Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist, love-in-a-mist, Persian Jewels nigella (Nigella damascena 'Persian Jewels').
More about persian jewels love-in-a-mist
About Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist
Nigella damascena 'Persian Jewels' · also called Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist, love-in-a-mist · flowering
Persian Jewels is a mixed-colour love-in-a-mist strain producing blooms in white, pink, rose, lavender, and blue among delicate, thread-like foliage. An easy-to-grow cottage annual that self-seeds prolifically. Direct-sow in full sun in well-drained soil. Both flowers and inflated striped seed pods make excellent cut and dried material.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Short season / no successional colour: Each plant flowers for only 4–6 weeks. Stagger sowings every 3 weeks from early spring to early summer to maintain continuous colour through the growing season.
The reasons persian jewels love-in-a-mist isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming persian jewels love-in-a-mist traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:
- Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
- Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
- The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
- Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
- It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.
Feeding persian jewels love-in-a-mist a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
The fix — how to get persian jewels love-in-a-mist to flower
- Maximise sun. Give persian jewels love-in-a-mist the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
- Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
- Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
- Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.
Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for persian jewels love-in-a-mist and get the feeding right with the persian jewels love-in-a-mist fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.
Bloom season and what to expect
Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
Post-bloom care so it flowers again
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full persian jewels love-in-a-mist care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my persian jewels love-in-a-mist flower?
Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
How do I make persian jewels love-in-a-mist bloom?
Give persian jewels love-in-a-mist the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
When does persian jewels love-in-a-mist normally bloom?
Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with persian jewels love-in-a-mist after it flowers?
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping persian jewels love-in-a-mist flowering?
Feeding persian jewels love-in-a-mist a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Persian Jewels love-in-a-mist fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 3229 bloom guides in the Growli library