Since you don't say what county you are in - here is a link to all the counties in NC. Check the county and then find the section you want. there should also be a phone # somewhere there. They will certainly have an answer for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: NC Extension Services

Beside my name it says I'm in Raleigh, which is in Wake County. Since it is the weekend I doubt they will answer my call. I thought that's what the forum was for.

One way is to take half of them, scatter over prepared soil outside now and put the rest in the refrigerator to sow in fall. Even so you will have lots of plants one way or the other, probably more than you really need? Or take a third and put in refrigerator for a couple of weeks, a third sow now, and the remaining third in the fall. I have had success growing them from seed with and without chilling. They need light to germinate so don't cover them with soil, just press in lightly. One day or more will not make a difference if you do want to contact the Exten. Svc. and if in doubt, maybe you could buy another packet of seeds and put them in the refrigerator to sow in fall, and sow the ones you already bought today. Sowing should be fun, not stressful, and seeds are relatively quite inexpensive compared to buying the plants.

Nancy the nancedar

I've had the best luck with columbines if i wintersow them (fall, winter or early spring)- either in situ if i have lots of seed, or in pots or flats if i only have a little. They do sprout much better with some cold treatment, which is why the wintersowing works so well. You won't get blooms til next year or the year after from seed sown now. So you may want to but a plant now if you want blooms this year and have the seed for in the future. Columbines are fairly short lives, which is why it helps to let them go to seed and spread them selves around. That way you always have some coming. They cross easily, too, so unless you only have one kind, you'll get surprises! They are easy from seed, so relax & enjoy the process.

I have found the easiest way to sow them is to throw the seeds out when they mature and next spring, I am rewarded with plenty of seedlings with no work on my part--Mother Nature takes care of it for me.

Mother Plant
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Seedlings at her feet that natural dropped off the plant when the seeds were mature.
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Others in other areas where I just tossed the seeds.
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From what I have read, most columbines do need at least 3 to 4 weeks of moist cool weather for best germination.

The seeds don't need cold stratification -- you can sow them now in pots and put the plants out either in summer or fall, or broadcast the seeds now. I've put them out in the summer many times if we're getting enough rainfall. They're tough plants.

Fresh seed of most columbine do need cold/moist stratification for germination purposes. Older seeds may or may not. Seeds purchased from a vendor may be fresh or old so whether they will need stratification will depend on their age.

Thanks for all the help everyone! I think I will try some now. And then save some for this fall. As you say I will probably not need as many plants as I have seeds.

nckvilledudes...For some reason mine dod not every seed like yours do. I only have one seedling under the "Black Barlow" I've had growing in my yard for 2 years. I think it may be b/c my mulch is Pine nugget and is quite good at preventing small seeds from germinating. I love the barlow's the best so I think since it was the only plant there...the seedling will bloom barlow as well.

My 'black barlow' has seeded around well. Most of them are similar to the parent. Some are more purple than black, and they usually have the multiple layers, like the parent. I also have a Nora Barlow seedling, which has multiple layers, but not as many. Her seedlings are mixed, some double or triple and some single. One of my 'black barlow' seedlings that just bloomed has really neat almost burgundy petals and bright yellow anthers. They are double, but the flower doesn't look like the other Barlows. Seeds of columbine aren't always "true" to the parents, but the "accidents" are sometimes cool. I'll try and get a picture tomorrow. (my daughter appropriately calls them "mystery flowers") Not that any of this is helpful or answers the question...
I've found that broadcasting seeds of columbine gets you plenty of seedlings. However, for best results I would broadcast some and wintersow the rest. And it probably goes without saying, but don't mulch over your seeds.

Not sure why mine seeded so much jqpublic. Some just fell out of the developing seed pods around the mother plant and came up in the gravel mulch which has landscape fabric under it. The vast majority of the seeds were broadcast in the gravel mulch and they came up on their own. Didn't really try them in other mulched areas to see if the type of mulch affected the number of germinations or not.

Thanks everyone. Anyone else have their tiny seedlings rampaged by the pounding rains this week? I love the rain, but :(. Good thing there are enough to go around.

In answer to the person from Wake, NC about germination of Columbine seeds. If collecting in late May, let dry for several weeks. I do not refrigerate. I keep them separate by variety and plant in pots outside that contain a really good and fine potting mix like bacctolite. The soil should be close to the surface. Spread seeds on surface and cover lightly with very small rocks. I leave them to mature in pots until October and then line out. They will become mature plants by late April. John, Charlotte, NC