When is the best month to sow columbine seeds? Planting method and flowering time

Columbine (Aquilegia) is native to Europe and Siberia. It is an excellent garden flower, with unusual leaves and beautiful flowers, suitable for flower beds, flower borders, and more; its flower stems can be used for cut flowers. It has high ornamental value. So when is the best time to sow columbine seeds? How do you plant it? In which month does it bloom?

When is the best time to sow columbine seeds?

Columbine is generally sown in spring and autumn. In spring it is usually in March and April, and in autumn it is usually in August and September. A temperature of around 20 degrees is most suitable for sowing. Before sowing, you should first apply plenty of base fertilizer to the sowing site, water it thoroughly, and level the soil surface. While the soil is moist, scatter the columbine seeds evenly, but also be careful not to let the soil be too wet; if the humidity is too high, the seedlings will rot. Then cover with film; do not cover with three-in-one soil. This keeps in warmth and lets columbine sprout faster.

How do you plant columbine?

1. Potting up: 5 to 6 weeks after columbine sprouts, it can be transplanted using plug trays with a 3 to 4 cm caliber. After another 5 to 6 weeks, blue columbine can be transplanted into 10 to 15 cm pots, fan columbine can be transplanted into 7 to 11 cm pots, and hybrid columbine can be transplanted into 11 to 16 cm pots. Two transplants are beneficial to the quality of the plants.

2. Medium: The growing medium for columbine needs good drainage. The soil content in the medium should be about 15%, and about 15% organic material (such as wood fiber, bark) can be added. For each cubic meter of medium, apply 1 to 1.5 kg of complete balanced fertilizer, as well as 1 to 2 kg of slow-release fertilizer, iron chelate, and micronutrients. The pH value should be 5.5 to 6.2.

3. Light: Columbine is a long-day plant. Maintain a high light level. Potted varieties need supplemental light in both winter and spring, which helps improve plant quality. In mid-January, they need to grow under long-day conditions (16 hours) and continuous supplemental light (30000 to 40000 lux), with the temperature kept at 12°C.

4. Temperature: The suitable growing temperature for columbine is 14°C to 16°C. After the roots have formed, lower the temperature to 8°C to 10°C. Changing the temperature can improve plant quality. In spring, seedlings begin to grow for 6 to 7 weeks at a temperature of 15°C to 18°C. A temperature of 10°C to 12°C will prolong the cultivation time. Avoid high temperature and low light conditions.

5. Fertilizing: Columbine has a moderate fertilizer requirement. A nitrogen-potassium balanced fertilizer at a concentration of 130 ppm to 150 ppm can be sprayed once a week. Avoid high ammonium and high nitrogen levels. Do not fertilize after mid-September. Blue columbine and fan columbine can begin spraying 100 ppm to 150 ppm of complete balanced nitrogen fertilizer in spring, while hybrid columbine can begin spraying 100 ppm to 150 ppm of nitrogen-potassium balanced nitrogen fertilizer in spring.

In which month does columbine bloom?

Columbine is a perennial herbaceous plant. Its flowering period is April to June, and the fruit ripening period is May to July. The plant height is 50-70 cm. The stems are upright, with biternate compound leaves, blue-green in color (similar in leaf shape to many ferns). The corolla is funnel-shaped and drooping, with 5 petals, usually dark blue-purple or white; cultivated varieties also come in pink, yellow, and other colors. There are 5 sepals, the same color as the petals. The follicles are dark brown.