How to Plant a Bleeding Heart

Planting a variety of flowers adds beauty and character to any garden. A common plant that produces plentiful blossoms is the bleeding heart, also known as a dicentra. The bleeding heart sprouts soft, heart-shaped pink blossoms that open at the bottom to allow gray or greenish petals to drop out (giving the appearance that they are “bleeding” out). The bleeding heart is a perennial plant, so with proper care and maintenance, expect its blossoms to make an annual appearance in your garden.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Bleeding heart sprouts
• 10-10-17 fertilizer
• Compost
• Water
• Well-drained soil

1. Choose a location with soil that drains well and one that is near the edges of woodland or on the north or east side of your house. According to Easytogrowbulbs.com, if puddles of water remain five or six hours after raining, the soil does not drain well. Also, woodlands and the north or east side of a building provide protection to the plant from heavy winds.
2. Plant the bleeding hearts in a location that receives light shade in the afternoon. When putting the plant into the ground, position it so that the roots are pointing downwards and the growing points of the plant point upwards an inch or so below the soil.
3. Space your plants 2 or 3 feet apart.
4. Water the plants weekly by soaking the soil around the plant. Add compost or peat moss to the soil to improve the soil’s ability to retain water. Use a 10-10-17 organic fertilizer every six months to keep the soil healthy.