Hi Ken,
You could plant them now. Just push them onto the soil where you want them to grow. Some people have good success with this, some don't. I personally have trouble from many things, animals, too much mulch, accidental digging of the spot, etc.
I'm not sure if ones that are planted now will sprout soon or later. I've never paid attention good enough to know for sure from the ones that fall naturally out of the seedpods and germinate near the older plants.
You can also collect them to sow later. In the fall, you can plant them. Then there is less chance of seed disturbance. You can also wintersow them in containers. Then transplant them in the spring.
Hope this helps some,
Remy

Thanks Remy, very helpful!

Perhaps I will let some just fall where they do, and collect a few for fall and spring planting. I saw in another thread that seeds must be dried properly. What is the right way to dry seeds? Let them sit on a paper plate on a window sill for a period of time?

Finally, after they are dry does one just put them in an envelope and put in a dry cool place, or must one also put the envelope in a tupperware type container?

Thanks!

Ken

Hi Ken,
To make sure seeds are dry enough before storing just put on a plate out of direct sunlight though.
Put the seeds in an envelope, but not in tupperware inside unless you know they are completely dry. So to make it easy I recommend just using a shoe box or other breathable container. Then keep that in a cool dry spot like in a closet in a cooler room of your house.
Remy

I have been collecting columbine seeds for almost 20 years. I share them with anyone who wants them--I discriminate between short spur and long spur, usually, although this year is different because I am making a "wood land flower" path through the woods, and have mixed some of the short spur into the long spur. THis year, for the first time ever, I have bugs on the seed pods!! THese are tiny beetle-like creatures. Two types. One looks like a tick the color is the same, but these guys when they get on their backs wave their legs in the air. The other type looks to be red headed, with a brown body, and is about 1 mm in size.

These bugs have appeared on the drying seed pods and no where else except a paulonia tree that came up as a volunteer.I could spray them on that tree, but I cannot bring myself to spray them on the columbine plants. Any help on this bug problem will be gratefully appreciated.

Ken,

All of the above is useful info. The seeds will dry naturally in the pods. Just wait until they turn brown and you can hear the seeds rattling inside. Then harvest and store in a cool dry location. We have found that some exposure to freezing temp is essential though I've never wasted much time sowing non - frozen/refridgerated seeds. Those that fall naturally in the late summer are obviously obviously subjected to our freezing winter weather and seem to germinate fine in the spring. I've never paid attention to whether any sprout in the fall - if any do I suspect they don't establish strongly enough to survive until spring. We plant in the very early spring and have wonderful results.