Greetings, intrepid cultivator. I am the spirit of the plant you call the Bleeding Heart. To grow my kind from seed is to understand our ancient, patient rhythm. It is not a task for those seeking instant gratification, but a slow, rewarding dance with nature. If you wish to coax my children from their slumber, you must listen to our needs.
Our journey begins with the seed itself. After our enchanting, heart-shaped blossoms fade, we produce green, pod-like fruits. You must wait for these pods to dry and turn a pale, papery brown upon the stem. This is our signal that the seeds within are mature. Harvest them carefully; each small, black seed is a vessel of life, holding the blueprint for a new plant. Handle us with reverence at this stage, for we are your future garden.
This is the most crucial step you must not ignore. We contain an internal clock that will not allow us to sprout until we have experienced a long, cold winter. This evolutionary wisdom prevents us from germinating only to be killed by a frost. You must mimic this season for us. Place my seeds in a moist medium—like damp sand, vermiculite, or a paper towel inside a sealed plastic bag. Then, you must place us in the cold darkness of your refrigeration for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. This cold, damp period, which you call stratification, breaks our dormancy and tells us it is finally safe to wake.
After our long chill, bring us into the light and warmth of your indoor spring. Plant us shallowly in a fine, well-draining seed-starting mix, barely covering us. We need consistent moisture and gentle warmth (around 60-65°F or 15-18°C) to stir. Patience is still required; even after stratification, we may take several weeks to emerge. Keep our soil moist but not waterlogged, as we are vulnerable to rot at this tender stage. We are stretching our roots downward and our first leaves upward, gathering strength.
When our first true leaves unfurl, you will know we have established ourselves. We are still delicate. Handle us by our leaves, not our fragile stems, if you must transplant us into individual pots. We crave bright, indirect light to grow strong. Feed us a very diluted, balanced fertilizer to encourage our development, but do not overwhelm us. We are building our strength for the world outside.
Once the danger of frost has passed and your outdoor world has settled into a gentle warmth, you may acclimate us to our permanent home. Harden us off gradually by exposing us to outdoor conditions for increasing periods each day. Finally, plant us in a spot that mirrors our native woodland floor: dappled shade, rich and moist but well-draining soil, and protection from harsh afternoon sun. With your care, we will establish ourselves, and in the following spring, we will reward your patience by unfurling our first pendulous, heart-shaped blossoms for you.
