Love-In-A-Mist Seeds,
Midnight Nigella

Midnight is a compact Nigella papillosa, averaging 12 inches high and 24 inches wide, that blooms from spring into summer and reaches maturity in roughly 65-85 days. Like the rest of the love-in-a-mist family it is best direct sown, going in after the last chance of frost has passed; for an earlier start, sow indoors 4-6 weeks before your last frost date instead. Either way, cover the seed with about 1/8 inch of fine soil - it germinates best in darkness - and keep it evenly moist; sprouts appear in 10-21 days at an ideal 60-65 F. Sow again every 3 weeks through spring only, stopping once hot weather sets in, to keep the seedpods coming.

• Seeds germinate in 7-14 days.
• Plants are best direct sown but can be started indoors ahead of time.
• Sow indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost or direct seed after last chance of frost has passed.
• Succession plant every 3 weeks throughout the summer for a longer season of blooms.
• Surface sow seeds and cover with a thin layer of soil.
• Ideal germination temperature is 60-65 F.

• Plants prefer full sun.
• They are not picky about soil fertility, as they naturally grow in poor soil, but it must be well drained.
• Space plants 4-6 inches apart (the more space they have, the longer their bloom season will last!).
• Keep plants deadheaded to encourage continued blooming.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Love-In-A-Mist does not have any notable pest or disease problems.

• Plants will reseed in the garden readily, but you can also save seed for next season.
• Allow the flowerhead containing the seeds to completely mature and dry on the plant, then clip off the flowerhead and place in a container.
• Working over the top of another clean, opened container, pop the flowerheads, breaking free the aromatic, small black seeds from their pods.
• The small, blackish seeds can be separated from the chaff by first screening and then winnowing.
• Allow seeds to dry down for 7 days and store over winter in a cool, dark, dry place.