Nigella, also known as Love-in-a-Mist, is a fast-blooming annual that adds a whimsical touch to the garden. It’s one of those flowers that looks just as good dried as it does in bloom. The delicate flowers and unique seed pods make it a favourite for both fresh and dried arrangements—and it’s a great option if you’re looking to save seeds for next year!
Sowing Nigella Seeds
Nigella doesn’t like being started indoors, so it’s best to direct sow it outdoors.
All you need to do is scatter the seeds on the soil—no soaking or fancy tricks required. Cold stratification can help, but it’s not essential. Aim to plant nigella in mid-April or whenever the snow melts in your area. You can sow seeds throughout the planting season, but I wouldn’t recommend planting later than July 15th.
Nigella is easy to grow, and you can enjoy it for both its flowers and its seed pods, though the blooms are short-lived. The biggest difference between varieties is the colour! Nigella comes in shades of light and dark blue, white, and purple-pink. Depending on the variety, the seed pods will dry to a lighter or darker shade as well.
Saving Nigella Seeds
Nigella is also great to grow because it’s really easy to save seeds from!
All you have to do is wait until the pods dry out and open up, then just shake or dump the seeds out. If the seeds are a nice dark black colour, they’re good to go!
NOTE: Some nigella seeds are edible and even have health benefits, but only the seeds from the culinary species (Nigella sativa). The seeds from the cut flower species (Nigella damascena) are not edible.
Have any more questions about growing nigella in a cold climate? Let me know in the comments!
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