In the early summer garden, the columbine dances like an elf with colorful flowers above the decorative foliage. Over the years, the graceful plant wanders undauntedly through the garden and colonizes even precarious locations. Find out all the important details about professional cultivation here.
How to care for a columbine in the garden?
Columbine is a graceful perennial plant that produces colorful flowers in white, pink, yellow, blue and other shades from May to June. It prefers nutrient-rich, humus-rich soils and locations in sun to partial shade. Your care needs are covered by regular watering, organic fertilization and, if necessary, pruning close to the ground.
Planting columbine correctly
So that columbines create picturesque impressions in the garden for years to come, professional planting creates important framework conditions. Proceed as follows:
- Rake thoroughly, carefully weed, remove stones and roots
- Dig small holes at a distance of 20-30 cm
- Enrich the excavation with compost, horn meal, guano or leaf compost
- If necessary, create drainage at the bottom of the pit, plant the columbine in the middle and water it
Ideally, you should soak the root ball in advance until no more air bubbles appear. The planting depth in the bed corresponds to that in the cultivation pot. Finally, mulch with material suitable for the location, such as bark mulch, grass clippings or pebbles.read more
Care tips
The care guidelines for a columbine do not pose any significant challenges, even for beginner hobby gardeners. How to handle the plant correctly:
- If the natural rainfall is not sufficient, the plant is watered
- If possible, do not water columbines overhead, but rather water directly at the roots
- From May to August, fertilize organically with compost in the bed and liquid in the bucket
- Cut off any wilted flowers after the first flowering to encourage late summer blooms
- Pruning close to the ground should be done in early spring at the latest
In the year of planting and in rough locations, a layer of leaves, straw and coniferous twigs serves as protection against frost and winter moisture. A columbine in a pot thrives better in the frost-free, dark winter quarters, where it is watered from time to time.read more
Which location is suitable?
The diverse genus of Columbines contains an appropriate species or variety for almost every location. In general, the plant thrives wonderfully in sunny to partially shaded locations, preferably under the influence of moving shade under deciduous trees. The higher a columbine stretches towards the sky, the more advantageous a position protected from the wind proves to be.read more
The correct planting distance
The selected species and variety defines the specific planting distance. Take a look at the expected growth height and divide the value by 2 to get the appropriate distance. For the common columbine with a height of 60 cm, a planting distance of 30 cm is considered ideal, while the dwarf columbine is content with a distance of 20 cm from the neighbor.
What soil does the plant need?
Thanks to its wide range of species and varieties, you will discover a suitable columbine for every soil condition. The fundamental requirements for the earth are limited to the following attributes:
- Nutritional and humic
- Fresh, moist and well-drained
- Sometimes sandy-loamy to dry, but never waterlogged
In the pot, the plant thrives excellently in commercially available compost-based potting soil (€12.00 at Amazon), which is optimized with a handful of lava granules or expanded clay for better permeability.
What is the best time to plant?
For columbines that have been purchased and grown by hand, the planting season begins in May. Say goodbye to Cold Sophie before you put the plant in the bed or pot. Direct sowing is possible from March to June, but rarely produces the desired flowers in the same year.
When is flowering time?
The flowering period of a columbine extends from May to June. During this time, the plant presents double and undouble flowers in white, pink, yellow and blue, as well as in attractive shades such as delicate purple, bright orange or dramatic burgundy. Modern hybrids impress with contrasting colors of spores and petals.read more
Cut columbine correctly
If you don't want the plant to self-sow, cut off the withered flowers as soon as possible. In this way you will also attract additional blooms in late summer. Then give the roots enough time to pull in the above-ground parts of the plant and then cut the plant off close to the ground. Please be sure to wear gloves due to the high toxic content.read more
Water Columbine
The watering behavior depends on the light and temperature conditions at the chosen location. In the sun-drenched rock garden, the plant evaporates more moisture than in the shelter of tall deciduous trees. The thumb test provides clarity as to whether watering is necessary or not. Ideally, you should pour the water directly onto the ground using the watering can spout and avoid spraying it over flowers and leaves.
Fertilize columbine properly
Don't let the plant starve during the growth and flowering period. Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with compost, guano, horse manure and horn shavings. In the pot, the columbine is grateful for liquid fertilizer, which you can apply every 14 days from May to August on previously moistened substrate.
