Columbine

Columbine

Aquilegia vulgaris

Plant out around your last spring frost. Space plants 12 in (30 cm) apart.

Photo: Yeditepeczacılıkg, CC BY 4.0 · source

When to plant

Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.

See the dates for your garden

Enter your average last spring frost and first fall frost. Every timing on this site turns into a calendar date. Not sure of yours? Your local extension service or a search for “last frost date” and your town will tell you; the app finds them from your location.

Last spring frost
First fall frost

Saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Optimal Transplant

From a plantRecommended from a plant
  1. Plant outaround your last spring frost

Optimal Indoor Start

From seedRecommended from seed
  1. Start indoors9 weeks before your last spring frost
  2. Begin hardening off1 week before your last spring frost
  3. Plant outaround your last spring frost

Optimal Direct Sow

From seed
  1. Sow outdoors2 weeks after your last spring frost

Growing columbine

Spacing in the row
12 in (30 cm)
Between rows
18 in (46 cm)
Planting depth
Surface sow; press in and barely cover (light aids germination)
Sun
Partial Shade
Mature height
1-3 ft
Hardy to
USDA zone 3
Life cycle
Perennial

Feeding

How often
Once a year, in early spring. A light application of balanced or slow-release fertilizer is enough; frequent or strong feeding gives weak, floppy stems.

Your columbine, planned to the day.

Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.

Add columbine to your planting calendar →

Help test itHelp test it on Android