The Bleeding Heart isn't just for the garden. You can also plant it in a bucket and put it on the balcony or terrace. However, there are a few things to consider.
The Bleeding Heart feels most comfortable in a semi-shady spot in the garden, but you can also plant the enchanting perennial in a tub if you observe a few conditions: A large pot, the right location and careful care ensure one beautiful eye-catcher on the terrace or balcony. Here, too, you can create a romantic flair thanks to the beautiful flowers.
Bleeding Heart Clay Pot, Drainage and Substrate
Large clay tubs work best, as clay retains moisture. This will prevent the plant and especially the rootstock from drying out too quickly. The Bleeding Heart forms thick roots, so-called rhizomes, which need plenty of space in the pot. A drainage layer on the bottom of the pot made of gravel or expanded clay reduces the risk of waterlogging. Use a loose, humus-rich soil, enriched with compost and horn shavings.
The right place for Bleeding Hearts in the Bucket
The container plant can be in partial shade or in the sun. However, direct sunlight is risky. A bright place on the wall of the house with morning or afternoon sun is ideal. This also gives the plant good protection from the wind.
Watering and fertilizing the Bleeding Heart
As a container plant, the Bleeding Heart needs a very good water supply. The soil should be kept constantly moist. Water with stagnant water or collected rainwater. Make absolutely sure that no waterlogging forms!
From spring to autumn, the bleeding heart tolerates regular fertilizer applications. A liquid fertilizer that you add to the irrigation water is well suited. Fertilize about every three to four weeks, then the Bleeding Heart will bloom profusely in the bucket. Always cut off faded flowers immediately. The leaves, on the other hand, are not cut because they will retract by themselves in the fall.
This is how the bleeding heart gets through the winter well
With a very good frost protection, the pot canstay free. Wrap the bucket in straw, styrofoam, jute or bubble wrap. If you have a cool, bright place available, for example in an unheated winter garden or in a greenhouse, the pot can also overwinter there. Frost protection is particularly important in spring: Watch out for cold snaps and cover the young shoots in particular when temperatures drop below zero again.
If things get tight in the bucket: divide the rootstock
At some point the rhizomes will fill the entire pot, then you have to intervene. You can see it when the roots reach to the surface of the earth. Then, in autumn, take the entire plant out of the tub and grab a knife or spade. You can't do anything wrong, because the rhizomes are quite robust and survive the division without any problems. On the one hand, the method is used for propagation, on the other hand, the plant will bloom profusely again next year if you replant the divided rootstock. Here are some other ways you can multiply the Bleeding Heart.