How to Grow Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

Bleeding hearts are graceful woodland plants that do best in light shade in well-drained soil. Their ferny foliage appears in early spring, followed by pink or white flowers that are arranged along the stem like little hearts.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Bypass Pruners
• Fertilizers
• Garden Trowels
• Mulch
• Plants

Choosing Bleeding Heart

1. Shop for bleeding hearts in spring when they're in bloom. Nurseries sell bleeding hearts in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers.

2. Choose robust-looking plants that have a lot of new growth starting from the base.

3. Choose the right bleeding heart for your garden - Dicentra formosa grows 9 to 18 inches high, while D. spectabilis can grow to 2 feet.

Planting Bleeding Heart

1. Plant in the shade - morning sun is fine, but afternoon sun will be too hot.

2. Grow bleeding hearts under shrubs or evergreen trees. Brighten up the shade with the white flowers of D. spectabilis 'Alba'.

3. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole.

4. Water well when you're finished planting.

Caring for Bleeding Heart

1. Put a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost around the bleeding hearts in spring to help retain soil moisture.

2. Keep the plants well-watered to maintain good-looking foliage throughout summer.

3. Cut down the remaining plants during fall cleanup using bypass pruners.