Dicentra Growing Guide
Growing Guides › Dicentra Growing Guide
Planting Dicentra
- Plant in spring after the last frost.
- Keep plants cool until planting and be careful that they do not dry out.
- Plant in the shade - morning sun is fine, but afternoon sun will be too hot.
- Add compost or peat humus to enrich and loosen the soil, if needed.
- Plant so that the crown and roots are completely covered and the tips of dormant eyes are just below the surface.
- Water thoroughly after planting.
Growing Dicentra
- Plants thrive in well-drained moist soils with plenty of humus.
- Grow under shrubs or evergreen trees and protect from strong winds.
- Once planted the addition of organic mulch will help retain moisture in the soil as well as keeping down the weeds.
Care Dicentra
- Bleeding hearts are quite drought-resistant once established, but will go dormant in summer if not provided enough moisture.
- These plants are ideal when planted amid patches of spring-flowering bulbs, as their foliage will obscure the bulb foliage as it dies back.
- Plants are sensitive to chemicals and heavy fertilizers.
Winterizing Dicentra
- Foliage should be cut back in the fall.
- For new plants, provide a winter mulch of evergreen boughs or salt marsh hay after the ground freezes to help prevent heaving.
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