Training a Bleeding Heart.

[Franco]

Ok so, last year I decided I wanted two bleeding hearts to go on either side of the steps going down to my backyard. The first year, ehh. Now, they look beautiful but the thing is the branches are going over the steps and I don't want anyone stepping on them. Do you think I could train it to look like a mini tree?? I think it would look like a funny version of a palm tree haha. I'm really curious. I do a lot of experiments with my plants but hey musk melons in a pot didn't turn out too bad so I'm going to keep rolling!

[Jess]

Hi again Franco

You could try but the stems are not very strong and because it grows quite tall it may just break. Still, as far as I know this has never been done before and you may end up starting a new trend in gardening!

[Franco]

woo saweet! I'm going to try it. How tall do bleeding hearts grow? I couldnt say train the "trunk" to grow along a railing could I?

[Jess]

About 2.5ft but it arches it doesn't grow straight up which is why it might break under its own weight when in flower.

As for growing along a railing I am not too sure what you mean. I don't think you could bend it, if that is what you mean, the stems are not very supple.

Love the way you speak/write Franco. Its like talking to my son and his mates. I hope the end result of your experiment is "saweet"

[Franco]

haha thank you, I write the way I speak. As for growing along the railing I meant like training it as you would a climbing plant along an arbor. But you say they only grow to 2.5 ft so I'm going to stick my original idea. I have my little cousins birthday party today but when I get home I'm going to try it and I'll post some pictures!

[Franco]

Well, it looks kinda funny. I took off all the bottom leaves and just put them around the plant. Here's what it looks like.

[img]https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/DaRealFranzy/100_2953.jpg[/img]

I didn't even bother with the one on the other side since this is what it looks like...

[img]https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/DaRealFranzy/100_2954.jpg[/img]

[Jess]

Well it looks quite interesting Franco but the plants don't look that healthy. How much sun are they in? They do look very spindly. Normally the stems are quite thick and juicy. They like cool, sem-shade with moisture retentive soil to look their best. Are they in too much sun or maybe the soil is too dry?

Check out this pic. https://www.swsbm.com/Images/New8-21/Dicentra_spectabilis.jpg

[Franco]

Very little sun. Very, very little. I water them daily. When I planted them last year they didnt do so well and I didnt think they would come back. Should I give them some nitrogen or something?

[Jess]

Maybe just a good thick mulch around the base would help. Got any homemade compost? That would do it. I wouldn't bother with nitrogen I don't think that is the problem it just looks like it is struggling in the soil.

When it finishes flowering I would cut the long straggly bits in towards a leaf node just to try and thicken it up a bit.

When you say you water daily how much water do you give them?

[Franco]

A good dose, I don't drown them. I think I planted them with some chicken manure last year, maybe I need to add more? I used to have compost but I used it all I'll go pick up some soon since I'm mulching the front of my house.

[Jess]

Chicken pooh would be good and I wasn't thinking you drowned then just that everyday was a lot and if you were having to do them that often then mulching would be the answer.

Let me know how it goes.

Whats your next project then Franco? I think your ideas are excellent and I hope to see you up there with the gardening greats in years to come.

[Franco]

I'll keep you post if I get any other ideas !

[mirasong]

Hey, about training a bleeding heart. My problem is that the branches are low and it looks kind of like the whole plant is flat. It is covering some of my other plants too.
Can I steak it to lift it up?
I have seen other bleeding hearts that seem to look more rounded.
I didn't think pruning would work since you get new branches every year.

[wingdesigner]

Training a bleeding heart? Isn't that a bit like telling Boston Ivy to "stay!" ?? I had a white one that was a bushy 30" high and nearly as wide. You might want to move them a little further away from the steps? OK, going back under my rock now.

Happy Gardening.

Wingdesigner

[Jess]

Training a bleeding heart? Isn't that a bit like telling Boston Ivy to "stay!" ?? I had a white one that was a bushy 30" high and nearly as wide. You might want to move them a little further away from the steps? OK, going back under my rock now.
Happy Gardening.
Wingdesigner

He is young and experimenting. I agree about moving further away. If it does fill out properly it will need more space. I have to ask Wingdesigner. Why does it say (troll) on your profile? You don't seem to be one. Just curious.

[wingdesigner]

Jess, "troll" is a Michigander term. The folks in the Upper Peninsula refer to the folks in the Lower Peninsula as "trolls" because we live "under the bridge", as in the Mackinaw Bridge that connects our two Pleasant Peninsulas. And since I live in the Lower Peninsula, I'm a troll. Nah, I don't mind--troll, curmudgeon, whatever. Si quaerum amoenum peninsulam circumspice (OK, there may be a misspelled word, sorry) is our state motto: If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you. I couldn't agree more. Geography lesson over, you can relax now. I joined this forum a couple of years ago, then went on forced hiatus due to health problems for about 18 mos. Finally got I-net access at home and will probably get carpal tunnel syndrome before I tire of my new "toy". But thanks for asking, that was nice.
Happy Gardening,
Wing

[Jess]

Thankyou for the explanation Wing. You learn something new everyday!

Glad you are recovered and back on here....Nice to meet you.

I know what you mean about the C.T.S. I promised myself that I would stop boring my "notintogardening" friends and join a forum as a New Year resolution. Since finding this site I get withdrawal symptons if I don't at least look on here everyday.

Happy Gardening to you too.

Jess

[wingdesigner]

Aw, shucks! Nice to meet you too! I learn all kinds of stuff in these forums. I jus' love 'em! I'll probably go through withdrawal in a couple of weeks, we leave for Alaska! Hmm, stay home and chat or go to Alaska for 15 days. Tsk, tsk, what to do, what to do... I'll put a post somewhere around here, I'd like to meet some of our AK counterparts, if they're willing.

Happy Gardening,
Wing