The Bleeding Heart is an enchanting flowering perennial with extraordinary flowers. So it's no wonder that it can be found in many gardens and that balcony and terrace gardeners also want to cultivate it. However, the bleeding heart usually doesn't feel particularly comfortable in narrow planters, so the plant will only develop a few flowers. With our tips you can still succeed in cultivation.
How to care for a bleeding heart in a bucket?
To cultivate a bleeding heart in a pot, choose a wide, deep planter made of clay, a light partial shade location, humus-rich, lime-poor substrate and water and fertilize regularly. In winter, protect the plant from frost with fleece or spruce branches.
Choosing the right planter
Due to its strong rhizome growth, the root area of the plant needs a lot of space in order to be able to spread unhindered - otherwise the bleeding heart will only thrive very poorly above ground. For this reason, choose a wide and deep planter that is preferably made of a natural material - such as clay. Clay pots have the advantage that the moisture from them can evaporate more easily and thus provides a bit of cooling inside the pot. As a mountain forest dweller, the Bleeding Heart neither likes wet nor hot feet.
Location and substrate
In terms of location and substrate, the same applies to the bleeding heart in the pot as to planted specimens: choose a bright location, for example with light partial shade, but if possible without direct sunlight. The soil should be humus and loose and allow excess irrigation water to drain away quickly. A low-lime plant substrate is ideal for flowering or balcony plants, perhaps loosened up with a little sand. As the bottom layer, it makes sense to fill clay balls or shards or expanded clay into the pot. The planter should also have a drainage hole.
Properly care for a bleeding heart in the bucket
The bleeding heart should under no circumstances dry out, otherwise the perennial will not produce flowers. Therefore, water the plant regularly, but - as with any potted plant - moderately! It's better to water more often but less than a lot at once. Otherwise, waterlogging can occur, which in turn can lead to the plant dying due to rot. You should also fertilize the bleeding heart in the pot regularly, for which a liquid complete fertilizer is particularly suitable.
Tip
Before the first frost threatens, it is best to wrap the pot with a protective material, such as a fleece or a mat. Place spruce branches on the surface of the substrate to keep the cold away from the underground rhizomes. Alternatively, you can overwinter the Bleeding Heart in a frost-free but cool and bright place in the house or greenhouse. The plant is very sensitive to frost.
