Okay, so I’ve been meaning to divide my bleeding heart plants for a while now. They’ve gotten pretty big and I figured it was time to spread the love, you know?
Time to Dig In
First things first, I grabbed my shovel and headed out to the garden. It was a nice day, not too hot, perfect for getting my hands dirty. I chose a nice, mature bleeding heart that was looking a bit crowded. The best time to do this is in the autumn after they’ve finished flowering and the leaves start to die back. Mine were definitely ready.

Getting Down and Dirty
I carefully dug around the base of the plant, trying not to damage the roots too much. These things have pretty fleshy, brittle roots, so you gotta be gentle. Once I had a good circle dug around it, I leveraged the shovel and popped the whole clump out of the ground. It was heavier than I expected!
Making the Cut
With the plant out of the ground, I took a good look at it. I could see where it would be easiest to divide. I grabbed my sharp gardening knife – you could use a spade too if it’s sharp enough. Then, I carefully sliced through the root ball, making sure each section had a decent amount of roots and some of those eye-looking things where the new growth comes from. I ended up dividing it into three sections.
Back in the Ground
- I prepped a few new spots in the garden, loosening up the soil and adding a bit of compost.
- Then, I planted each new division at the same depth they were growing before. You don’t want to bury them too deep.
- After they were all snug in their new homes, I gave them a good watering.
I watered them well for the next few weeks to help them get established. The bleeding hearts are dormant now, but I am sure I’ll be seeing some new growth in the spring. I’m pretty stoked to see how they do next year! Dividing them wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, and now I’ve got even more of these beautiful plants to enjoy. Plus, I might even give one of the divisions to my neighbor – she’s been eyeing my bleeding hearts for a while now! It is a good idea to divide bleeding heart every three to five years. It helps them stay healthy and bloom better.
Anyway, that’s my little gardening adventure for today. Hope you found it helpful! It is really simple, isn’t it?