elissa

Hi, last year I dropped seeds in the fall right before it got cold. I didn't do this with columbine but did drop coneflower and balloon flower. This was in the middle of a large ring of rocks and was relatively sheltered from frost and harsh winds over the winter. This area did see plenty of snowfall, up to 12 inches at times. Everything sprouted wonderfully for me this spring. I received dozens of great healthy balloon flower and smaller than normal echinaceas but still healthy.

I think if I were you I would go ahead and sow, just make sure to mulch heavily over them as the foliage browns out in the fall. This should help protect the roots. If you are uncertain then just sow half of them and keep the others until spring.

I hope this helps!

Tracy