Welcome to the challenge of growing columbine or aquilegia vulgaris. These beautiful alpine plants are worth the fuss because the birds and bees love the beautiful blooms but they are susceptible to leaf blight and cut worms. If you let the plants dry out they will get mildew on the leaves so keep the soil moist. If you notice the leaves are being eaten search at the base of the plant for a small green cut worm and squish or check the leaves at night. To prevent root rot and blight make sure the soil drains quickly and do not plant too deep. These are hardy plants so you can plant them outdoors early in the spring or seed directly in the ground. Don't cover the seeds with much soil as they need sunlight to germinate. They also hate to be transplanted as they have a deep tap root so move any seedlings outdoors while they are very young. Once in a good location, these perennials will reseed freely year after year. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti