Miss Jekyll
Classic blue flowers with finely cut foliage and a loose, airy habit.
When to plant Nigella in Newcastle upon Tyne
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 Newcastle upon Tyne · last frost ≈ 25 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 | Yes | 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
28 Mar to 25 Apr Optional · repeat every 3 weeksSow thinly around 28th March - 25th 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
25 Apr to 6 Jun Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, when seedlings are large enough to handle, thin to .
03
Feed and Water
27 Apr to 28 Oct Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, from 27th April, water only in dry spells. Avoid overfeeding.
04
Deadhead Flowers
27 May to 28 Oct Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, pick and deadhead from 27th May to 28th October. Leave a few heads if you want seed.
05
Harvest Seed Heads
26 Jun to 12 Sept Dates as each sowing reaches this stageAfter each sowing, collect ripe seed heads from 26th June through 12th September 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.
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