Updated at: 18-08-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

The bleeding heart plant (Dicentra spectabilis) is a popular among gardeners for its arching stems and heart-shaped pink and white flowers. However, transplanting them can be a challenge. Because bleeding hearts are sensitive to root disturbance, you must take additional care when transplanting them to ensure their survival.

When to Move Bleeding Hearts

After the plants have finished their dormancy for the year, the best time to relocate the bleeding hearts is in the autumn. It doesn’t matter if your plants lost their leaves during summer because of a lack of water; wait until the fall to move them. Bleeding hearts can be moved in the early spring before new shoots appear. As a result of the difficulty of transplanting a bleeding heart, it is important to get the time correct.

How to Grow Bleeding Hearts | Gardener's Path

Choosing a Location

Before separating and transplanting bleeding heart plants, ensure that the new planting place is suitable for their growth. If you don’t want to have to move the bleeding heart again, consider the new location wisely. It’s ideal to plant bleeding hearts in shady, well-drained soil that doesn’t dry up. As long as the soil isn’t overly dry in summer, they’ll be able to grow and thrive. Loose, organic soil is preferred by bleeding hearts.

Preparing the Area

Before you start digging up the bleeding heart plant, make sure the new location is ready and that you’ve excavated a hole for it. After you’ve removed your bleeding heart bush, you don’t want it to remain above ground. Add organic matter to the soil before planting, such as compost or well-rotted manure. Compost or manure should be applied to the soil surface where the bleeding heart will be planted in a 1- to 2-inch layer. In the first 6 to 8 inches of soil, till or dig it in.

Transplanting Bleeding Hearts

Transplanting bleeding heart plants can easily injure or break their thick, fleshy roots. When moving the plant, try not to break the clump by keeping as much of the roots together as possible in a single ball. You should begin digging 6 to 12 inches from the plant’s base in order to obtain a substantial amount of root mass.

How to Transplant Bleeding Heart Plants | Bleeding heart plant, Bleeding heart flower, Planting flowers

Plant the bleeding heart flower as soon as you’ve found a new location for it. Check to see that you’ve planted it at exactly the same height as before. Bleeding heart plants should be spaced between 24 and 30 inches apart if they are being relocated. Water the plant thoroughly after firming the dirt around its base. For the first several weeks after transplanting, keep the soil moist but not saturated by watering your bleeding heart plant.

Although transplanting bleeding heart plants can be challenging, it is possible to do so successfully if you take your time and use good judgment. Make the transplant process as simple and quick as possible by doing all of the preparatory work. Afterwards, ensure that your plant is well-cared-for in order to keep it healthy.

How to Transplant Bleeding Heart Plants

Heart-shaped blossoms swinging from arching, pale green stems, the Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a charming forest beauty. Bleeding hearts come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, yellow, and white. Early spring before new growth begins or after the foliage fades back in autumn are both good times to transplant bleeding heart.

Transplantation will take place in a prepared area, so get the ground ready. Compost should be worked into the soil 2 to 3 inches deep after the soil has been cultivated to an 8 to 10-inch depth. To avoid scorching midday temperatures, remember to place your bleeding heart in a partially shaded area, away from direct sunshine.

Garden shears can be used to trim the bleeding heart’s foliage, leaving only a few inches in place. To encourage new root growth, cut back the bleeding heart plant’s foliage.

  • Heart-shaped blossoms swinging from arching, pale green stems, the Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a charming forest beauty.
  • To encourage new root growth, cut back the bleeding heart plant’s foliage.

Remove the bleeding heart plant from the landscape. To begin, dig a few inches from the plant’s perimeter, then work your way outward. Lift the bleeding heart plant, along with the soil it is linked to, and carefully relocate it to the new planting spot. This is the best time of year to divide the bleeding heart plant. Division of bleeding heart plants every three to five years is a good idea. Just use your fingers to gently separate the plant’s roots, then replant.

How to Grow Bleeding Hearts | Gardener's Path

The bleeding heart plant should be moved to the designated spot. Plant the bleeding heart at the same depth in the soil as it was previously planted, then dig a hole large enough to accommodate the bleeding heart’s root ball. The root ball’s dirt should be compacted around it.

  • Remove the bleeding heart plant from the landscape.
  • This is the best time of year to divide the bleeding heart plant.

Place an organic mulch layer of one to two inches around the bleeding heart. Maintaining a uniform soil temperature and retaining water are two benefits of mulching.

During the first month, make sure to give the bleeding heart enough of water. After then, you can go back to watering as usual.