How to Grow Columbines From Seeds

Columbine is easy to grow from seed, but it will take two seasons to flower. Columbine is also known as Aquilegia and is a wildflower that grows naturally in open woodlands and alpine areas. There are many forms of the flower with colors in almost every range. The plant requires a lightly shaded location to protect it from full harsh sunlight. Columbine seed requires stratification or chilling to break dormancy. You may sow the seed in fall so it can naturally achieve exposure or refrigerate your seed until spring. The biennials will reseed themselves freely and can become invasive but are perfect for a wild flower display.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Refrigerator
• Columbine seed
• Compost
• Tiller
• Rake
• Hose
• Hose end adjustable nozzle
• Mulch
• Liquid seaweed
• Hose end sprayer
• Pruners

1. Chill the packet of columbine seeds for three to four weeks to satisfy the stratification requirements of the plant. The plants are not fussy about soil type but require moist,organic rich conditions. Columbines are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 3 to 9.
2. Prepare a garden bed in a semi-shady location after the threat of frost has passed. Till the soil, mixing in 5 to 6 inches of compost to conserve moisture and add nutrients.Rake the bed free of roots, weeds and other debris.
3. Sow the seed on the surface of the soil 3 to 6 inches apart. Scatter a thin layer of compost on top of the seed to hold them down. Mist the seeds with a hose end adjustable nozzle until soil is evenly moist 2 to 3 inches deep. Maintain moisture level until germination.
4. Thin the plants to 12 inches apart after they have germinated. The plants will spread fast and may become 1 foot wide. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Do not let columbine dry out. Spread mulch between the plants to help keep weeds at bay and reduce moisture loss.
5. Fertilize once a month in the growing season with a liquid seaweed fertilizer. Apply it at the rate recommended in a hose-end sprayer. Cut off the blooms before they seed. Seed will spread but the formation of seed also diminishes the flower’s vigor.