Columbine that blooms late spring-late summer?

Question

I have finally found a Columbine that flowers all summer, unlike the ones that usually just flower in the spring or early summer. I am getting the seeds from parkseed, how did they make them flower all summer long? how can they do that?

Answer 1

Good luck. Flowering is often a response to the number of dark hours. With spring flowering they respond to lessening dark hours. With fall coming and dark hour increasing many will stop flowering.

Horticulturists are always looking for plants that buck the normal trend to shut down early....so perhaps these new columbines are less night hour sensitive.

(being silly, you could put some high intensity lights with the columbines and turn them on for an hour or so each night to break the increasing longer dark hours.......that's what greenhouse growers do)

For you, pick off the spent flowers preventing seed formation. Plants produce chemicals as they produce and ripen seeds telling the rest of the plant their job is done for the season. If you can keep the chemical from forming through prompt flower removal, you have a chance.