Bleeding hearts dying.

[Baymen Moe]

I have a small bed next to the house with some Hosta, Astilbe, some annuals and two Bleeding Hearts. Everything is thriving but the bleeding hearts are definately on the way out. It started as yellowing leaves on the bottom then turning brown. Dying from the bottom up. Sorry for no pic, but try to give me some ideas please.These are my first bleeding hearts, thanks

Bill

 

[patandchickens]

First guess would be that it is a bit too dry for them -- they 'do that' in midsummer if the soil is not moisture-retentive enough or if they get too much sun or too much wind.

Possibility?

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Reinbeau]

Bill, mine are doing the same thing. It's the time of year. They don't like the heat. Don't worry about them, they'll be back next spring.

 

[Baymen Moe]

Thank you Pat and Ann. I hope it's just the summer conditions although my wife reminded me that some Phlox did the same thing last year in the same location. Could be a soil condition, I'll keep and eye on them, thanks again.

Bill

 

[patandchickens]

Phlox do that too. You might consider flopping a buncha good compost onto the soil around the plants (don't worry about scratching it in, worms etc will take care of that eventually), see if it makes it any better for next year.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Baymen Moe]

I've thought about adding some new material to the soil. It's a bed that was neglected for years. In fact, when I bought the house 8 years ago I ripped out an old rhody that had a very shallow root system and I have'nt paid much attention to it since. That's about to change.

 

[aquarose]

They will definitely die back if they get too dry in the summer, but bounce back bigger and better in the spring!