Miss Jekyll
Classic blue flowers with finely cut foliage and a loose, airy habit.
When to plant Nigella in London
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 London · last frost ≈ 4 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
7 Mar to 4 Apr Optional · repeat every 3 weeksSow thinly around 7th March - 4th 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
4 Apr to 16 May Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, when seedlings are large enough to handle, thin to .
03
Feed and Water
6 Apr to 10 Nov Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, from 6th April, water only in dry spells. Avoid overfeeding.
04
Deadhead Flowers
6 May to 10 Nov Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, pick and deadhead from 6th May to 10th November. Leave a few heads if you want seed.
05
Harvest Seed Heads
5 Jun to 22 Aug Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, collect ripe seed heads from 5th June through 22nd 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
Basil
Sow indoors February to March, plant out April to May, harvest June to August. Frost risk November to April.
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 August. Frost risk November to April.
Nigella guides by town
See how Nigella timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.