Is Dill deer resistant?

Sow it in succession every few weeks, because it bolts quickly in heat and there is no stopping it once it does. Swallowtail caterpillars feed on it, which is a reason to plant extra.

Do deer eat dill?

Seldom. Rutgers rates it B, Iowa State puts it in the second tier, and NC State lists deer among what it resists. The ferny leaf is aromatic and the plant is tall and thin, and what strips it in most gardens is not a deer. NC State calls dill a "larval host to the black swallowtail butterfly," and the caterpillars take a plant to the stems in a week. Plant extra.

Where it grows

An annual sown where it is to grow, zones 2a to 11b, full sun or partial shade, 2 1/2 to 5 feet, flowering in summer and then done. It bolts in heat, and sowing every few weeks is the whole technique. Aphids, hornworms and powdery mildew are its listed troubles.

Protecting dill

From deer, rarely needed. From rabbits, nothing on NC State's list says they leave it alone, and a young sowing at 4 inches is rabbit height; a wire ring if the first sowing goes.

If it is browsed

A dill plant browsed before it flowers branches and carries on. One browsed in flower is done, and the next sowing is already up if the succession held. The seed heads left standing sow next year's crop.