Where to Plant Bleeding Heart Perennials

Bleeding hearts are a delicately pretty perennial. They produce transparent, light green foliage and hanging, pink heart-shaped flowers. These flowers are good for planting underneath widely-spaced trees and make great companions to other shade-loving plants. As long as they are planted properly, they are relatively low-maintenance. Choosing an appropriate planting site is the main factor in proper planting.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Water
• Watering can
• Shovel

1. Find an area beneath trees that gets dappled or no sunlight. Make sure the area is spacious and free of weeds. Bleeding hearts can get large and need lots of space.
2. Feel the soil with the palm of your hand. It should be moist and cool. Bleeding hearts require moist, cool, well-drained soil.
3. Test to see if the soil drains well. Dig a hole about a foot deep and two feet wide. Fill it with water and wait an hour. If the hole is mostly empty, the soil drains well. If not, you will have to add sand or gravel to the soil before planting.
4. Check several possible spots in the morning, at noon and at dusk. Make sure the area does not get hot at any point during the day. Bleeding hearts do not tolerate heat.
5. Make sure the area is partially shielded from wind and storms by shrubs or a garden wall. Planting shrubs along with your bleeding hearts will create a wind break if you have none. Bleeding hearts get tall, but their stems are not sturdy enough to hold them up in high winds.