Sow love-in-a-mist in place as soon as the ground can be worked. Cover seed about 1/8 inch, and thin to 8 to 10 inches.
Sow in place as soon as the ground can be worked
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When — first sow | As soon as the ground can be worked; fall sow where winters are mild | Waiting for warm June soil, then buying a transplant |
| When — more bloom | Every 3 to 4 weeks while summers stay cool | One midsummer sowing into heat inland |
| Depth | About 1/8 inch, where the plants will bloom | Deep burial, or lifting seedlings to move them |
| Spacing | 8 to 10 inches | A crowded mat that stretches for light |
Sow where the plants will flower. Love-in-a-mist makes a long taproot and fails after a move, so the bed is the pot. [1] Spring sowing starts as soon as you can work the soil. Where winters are mild, a fall sowing often makes earlier, larger plants. [2] In cool summers, sow again every three to four weeks until midsummer for a longer run.
When should you sow love-in-a-mist?
As soon as the ground can be worked in spring. Fall sow where winters are mild. Repeat every 3 to 4 weeks only while summers stay cool.
How to plant love-in-a-mist
Work one patch at a time: prepare a fine surface, sow in place, then water to keep the top evenly moist until germination.
- Confirm ornamental Nigella damascena — not black cumin (N. sativa).
- Choose full sun and a crumbly, weeded seedbed.
- Sow about 1/8 inch deep where the plants will bloom. Keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings show, usually two to three weeks. [3]
- Thin to 8 to 10 inches. Snip extras at the soil; do not lift and move the taproot. [4]
Can you transplant love-in-a-mist?
Avoid it. The plant makes a long taproot and sulks after a move. Sow in place. If you must start indoors, use a plantable pot and set it out while the seedling is still small.
Space 8 to 10 inches — and what fails
Eight to 10 inches lets the ferny foliage stand without stretching. Cut-flower rows can sit a little closer, but do not pack a display bed.
- Lifted seedlings — the taproot breaks and the plant stalls. Snip extras; do not pot them on.
- Late heat sow — one June sowing inland often collapses before bloom. Sow in the cool window.
- Packed plants — stems go tall and weak. Thin to 8 to 10 inches.
- Buried seed — germination stalls. Cover about 1/8 inch, not a deep drill.
How far apart do I plant?
Eight to 10 inches. Do not pack them into a tall, weak mat.
If seedlings collapse after a move, sow the next batch where they will bloom.
FAQ
Can I start from seed indoors?
Only as a compromise. Sow in plantable pots about four to six weeks before you set them out, and move them while they are still small. Direct sow is more reliable.
How deep do I sow?
About 1/8 inch. Press seed into a fine surface. Do not bury it in a deep drill.
Why did the plants fail?
Usually a transplant, a late heat sowing, or seed buried too deep. Sow in place in the cool window.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Wisconsin Horticulture -
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/love-in-a-mist-nigella-damascena/ - [2] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nigella-damascena/ - [3] Illinois Extension -
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/hort-home-landscape/2015-08-27-plant-week-love-mist - [4] The Old Farmer's Almanac -
https://www.almanac.com/plant/nigella-love-mist
This note is part of Nigella Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors