SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface sow or barely cover.
Starting Indoors:
Stratify for 3 weeks at 35-40°F in late winter. To stratify, place seeds in dampened vermiculite or clean sand, enclose in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Eight to 10 weeks before last frost, remove pre-chilled seeds from refrigerator and sow. Cover with humidity dome and keep at 60-70°F. Transplant seedlings as they appear; anywhere from 2-8 weeks—be patient.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow in fall or earliest spring, or winter sow into pots in the shade, covered with a thin layer of clean sand and a wire screen to keep out mice and voles. Check for moisture at regular intervals.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Columbine 'Chocolate Soldier' is a hardy perennial from China and Japan, found growing in verdant, moist areas. It displays a subtle but winning combination of cocoa brown and lime green, ornamenting containers in dappled shade, and edging woodland or herb gardens with its graceful, willowy presence. Trim after bloom and keep evenly moist for the best show. Caution: contains some toxic elements especially in the roots and foliage.
Watering Details:
Plants are somewhat drought tolerant but do best with evenly moist soil; about 1" of water per week.
Soil pH:
Slightly acidic to neutral
Fertilizer:
Mix in a couple of inches of compost annually.
Diseases & Pests:
A common pest of columbines, leaf miners damage leaves by chewing tunnels in the leaves. At first indication of damage, pick off the affected leaves and destroy or use sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis, a biological, to combat.
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Harvest when 1/2 of the florets are open.
