How to grow love-in-a-mist
All you need to know about growing love-in-a-mist (Nigella).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
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| Sow | yes | yes | yes | |||||||||
| Plant | yes | yes | ||||||||||
| Flowers | yes | yes | yes | |||||||||
| Collect seeds | yes | yes |
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella) is a pretty and easy to grow hardy annual flower that originates from the Mediterranean and North Africa. It grows quickly and easily from seed. Love-in-a-mist flowers are borne in summer on slender, upright stems clothed in feathery green leaves, and are followed by decorative, large, inflated seed pods. Love-in-a-mist is often called a ‘sow and forget’ annual as the seeds can be sown direct in the soil and germinate reliably. Love in a mist makes an excellent and long-lasting cut flower, and the seed heads can also be dried and used in flower arrangements.
How to grow love in a mist
Well-drained soil is essential for love in a mist to thrive. Sow the large black seeds directly where you want it to flower, covering with 1cm of soil. If the ground is dry, water thoroughly before sowing the seed. Thinning the resulting seedlings to 10-15cm apart will produce larger and sturdier individual plants.
More on growing love-in-a-mist:
Where to grow love-in-a-mist
Love-in a mist needs a sunny site and is best grown in borders. Sow in patches to fill bare spaces between long-lived shrubs and perennials or grow love in a mist with other hardy annuals for a colourful summer display.
How to plant love-in-a-mist
Well-drained soil is essential for love in a mist to thrive. Sow the large black seeds directly where you want it to flower, covering with 1cm of soil. If the ground is dry, water thoroughly before sowing the seed. Thinning the resulting seedlings to 10-15cm apart will produce larger and sturdier individual plants.
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How to care for love-in-a-mist
Love-in a mist needs little attention, not even deadheading as the attractive seed pods are part of this plants’ appeal.
How to propagate love-in-a-mist
Collect the seeds and save for sowing the following spring. Seed can also be sown in autumn in mild areas. The seeds are ripe and ready when the pod turns brown and papery. Alternatively, just leave the plants in situ and they’re likely to self-seed, with the feathery green-leaved seedlings standing over winter and blooming early the following summer.
Growing love-in-a-mist: problem solving
Love in a mist is a trouble-free plant to grow.
Love-in-a-mist varieties to grow
- Nigella damascena is the most widely grown species and comes in a number of attractive varieties, with flowers 4 cm across. Height 50 cm, spread 20cm
- Nigella ‘Miss Jekyll’ is a beautiful shade of deep blue. There are also pink and pure white varieties
- Nigella ‘Moody Blues’ is an attractive mixture of different blue shades
- Nigella ‘Persian Jewels’ is a pretty mixture of colours including sky-blue, pink and white
- Nigella papillosa has delicate single blooms with prominent central black stamens. Height 50cm, spread 30cm
- Nigella ‘Delft Blue’ is a pretty mix of blue and white shades
- Nigella ‘Midnight’ has darker flowers of a striking shade of velvety-blue
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