How to Grow Nigella From Seed
Also known as Love-in-a-Mist, Nigella damascena is an annual that produces feathery foliage and abundant flowers in shades ranging from blue to pale pink or white. Nigella plants grow to about 24 inches in height. The flowers are lovely in the garden or for cutting, and they make excellent dried flowers. The interestingly shaped seed pods are also used in dried arrangements. Once established, nigella self-seeds easily, making replanting unnecessary. Nigella is a frost-tolerant, cool-weather annual that blooms best in spring and fall. Plant seeds every three or four weeks for a continuous display of flowers, or allow the plants to self-seed throughout the growing season for continuous bloom. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Garden rake
- Straw mulch
- Garden hose or watering can
- Tiller, optional
- Shovel, optional
- Hoe, optional
Instructions
-
-
1
Select an area in full sun and prepare the soil where you want the nigella to grow. About two to four weeks before the last expected frost, till the soil to a depth of 8 to 9 inches, or dig the area with a shovel and break the clods with a hoe until the soil is light. Rake the planting area smooth.
-
2
Scatter the nigella seeds lightly in the prepared soil. Nigella seedlings do not transplant well, so seed them directly where you want them to grow. Press the seeds into the surface of the soil, but don’t cover them.
-
-
3
Mulch loosely with straw or other light mulch, just enough to keep birds from eating the seeds.
-
4
Water the seedbed and keep it moist but not soggy. Seedlings should appear in four to seven days.
-
5
Add an additional layer of mulch to shade out weeds when the seedlings are a few inches tall.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Nigella plants are not heavy feeders. Work a light application of compost into the soil in early spring to meet the fertilizer needs for the season. Nigella grows in most soil types.
Nigella seeds are edible. Crack them and use them like pepper, or use them whole to top breads and rolls. The taste compares to oregano or nutmeg.
Plant nigella outdoors as early in the spring as the soil can be worked. Starting nigella plants indoors is not recommended.
