By Jennyh
Cheshire, United Kingdom
I want to lift my Dicentra (alba) as it's not doing very well where it is at the moment. I want to put it in a container until next march, will this be OK or will it harm it in any way as I would hate to loose it.
- 20 Aug, 2011
Answers
Thanks Jonbridge, I will try to be careful when I lift it, it is in light shade now, but never seems to thrive, I think it's proberbly to dry where it is.
20 Aug, 2011
These plants need a moist soil, i too have tried in them dry ones and they don't thrive, so i hate to contradict Jonbridge but don't make it too well drained.
Semi shade too.
20 Aug, 2011
Thanks Louise1, I am going to make sure I keep the soil moist, that's if they survive been lifted.
20 Aug, 2011
If you take the entire rootball intact they will, if you break the roots it'll have to do a lot of work re-establishing - i'd cut it back so it doesn't have to use all its energy keeping the foliage alive.
20 Aug, 2011
Hi Louise1
Unfortunately the roots did break a bit, but I got two big pieces with healthy growth, I have potted them up and I have cut them back, should I give them any kind of fertilizer or just leave them and hope for the best.
Thanks again for your advice.
20 Aug, 2011
No point in giving fertilizer at this time of year as it will not be making any new growth. Some spectabilis have died back completely by now - my pink one died back completely weeks ago and the white one is almost gone. They usually disappear completely by the autumn, and the first frost will finish the foliage off anyway. They are in a dry shady bed but come up cheerfully in the Spring.So if you are worried that yours isn't looking too good at the moment, that could be why. If you still have lots of healthy growth now I wouldn't have thought you had much to worry about! However if you think your ground was too dry try when you replant net year mixing some gel crystals into the planting hole.
20 Aug, 2011
Thanks steragram, I have planted them into pots for the moment. Over the next few months, there is an area in the garden that I want to get ready for a shady garden (it's not to shady) so they will end up there.
21 Aug, 2011
Hope they do well - lovely plants!
21 Aug, 2011
you can move the dicentra from the gk di =two and kentron = spur the flowers have two spurs
dicentra cucllaria = dutchmans breeches or spectabilis =bleeding heart
move in autumn but be cateful not to break the brittle roots, choose a shelterd spot and apply a mulch in may ia all that is needed
it grow well in well-draind soil so should do well in a tub or large container thrives best in light shade
hope this helps
20 Aug, 2011