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When to Plant Dill in Rolette County, ND

Dill is a feathery annual herb with aromatic leaves and seeds. Its fine foliage and umbrella-shaped flower heads attract beneficial insects to the garden.

Rolette County, North Dakota is in USDA Zone 3b. The average last spring frost is May 17 and the first fall frost is September 22, giving you a growing season of approximately 128 days.

At an elevation of 998 feet, Rolette County receives approximately 31.8 inches of rainfall annually with predominantly loam soil. Summer highs average 78ยฐF, so choose short-season varieties of Dill to ensure they mature before fall.

Rolette County, ND (Zone 3b) Short season
128 days
Last Spring Frost May 17
128 growing days
First Fall Frost September 22

Rolette County Soil Profile

Soil Type

Loam

Soil pH

6.5-7.8

Drainage

Well Drained

Plant Planting Risk Windows

Early Start (70% safe) ✓ Fits season (33 days to spare)
Start indoors: Mar 30 Transplant: May 4 🍅 Harvest: Jun 15 – Aug 17
Recommended (50%) ✓ Fits season (30 days to spare)
Start indoors: Apr 5 Transplant: May 10 🍅 Harvest: Jun 21 – Aug 23
Safe Start (90%) ✓ Fits season (33 days to spare)
Start indoors: Apr 16 Transplant: May 21 🍅 Harvest: Jul 2 – Sep 3

Percentages indicate frost risk at transplant. The 70% safe window means there is a 30% chance of frost after transplant — suitable for cold-hardy crops or gardeners with frost protection. The 90% safe window is best for tender plants.

Soil Compatibility in Rolette County

How your county's soil matches Dill's growing requirements.

Soil pH

Your soil pH (6.5โ€“7.8) is more alkaline than Dill prefers (5.5โ€“7.0). Add sulfur or peat moss to lower pH.

Soil Texture

The loam soil in Rolette County is excellent for Dill โ€” good drainage, moisture retention, and nutrient holding capacity.

Organic Matter

Organic matter is moderate (3.8%). Annual compost additions will help Dill.

How to Plant Dill

0.5"
Planting Depth
8"
Between Plants
12"
Between Rows

Fall planting: Sow 12 weeks before your first frost date for a fall harvest.

Succession Planting Dill

3
successive plantings in your 128-day season

Sow every 4.6 weeks. Last sowing by Jul 24 to harvest before frost.

For a dedicated fall crop, sow by Jun 30.

Plant Water Budget

Plant needs
0.5″/week
Rainfall provides
1.0″/week
Watering frequency Natural rainfall sufficient
Season total 0 gal / 100 sq ft
Drought risk

Water stress score is 6/10 โ€” consider drought-tolerant varieties and mulching

Monthly Watering Guide for Dill

Dill needs approximately 0.5 inches of water per week (2.2" per month). Here's how your county's rainfall compares month by month.

Month Dill Needs Rainfall You Supplement Action
Jan โ€” 0.8" 0" โ„๏ธ Dormant
Feb โ€” 1.3" 0" โ„๏ธ Dormant
Mar โ€” 2.3" 0" โ„๏ธ Dormant
Apr โ€” 3.5" 0" โ„๏ธ Dormant
May 2.2" 4.4" 0" โœ… Rainfall sufficient
Jun 2.2" 5" 0" โœ… Rainfall sufficient
Jul 2.2" 4.3" 0" โœ… Rainfall sufficient
Aug 2.2" 3.7" 0" โœ… Rainfall sufficient
Sep 2.2" 2.8" 0" โœ… Rainfall sufficient
Oct โ€” 2.1" 0" โ„๏ธ Dormant
Nov โ€” 0.9" 0" โ„๏ธ Dormant
Dec โ€” 0.7" 0" โ„๏ธ Dormant

Water needs are for active growing months only (Mayโ€“Sep in Rolette County). Supplement amounts are based on average rainfall โ€” actual needs vary with temperature, soil, and mulching.

Dill Heat Requirements (GDD)

What are Growing Degree Days (GDD)?

Growing Degree Days measure the total warmth your plants receive during the growing season. Think of it as a "heat bank" โ€” every day above 50ยฐF deposits warmth that helps your plants grow.

Each plant needs a certain amount of accumulated heat to mature. If your county provides more GDD than the plant needs, it's a great fit. If it's close, you may want to choose faster-maturing varieties or start seeds indoors to get a head start.

Dill needs ~425 GDD — county provides 1,088 GDD Excellent fit

Dill Planting Timeline โ€” Rolette County, ND

Dill Planting Calendar

Activity When Date Range
Start Indoors April 5 Apr 5 โ€“ Apr 19
Transplant Outdoors May 10 May 10 โ€“ May 24
Direct Sow May 10 May 10 โ€“ May 31
Harvest June 21 Jun 21 โ€“ Aug 23
Fall Sowing June 30 Jun 30 โ€“ Jul 14

Plant 0.5" deep ยท 8" apart ยท Rows 12" apart

Month-by-Month Timeline

MonthActivities
January โ€”
February โ€”
March โ€”
April Start Indoors
May Transplant Outdoors Direct Sow
June Fall Sowing Harvest
July Fall Sowing Harvest
August Harvest
September โ€”
October โ€”
November โ€”
December โ€”

Growing Conditions

โ˜€๏ธ Sun

Full Sun (6-8+ hours)

๐Ÿ’ง Water

0.5"/week ยท Natural rainfall sufficient

๐Ÿ“… Days to Maturity

40โ€“60 days

๐Ÿงช Soil pH

Needs 5.5โ€“7 ยท Your soil: too_alkaline

๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ USDA Zone

Zone 3b

๐Ÿ“† Growing Season

128 days in Rolette County

Growing Tips for Dill in Rolette County

Direct sow Dill outdoors after May 17 in Rolette County when soil has warmed and frost danger has passed.

Common pests for Dill in this region include carrot rust fly and parsleyworm. Use row covers early in the season and inspect plants weekly.

General growing tips

Direct sow in spring as dill has a taproot and dislikes transplanting. Succession sow for continuous leaf harvest. Allow some plants to flower for seeds and to attract beneficial insects.

Companion Planting

Good Companions

Avoid Planting Near

  • Carrots
  • Tomatoes

Check more plant combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant Dill in Rolette County, ND?

Rolette County is in Zone 3b with an average last frost of May 17. Plan your Dill planting based on this frost date โ€” see the calendar above for exact timing.

What planting zone is Rolette County, ND?

Rolette County, North Dakota is in USDA Hardiness Zone 3b. The average last spring frost is May 17 and first fall frost is September 22.

๐ŸŒฑ

Plan Your Garden with Confidence

Get our free Garden Planner โ€” designed to help Rolette County gardeners in Zone 3b organize planting dates, track what's growing, and never miss a planting window.

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Free download. Plan your entire garden season in minutes.

Data sources: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023), NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals. Frost dates are based on 50% probability averages for Rolette County, ND. Local conditions may vary. Last updated: April 2026.