I do believe columbines generally require cold stratification before they'll sprout. I've kept dwarf ones going for about 7 years in a half barrel, so I think that 3 years is a very conservative estimate. But I haven't paid too much attention to the standard ones; little rascals reseed themselves, and I haven't kept track of whether they're the old ones or new volunteers!

yes they should be cold strat... best to WS them.. and some will bloom first year

Plus, they're slow and uneven germinators, so you may not want to toss out your container too soon.

I've also only wintersown. Germination was slow and very irregular but eventually very good.

Karen

I did grow some McKana's Giants from seed one year and they did fine without the cold strat. Maybe they'd been pre-chilled?

Maybe, woofie. And very fresh seed doesn't need cold strat. When they drop from the plants naturally, they reseed like weeds. Like many other seeds, it seems the fresher they are the easier they germinate.

Karen

Maybe that explains why some Botanical Interests Columbines I tried one year sprouted well in trays even before I knew what "startification" meant.

Yeah, I'm gonna start-i-fy the heck outta these seeds!

They died somewhere later in the process, either drowning them in the cells and causing damping off or root rot, or feeding them to the slugs too young.

I have LOTS of those dwarf columbine seeds, if you'd like to try them.

I know there is much controversy about plant lights / shop lights.. but I picked up a rack at HD this weekend.. and we put it up today.. the only fixtures they had that would fit were T5 with daylight bulbs .. just wanted to show you the difference between my old T12 plant lights.. and the T5s .. boy are they bright .. the room is blinding now .. the 2 foot plant lights are at the top & bottom.. the new 3 foot T5s are on the middle shelves

I know, mine are t5s too, and they're bright!

The airport is right across the river from us. My husband always says a plane is going to see that light in our yard and mistake it for a runway!

Karen

how funny

Allison, might be different with the T5s, but you have your lights a LOT farther away from the plants than I keep mine. (unless it's coleus or impatiens or some other shade-loving plant)

oh they were not adjusted yet.. we just put the rack up... I moved them closer after I took the photo

love that set up... I love Columbines but believe me I am changing my mind about them... I love plants that re-seed... I got some clay balls planted in 2007 and since them some of plants just come back - they were all shades of pink and it was really cool... I love Black eyed Susans and Purple Cone Flowers... oh they are such generous plants...

This year I am going crazy on Zinnias, Hollyhocks, Foxgloves... hopefully I will get some Delfiniums also... love those plants...

Allison, I need to see you soon to get Agastache - pleeeeeeeease!!!

I just sowed more seeds today.. will hook you up babe!!!.. I have a bunch already.. I have these columbine too

Hey, I will give you as many columbines seeds you want... I have so many I don't know what to do with them... I actually got some that have a variegated leaves (woodstrain something...)

But yes, I need Agastache...

lost most of my indoor plants... so sad... forgot them outside one day and they died! I am so upset at my stupidity... no more starting seeds inside since the transition depends on my memory... no good... so I am planting all Morning glories again tomorrow... outside... hopefully they will sprout soon...

actually I did not loose the eggplants and sweet peppers!!!! can't believe it!!!! yay!

sorry Kassia... it happens to us all now and then

I'm glad the eggplants and peppers made it, Kassia!

So sorry about your causalities. I've had some that didn't quite make the transition as well; others are growing taller than the top of my tubs, but will probably need to come back indoors this weekend... again.

I'm sorry Kassia, and I understand. I had 8 healthy little bacopa, blooming under lights, and I let them dry to crispy critters twice. I lost one, the other 7 came back. I did the same with begonias. I had 11, the 2 that became crispy critters are goners, I think. Both are due only to my own negligence.

My biggest indoor coleus aren't looking so hot either. The tallest 2 trays no longer fit under my lights, and their colors are poopy. In the hardening off process, they've also been blown all over the place and lost lots of stems.

I'm a lot safer with wintersown stuff, where 99% is up to Mother Nature, and I just have to sow then stand back and let nature take it's course.

Karen