Columbine is a popular garden plant and is also very easy to care for. In this article you will learn how to properly grow and care for the plant genus.
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How to grow columbine
The flowers of columbine have an unusual shape: they have a kind of funnel, reminiscent of a medieval pointed shoe. That is why the plant is also called elf slipper or gypsy bell.
But the columbine can do more than just look beautiful: The native wildflower belongs to the bee-friendly plants and provides bumblebees and bees with plenty of nectar. The buttercup is native to Central Europe. With the following tips, you can ensure that the colorful columbine also thrives in your garden.
- The right time: Whether you sow the columbine or grow it as a young plant, it is best to plant it in spring.
- Well-rooted root balls: Grow columbine seedlings best in a perennial bed. It’s also important that the plant’s root ball is well formed so that the columbine grows quickly and can withstand winter.
- Plant in partial shade: Most varieties of columbine don’t do well in direct sun – the plants fade faster in it. Therefore, find the flowers rather a semi-shaded place, for example, under a light deciduous tree.
- The right soil: Columbine needs a planting substrate that is as well-drained and nutrient-rich as possible. Before you place the seeds in the soil, it is therefore a good idea to mix some humus into the bed. Then you can sow the seeds and water them lightly. In general, you should always keep the soil slightly moist, but not too wet, to avoid waterlogging.
- The right neighbors: If you plant late-flowering plants such as silver candles and ferns next to the columbine, their flowers will cover the yellowing foliage of the flower in the fall. Daffodils and weeping hearts also make a nice combination.
How to care for and fertilize columbine
If you choose the right substrate and location for your columbine, further care of the plant will be a breeze. Just follow these tips and you’ll be able to enjoy your columbine for a long time.
- Water columbine regularly: Sufficient water is very important for the columbine. After you have planted the flower, you should water it especially well so that it grows quickly. Always keep the soil evenly moist.
- Fertilizer: Especially during the flowering period in May and June, you can ensure that your columbine blooms lushly with a little fertilizer. Natural materials such as compost and autumn leaves are best for this.
- Diseases and pests: The columbine is often attacked by mealybugs. As a first aid, you can carefully rinse the plant with water in the shower to get rid of the pests. You can learn more about how to control mealybugs in another article. Another pest is the columbine gall midge, which often attacks the fresh buds. Pick off the diseased buds as soon as possible to prevent the critters from spreading.
- Caution: columbine is mildly poisonous, so it can be dangerous to small children and pets. In addition, the plant can irritate the skin. Therefore, always put on gloves before touching the columbine.
When to cut the columbine
As a rule, you need to cut the columbine quite rarely. In the following cases, light pruning can be helpful:
- Prevent self-seeding: Columbine self-seeds and can quickly spread throughout your garden. If you want to prevent this, you should remove the wilted flowers along with the seeds after they have finished blooming.
- Winterize columbine: In the fall, columbine perennials often wilt. Now is a good time to cut the plant back to just above the ground. Forgot to prune before winter? Don’t worry, you can still cut back the columbine in the spring.
- Remove dried and diseased parts of the plant: If the columbine is affected by mildew, for example, you should quickly cut off the diseased flowers and stems and dispose of them. This way you can prevent the disease from spreading. For more information on how to control powdery mildew, see another article.
- Longer blooming time: Normally, columbine blooms until July at the most. However, if you cut off the dried flowers directly, you may be lucky enough to get a second bloom in the fall.
- When cutting the columbine, make sure that you use sharp and clean garden shears. If you want to remove particularly thick shoots, it is best to cut them at a slight angle. This ensures that rainwater can run off better.
Caution: In the wild, you should never cut off columbine, because the plant is a protected species!