The fresher the seeds, the better the germination, in my experience. I would scatter seed where ever you want plants, and just avoid mulching in those areas. You could do a little experiment and refrigerate some seed and then plant those in a different spot and compare germination rates. We're you going to sow your seeds directly or start them in containers? Actually, if you really have collected a ton of seed, and it's obviously fresh, you'll probably have great luck no matter what you do. Just get them in dirt ASAP. Enjoy. Columbine are some of my favorite flowers.

Martha

it took me years to figure this out ... pre WWW and all ....

you might be embarrassed when i say it ...

but sow the seed when the PLANT IS SOWING THEM ... and you will NEVER fail ...

dont you think???

we fail.. or struggle.. when we buy the pack of seed in spring.. which is about 6 months AFTER when the plant is doing it ...

soooo.. if the plant doesnt think it needs 3 weeks of cold.. why would you ...

and if the plant is genetically predisposed to creating a seed that will lay there on the soil.. until it gets its cold treatment.. why would it be better to put them in an envelope ... and store them for later????

IMHO ... the biggest problem with the WWW is TOO MUCH INFO... lol ...

be the plant.. ooohhhmmmmm ....

good luck

ken

ps: the only way to fail ... would be to not mark the spot.. so you dont cull them all out as weeds in fall ... or next spring ...been there.. done that .. lol ... MORE THAN ONCE ...

EDIT: the reason this works for THIS plant.. is that it is NOT an annual ... its a biennial.. and will over winter ... with real annuals... the seed or young plants.. may or may not winter over ... those are the seed that need to be stored if they can not handle your winter .... wherever you may be ....

EDIT: .. i learned the most thru experimenting... and i presume you will have fistfuls of seed ... so direct sow some.. [like the plant isnt doing it right now anyway] ... save some for fall planting.. and try some next spring or winter sowing ... a great.. EASY plant to experiment with ...

This post was edited by ken_adrian on Wed, Jun 26, 13 at 8:16

To all,
I am so sad when I mistakenly pull out a would be flower when I think its a weed. I feel like I killed something, which I did. But I talk to it. We are all weird in some way, huh?

I have the beautiful dark blue columbine coming up everywhere, but I have some other colors I gathered seeds for, so want to plant those too. However, I think the chipmunks or squirrels got some of my blue ones, since I used to have a lot more in one certain area....the whole area was blue in spring. Not anymore. I need to get those munks and squirrles, they are doing so much damage, eating my lily bulbs, etc.