Content
- Increase the bleeding heart by seeds
- Stratify the seeds
- Stratification outdoors
- Stratification in the fridge
- Sow the bleeding heart
- Keep seeds
- Tips
After flowering, the seeds of the Bleeding Heart can be collected
Increase the bleeding heart by seeds
Like many perennials, the Bleeding Heart develops fruits and seeds after flowering. In good site conditions, the plant sows itself easily, so you continue to have no work with it. You can also harvest the ripe seeds and sow them selectively.
Stratify the seeds
The bleeding heart is also one of the cold germs, i. The seeds have to lose their germ inhibition only by a cold period before they can be sown. This process is also called stratification, for which there are two possibilities.
Stratification outdoors
In this method, you fill seed soils into small seed pots and sow the seeds into them. The pots are placed in a sheltered place over the winter to the outside, so that they find natural conditions. However, it is important that the substrate is always kept moist with the seeds.
Stratification in the fridge
Another option is to stratify the seeds in the refrigerator. To do this, pack the seeds with moist sand into a well-sealed container and put everything together for about six weeks in the vegetable compartment. Please do not put in the freezer, otherwise the seeds lose their germination capacity. After stratification you can sow the seeds and cultivate at about 12 to 15 ° C. Increase the temperature - as in nature - only slowly and do not let it rise higher than about 20 ° C.
Sow the bleeding heart
If you want to sow the seeds yourself, you should begin stratifying them as early as January. Then the seeds are ready to be sown on schedule in March. It is ideal to sow in seed trays, which are placed at about 15 ° C in a bright place in the house or greenhouse. The substrate should be kept evenly moist.
Keep seeds
The self-collected, ripe seeds of the Bleeding Heart can either be sowed on the spot or first stored in a cool and dry place - preferably in an airtight container. But beware: The seeds may lose their germination capacity if stored improperly or too warmer / too cold.
Tips
If you are unsure about germination, you can first do a germination with just a few seeds. To do this, sow the seeds on a damp kitchen towel and wait to see how much rises - at least half of the seeds should germinate.