How to Raise Columbines From Seed

Although columbine is often seen growing wild, it is an adaptable wildflower that does well in the home garden. Columbine is available in a variety of colors and color combinations, including red, blue, violet, pink, white and yellow. The foliage is fine-textured and lacy. The best way to raise columbine from seed is to replicate the plant’s natural growing habitat, as columbine reseeds readily when the seeds drop from the expired blooms in autumn. Plant columbine seed amid other plants in your flowerbed or create a blooming field or meadow. Columbine is hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 3 to 8.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Herbicide (optional)
• Rake
• Turf roller or cardboard (optional)
• Fine spray nozzle

1. Prepare a planting spot in full sunlight or partial shade. Remove weeds from the area by pulling or spraying them with a herbicide. Don’t stimulate dormant seed growth by rototilling or plowing the soil. Clear pulled weeds and debris from the planting spot.
2. Loosen the top of the soil lightly with a rake. Avoid loosening the soil deeper than 1 inch.
3. Sprinkle the columbine seeds evenly on the surface of the soil. Dust the seed lightly with soil or press the seeds into the top of the soil. If the area is large, use a turf roller to press the seeds into the soil. If the area is small, walk over the planting area or place a piece of cardboard over the seeds, then step on the cardboard. The tiny seeds shouldn’t be covered with more than 1/16 inch of soil.
4. Spray the columbine seeds carefully with a hose and a spray nozzle with a fine spray. Water the area again early in spring if the winter has been dry. Thereafter, water plants occasionally during hot, dry weather.
5. Remove wilted columbine blooms through the growing season to promote continued growth. Otherwise, the blooms will go to seed early and will stop blooming.

Tips & Warnings

• Use commercial columbine seeds, as home-harvested seeds will not be true to the color of the parent plant.