Wintering
With regard to frost hardiness, there are differences within the genus. Despite this, all the columbines cultivated in our gardens bravely face the winter without any special precautions having to be taken. Only in the year of planting do we recommend light winter protection in the form of leaves, straw or needle twigs. As a natural winter protection, the fallen leaves should only be cut off close to the ground in early spring.
The privilege of carefree overwintering does not apply to a plant in a pot. Ideally, you should carry the columbine to a frost-free, dark winter quarters. Water here every now and then so that the root ball doesn't dry out.
Propagate Columbines
The creative gardener doesn't always like what the columbine produces after self-sowing. To ensure varietal propagation of your favorite plant, we recommend dividing the rootstock in spring or autumn. Alternatively, you can purchase pure seeds from specialist retailers. To avoid the unpredictability of direct sowing, sow behind glass under controlled conditions from February onwards. Here's how to do it:
- Fill seed trays or small pots with germ-free potting soil
- Spread the seeds and sift them 3-5 mm high
- Keep constantly moist in a partially shaded window seat at 17-20 degrees
- Prick out at a height of 5-6 cm and two pairs of leaves
A few Columbine species, such as Aquilegia chrysantha, require stratification. In this case, place the seed container in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for 4 weeks and then continue following these short instructions.read more
How do I transplant correctly?
It is a huge rootstock with a long taproot that a columbine develops within a short time. Thanks to this root mass, the change of location is a good thing. Take advantage of this opportunity to rejuvenate and multiply the plant. How to proceed:
- In spring or autumn, loosen the root ball with the digging fork
- Lift the plant out of the ground and divide it with a spade or knife if necessary
- A vital segment has at least 2 shoots
At the new location, the planting pit has already been dug and the soil has been optimized with compost. Maintain the previous planting depth and water thoroughly on the day itself and afterwards.read more
Aquilegia in a pot
In the pot, the columbine puts its futuristic-looking flowers in the right light, but does not prove to be as long-lasting as in the bed. Use a loose, compost-based potting soil as the substrate. Some pottery shards serve as drainage via the water drain in the ground to protect against waterlogging. This is how the care of the plant in the pot proceeds in a regulated manner:
- If the substrate surface dries, it is poured
- Fertilize liquidly every 2 weeks from May to August
- Cleaning up wilted flowers
- Cut off close to the ground after the second flowering when the foliage has withered
Before the first frost, put the columbine in the pot in the frost-free, not too bright winter quarters. Do not let the root ball dry out and stop fertilizing until April.read more
Is columbine poisonous?
Columbine is poisonous in all parts. Even small amounts, eaten consciously or unconsciously, trigger severe symptoms of poisoning. Contact with the skin causes unpleasant irritations. Only plant the plant in the garden when small children and pets are out of their reach. Long-sleeved clothing and gloves are essential for planting and care work.read more
How should the columbine be cared for after flowering?
A columbine has the potential to bloom twice a year. After the first bunch of flowers have wilted in May and June, cut the plant close to the ground and apply a dose of fertilizer. In late summer the flower sprouts again. If self-sowing is desired, leave the withered flowers on the plant. Otherwise, just cut off the flower heads so that the roots can absorb the remaining nutrients from the foliage. Only then do you cut off the columbines completely to make room for the next season.
Which neighboring plants are beneficial?
Gardening prudence requires leaving the foliage on a columbine until the nutrients have been absorbed. During this phase the plant has lost a lot of its decorative value. The choice of compatible neighboring plants therefore becomes more relevant. These perennials solve the problem brilliantly:
- Half-tall delphinium
- Summer blooming cranesbill
- Evergreen Spring Rose
- Silver Lady's Coat
Choose summer or fall flowering perennials with similar location requirements that spread their leaves as a cloak of charity over the now unsightly columbine foliage until it can be cut off.
Beautiful varieties
- Blue Star: Magnificent specimen with light blue, long spurs surrounding white petals; Growth height 60 cm
- Crystal: Premium variety with pure white spurs and petals; Growth height 60 cm
- Maxi: yellow columbine with strikingly outwardly swinging spurs; Growth height 75 cm
- Ministar: lime-tolerant plant for the rock garden with blue-white flowers; Growth height 15-25 cm
- Wild form: untreated in breeding, robust and long-lasting columbine; Growth height 50-60 cm
