Miss Jekyll
Classic blue flowers with finely cut foliage and a loose, airy habit.
When to plant Nigella in Cambridge
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 Cambridge · last frost ≈ 7 May
| Activity | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 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 once in free-draining soil for flowers next year. Protect young seedlings only when hard frost is due.
01
Sow Seeds
31 Aug to 28 SeptSow thinly during 31st August - 28th September on finely raked, weed-free soil where the plants are to flower. Cover with . Keep the seedbed lightly moist until seedlings appear. This is one sowing, not a run of batches.
02
Thin Seedlings
28 Sept to 9 Nov Dates as each sowing reaches this stageThin during 28th September - 9th November, leaving the strongest plants apart. Take out surplus seedlings carefully so nearby roots are not disturbed.
03
Feed and Water
30 Sept to 13 Sept 2027 Dates as each sowing reaches this stageFrom 30th September to 13th September 2027, water in dry spells once growth restarts. Cover young plants with fleece only if hard frost is due. Take it off in mild weather.
04
Deadhead Flowers
18 Apr to 23 Sept 2027 Dates as each sowing reaches this stageFlowers open next year, from 18th April 2027 through 23rd September 2027. Pick and deadhead fading flowers. Leave a few heads if you want seed.
05
Harvest Seed Heads
7 Jun to 24 Aug 2027 Dates as each sowing reaches this stageCollect seed next year, from 7th June 2027 through 24th August 2027, once the heads are dry and papery. Hang them indoors to finish drying, then shake out the seed.
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.
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Calabrese
Sow indoors March to April, plant out May to June, harvest July to October. Frost risk October to May.
Nigella guides by town
See how Nigella timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.