Nigella 'Midnight Blue '

Sowing: Sow direct in late Winter to Spring or in Fall.
Seeds are best sown in short drills " deep directly where they are to flower. Sow thinly, once temperatures reach around 68°F. They prefer a sunny open site in well-drained soil.

Sow 1/8” deep in rows 12" apart.  

Seeds germinate in approx 21 days. The seedlings will appear in rows approx 6 to 8 weeks after planting and can be told from nearby weed seedlings quite easily. Thin the seedlings out so they are finally 9" apart by early summer. Compost should be kept slightly moist, but not wet at all times. 

 

An early autumn sowing can be made in sheltered areas for earlier flowers the following year. It will send down a taproot and form a rosette of feathery leaves during the winter. As temperatures warm up in Spring, flower stalks shoot up. If it's a dry spring, give it water and it will grow large and erect. Without water it tends to flop over. 

 

Cultivation: 
Prefers well drained soil enriched with manure or compost ahead of planting. Can be grown on light sandy soils.
Feeding is rarely needed but water well and apply complete plant food as growth begins in the spring.  
Deadhead to prolong flowering. Leave a few plants to die down and self seed. Others can be pulled up and composted  

For cut flowers, cut the stems in the morning after the dew has dried. Cut when the flowers are fully open because buds will not open after cutting. Cut the stems with a sharp knife about 1" from the bottom of a main stem, at an angle of about 45 degrees as this provides a larger exposed area for the uptake of water. Remove all the lower foliage that would be submerged in water.
Fill sterilised a bucket with luke warm water and add warm sugar water. Place the flowers in the bucket and leave over night to condition before using in an arrangement. 
To dry the pods, cut while the pods are still green and somewhat fresh. Tie the stems into a bundle and hand upside down to dry. You can cut the seed pods in half to display the interesting seed chamber structure.

With a proper care and handling up to 7 days