The Columbine – it can be bought as a young plant in specialist shops. But let’s be honest: anyone can do that! It's much more fun to grow these perennials with your own hands and a lot of love. Then you know what you have
When and how should you sow columbine?
The columbine seeds can be grown at home at the end of February/beginning of March or sown directly into the garden bed from April to the end of May. For sowing, they need a sunny to semi-shady location, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil. Mix the seeds with sand and cover them thinly with soil. Keep the substrate moist.
Grow the seeds at home
The seeds of the columbine can be grown at home towards the end of February/beginning of March. This requires a bright location, ideally on the windowsill in the living room.
- Fill the pot or seed tray with sowing soil (€6.00 on Amazon)
- Spread seeds
- cover lightly with soil (dark germ)
- moisten generously with a hand sprayer
- Keep substrate moist
- ideal germination temperature: 17 to 20 °C
- Germination time: 5 to 6 weeks
Direct sowing: timing and procedure
The seeds obtained from stores or harvested yourself can be sown directly outdoors, for example in the garden bed, from April onwards. They should be sown by the end of May at the latest. The flowers usually only appear in the second year.
Site and soil examined
Before you sow the seeds, you should inspect the location! It should be located in sunny to partially shaded areas. If necessary, it can also be a shady place. But there, columbines only grow to around 30 cm high instead of up to 90 cm.
The soil should be nutrient-rich, humus-rich, loosened, permeable and fresh. A slightly loamy substrate is advantageous as it dries out less quickly. The columbine needs a moist environment underground. The soil can be enriched with compost before sowing.
Sowing the seeds
The fine seeds are mixed with sand. This means they can be scattered more evenly and easily throughout the bed. After a thin layer of soil has been spread over it, water the whole thing with a fine water spray.
Keep the soil moist! If necessary, the plants are later pricked out at a distance of 25 cm. Now all that matters is further care!
Tips & Tricks
Once the columbine has grown, it will reproduce on its own over the next few years. Their seeds sow themselves and germinate in place.
