Well the fresh ones are ready to go just throw on the ground. Older seeds need the cold to wake up. I have had good germination direct sowing these. It will take them a year or two to bloom but the foliage is distinct, long lasting and useful for covering faded bulbs.
I just WS some seed I traded for and some commercial seed.

Thanks for the info. :)

Columbine can be irregular in germination. I use a spoon or my fingers to take out the sprouts and leave the rest of the mix in the container so that the other seeds can still germinate. I have had some not germinate until fall.

Slow and irregular for me, too. I plant the sprouts and dump the rest of the potting mix with them. More sprouts come up there later.

Karen

I WS'd Aquilegia canadensis, which is the native wild Columbine. Sowed Jan 4th, the first sprouted April 24th. However, no other sprouts appeared for the longest time, then new little sprouts continued to pop up all through the summer, until there were 4 or 5 little sprouts. They never grew much at all. I'm embarassed to say, they are the only seedlings still sitting in the same container out there in the pot ghetto, covered by leaves. I peeked in on them the other day, and they're doing fine. I plan to plant them out this Spring.

I read an article one time a few years ago that said that in Victorian times, 'nice' gardeners didn't have columbine in their gardens because of their habit of being too promiscuous (reseeding too heavily). Kind of overboard I guess!! LOL!
I do find them everywhere though, if I let the seed head stay on until they are ripe.
I had great results from WS the ones I planted last year. Can't wait to see them bloom this spring.
gg

I ws'd several different varieties that were hardy for my zone last year and had GREAT success with them.
I had so many seedlings I didn't know what to do with them.
I started them in January (deep, cold winter here) and they did great :)

Awesome! Thanks to everyone again! :)