- When and how often does the Bleeding Heart have to be watered?
- When and with what is the bleeding heart fertilized?
- When should the Bleeding Heart be cut?
- Which pests or diseases particularly threaten the Bleeding Heart?
- The Bleeding Heart has yellow leaves, what to do?
- Is the Bleeding Heart hardy?
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a densely clumping perennial with light green feathery leaves. In April and May, tall, rather fleshy stalks develop, bending under the weight of the heart-shaped flowers, which give the plant its name, and are strung like a string of pearls. The pink flowers with the white hanging "tears" are a symbol of futile love and thrive best in light penumbra. The plant is not particularly intensive in its care.
The Bleeding Heart is quite easy to care for
When and how often does the Bleeding Heart have to be watered?
Especially during the flowering period, the perennial should not dry out if possible. Although short-term drought is usually tolerated without any problems, the Bleeding Heart does not produce any flowers during this time. Water moderately in dry conditions, but more frequently. Waterlogging, like dryness, should be avoided as much as possible.
When and with what is the bleeding heart fertilized?
As a typical forest dweller, the Bleeding Heart is quite undemanding and is content with organic fertilizer (e.g. mature compost), which you add to the soil both in spring and in late autumn.
When should the Bleeding Heart be cut?
Bloated shoots should be removed regularly to encourage the formation of new flowers. Further pruning measures are not necessary, since the perennial retreats completely into its rhizomes after the flowering period.
Which pests or diseases particularly threaten the Bleeding Heart?
The Bleeding Heart is quite resilient and rarely affected by disease. However, the sprouting in spring in particular is very susceptible to snail damage, while voles mainly feast on the roots.
The Bleeding Heart has yellow leaves, what to do?
In most cases, the yellow leaves of the Bleeding Heart do not indicate an infestation with pests or a disease; on the contrary, they are quite normal after the flowering period. After flowering, the leaves turn yellow and eventually wither.
Is the Bleeding Heart hardy?
Although the Bleeding Heart is very sensitive to frost, it can still hibernate outdoors without worry. Since the plant retreats to its underground parts in midsummer, special protection is usually not necessary - only for specimens cultivated in pots. In the spring, the tender shoots should be covered if there is a risk of frost so that they do not freeze to death.
tips
Be careful when watering: The rather fleshy stems are unfortunately very brittle and therefore break off quickly if you touch them.