Miss Jekyll
Classic blue flowers with finely cut foliage and a loose, airy habit.
When to plant Nigella in Brighton
Nigella damascena
A hardy annual grown from direct sowing in the UK. It does best in open, sunny ground with free-draining soil. It often self-seeds if you leave some flower heads to mature.
45 cm · Full Sun · Moderate Water
Calibrated to Brighton · last frost ≈ 10 Apr
| Activity | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Harvest | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Growing guide
What to do through the growing season
Growing guide for
Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.
Sow straight into the ground. Nigella dislikes being moved.
01
Sow Seeds
13 Mar to 10 Apr Optional · repeat every 3 weeksSow thinly around 13th March - 10th April on finely raked, weed-free soil. Cover with . Keep the seedbed just moist until seedlings appear. Sow a fresh batch every 21 days.
02
Thin Seedlings
10 Apr to 22 May Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, when seedlings are large enough to handle, thin to .
03
Feed and Water
12 Apr to 11 Nov Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, from 12th April, water only in dry spells. Avoid overfeeding.
04
Deadhead Flowers
12 May to 11 Nov Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, pick and deadhead from 12th May to 11th November. Leave a few heads if you want seed.
05
Harvest Seed Heads
11 Jun to 28 Aug Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, collect ripe seed heads from 11th June through 28th August once they are dry and papery. Leave some heads if you want pods.
Suggested varieties
Popular varieties of Nigella to consider
Persian Jewels
Mixed colours on compact plants, useful for bedding and cutting.
Transformer
Grown more for the striped seed pods than the flowers, with a neat habit.
Related plants
Explore similar plants you might like
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Brussels Sprouts
Sow indoors February to March, plant out April to May, harvest October to March. Frost risk November to April.
Calabrese
Sow indoors February to March, plant out April to May, harvest June to September. Frost risk November to April.
Nigella guides by town
See how Nigella timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.