is this one that is supposed to go dormant in summer???

we water.. when they need water ... insert finger.. and find out if you are drowning it.. or its dry down an inch or two ..

i never fertilize stressed plants.. and a newly planted plant.. is stressed ... but i doubt that is the problem ...

its probably transplant shock ...

figure out proper water.. and cross your fingers..

and if it is one that goes dormant in mid summer.. well.. wait until spring ... [i dont have time to find out.. others will answer this part] .. and mark the spot.. so you dont dig there.. while its dormant ...

good luck

ken

This kind is not supposed to go dormant. You are watering it way too often.

yes, this is the kind that is supposed to bloom all summer.

This one does not go dormant in summer as noted above, and is usually a very easy grower. In fact I have a small bed with the same conditions as yours and it has taken over and is now in full bloom. Perhaps it is being stressed by the extreme heat. I'd just leave it alone for a while and it should bounce back.

Well when I went to mix the dirt to plant it in, I first layered just a bag of top soil, but then I put in Miracle Grow Garden soil.....I have stuck my finger in the dirt the last two days and I haven't watered in those two days, and the dirt is still pretty moist. I am afraid though that the plant may be totally dead....there are only a few stalks left, and they are pretty brittle looking, with dark shriveling leaves on the end. I was started to get a couple of stems that looked like they were about to produce new buds, but then poof, the plant took a turn for the worse. My overwatering probably did it.....sigh. Here are some pics of all that's left.

The bed I put it in....there were a bunch of ferns growing here before...I had to chop a lot down just to make room. I put some Begonias around it, but they don't seem to be doing to well either:
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And the dying/dead bleeding heart:
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Never heard of a Dicentra that does not go dormant. Can you share the full name?

Sorry yours is a goner. Maybe it will come back-I am ever hopeful! :)

I wouldn't call it dead YET. Watch it carefully and maybe some new leaves will emerge. Any chance you've had some windy days along with your heat? In my garden at least the combo of wind and heat during the early growing season really takes a toll on tender foliage. Later in the season it isn't as big a problem, but now it can fry leaves quickly. That's the way your plant looks to me - kind of fried.

Kevin

Well it shouldn't really be getting much wind. It's on the East side of the house, and is blocked by the house quite a bit.....and it is in the shade most of the day except for some morning sun....however, it does sit right under an overhang part of the house, and apparently the gutters are clogged up.....we had one day of heavy rains, and normally the overhang should protect the flower bed, however it was apparent to me that the water overflowed the gutters and poured directly down with full force on top of the plant. After it rained that day I went to check the plant and some of the stems were busted, and all the mulch I had put around the plant was pushed off to the side of the bed, so obviously some water hit that plant with some strong force. I haven't watered the area in 3 days now....I keep checking the dirt with my finger and the soil still feels moist. Hopefully this thing will bounce back...if not, oh well, I'm out $5. I will try again next year, and preferably get it in the ground earlier. When I bought the plant a few weeks ago it didn't look nearly as lush as they did at the garden center earlier in the season when I was hesitant about buying it. We have had unusually hot weather early on here in Ohio too, so maybe that's putting too much early stress on a new plant as well.

The specific variety is Dicentra Luxuriant.....well, I'm pretty sure it's dead. I actually dug the plant out of the bed to look at the roots tonight and the root stalks were dark brown. I am a little confused though if it was an over-watering problem. I mean, the plant tag said to keep it moist so that it would bloom all summer. Maybe I just waited too long to buy the plant and put it out to get established? The plant wasn't the most lush or necessarily best looking condition when I got it. The garden center has pretty slim pickings now....I should have got it back in May when all the plants looked their fullest. But I waited until mid June, and this plant already looked kind of weak when I bought it, but I figured it would bounce back once it got in the ground.

None of the fernleaf Dicentras go summer dormant here in the Pacific Northwest only the old fashioned spectabilis dies back here.

We've had over three inches of rain just in June and they love it. I would imagine it was on it's way out when you bought it. It may have gotten too stressed in the nursery pot.

Mine is still blooming.

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Dug it out to look at the roots....
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