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How to Transplant a Bleeding Heart Plant
Move bleeding heart plants when they are dormant, and be careful not to damage their roots when you are transplanting them to a new location.
Bleeding heart plants (Dicentra spectabilis) are not easy to transplant. They dislike having their roots disturbed, and you'll have to take care when moving these plants to a new spot if you want to keep them healthy.
Where to Move
Before you move a bleeding heart plant, make sure the new planting area is a good place for bleeding hearts. Because these plants don't like being moved, choose the new spot carefully so you won't have to move the bleeding heart again.
Bleeding hearts grow best in partial shade locations with well-drained soil that stays moist. They don't like soggy soil, but if the soil is too dry, the plants will die back to the ground in the summer. Bleeding hearts prefer loose soil that's rich in humus and organic matter.
Before planting, amend the soil with organic material like well-rotted manure or compost. Spread a 1- to 2-inch layer of the compost or manure over the soil surface in the area where you'll plant bleeding heart, and till or dig it into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil.
How to Move
Bleeding hearts should be moved in the fall after the plants go dormant. Even if the plants lost their leaves in the summer due to lack of water, wait until the fall before moving them. Alternately, you can move bleeding hearts in early spring before they start to send up new shoots. Bleeding heart plants generally grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9.
Tip
Make sure the new area is prepared and you've dug a hole for the bleeding heart plant before you start digging it up.
Bleeding heart plants have thick, fleshy roots that can easily be broken or damaged when transplanting. Keep as much of the plant's roots together as possible in a single ball, and try not to let the clump break when you are moving it. Start digging 6 to 12 inches out from the base of the plant to make sure you get a large mass of roots.
Plant the bleeding heart plant immediately in its new spot. Make sure you set it in the ground at the same level it was previously growing. If you're moving several bleeding hearts plants, space them 24 to 30 inches apart. Firm the soil around the base of the plant, then water thoroughly. Continue watering enough to keep the soil moist, but not soggy, for the first couple of weeks after transplanting.
Tip
Bleeding heart's alternative botanical name is Lamprocapnos spectabilis. Fringed bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia) grows in the same zones but has more a more compact form an feathery, silvery leaves.
