’t considered great companion plants for many other vegetables, due to how many resources they need to grow. To help you plan your next vegetable garden, here is our list of broccoli companion plants that you should consider -- and a few you should avoid.
Beets, carrots, and radishes

Small root vegetables, such as beets, radishes, and carrots. make great broccoli companion plants. They need far fewer resources to grow, which means they won’t be competing with your broccoli plants for nutrients. Additionally, they enjoy the same growing conditions as broccoli. Broccoli is a cool-weather crop that grows best in early spring or mid-fall, as they can bolt quickly in hot weather. Carrots, beets, and radishes are the same way, making them perfect broccoli companion plants. Both broccoli and these small root vegetables can tolerate a frost, and small root vegetables even taste sweeter after a frost because of chill sweetening.

Read more
When are pears in season? What you need to know
Here's the perfect time to pick your pear harvest
Pears on cutting board

Sweet, juicy, and crispy, pears are not only versatile in recipes, but they’re also some of the easiest fruits to grow in a home garden. They ever-so-slightly resemble apples in look and taste but tend to be much more resistant to pests and diseases. Plus, they're full of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium for added benefits to your health.

So, when are pears in season, and when can you pick them for cooking and eating? We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about growing, harvesting, and preparing pears for delicious homegrown snacks!
Growing pears

Read more