Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)— schedule & NPK
Also called Bleeding heart vine, Glory bower, Glorybower, Bleeding glory bower, Tropical bleeding heart, Bag flower.
More about bleeding heart vine
About Bleeding heart vine
Clerodendrum thomsoniae · also called Bleeding heart vine, Glory bower · tropical
Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae) is a fast-growing tropical climber prized for crimson-and-white flowers. It wants bright indirect light, steady moisture, warmth and high humidity, plus a cool winter rest to rebloom. Not the same as toxic Dicentra. The genus is not ASPCA-listed and reported mildly toxic, so keep it away from pets.
Growth habit: Vigorous, twining evergreen climber. Indoors it is usually trained up a trellis, hoop or moss pole, or allowed to trail; pinch the growing tips regularly to keep it bushy. Flowers form on new growth, so spring pruning encourages more blooms.
Watch for — No flowers: Almost always caused by skipping the cool winter rest. A spell at roughly 13-16 C with reduced watering and no feed is what triggers flower-bud formation for the next season. Too little light also suppresses blooming.
What fertiliser bleeding heart vine actually wants — and why
Bleeding heart vine is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for bleeding heart vine: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed bleeding heart vine, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For bleeding heart vine:
Feed every 2-4 weeks through the growing season (spring to early autumn) with a balanced or bloom-boosting liquid fertiliser diluted to half strength. Stop feeding entirely during the winter rest period, resuming only when new growth appears in spring. Treat that as every 2-4 weeks between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when bleeding heart vine is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for bleeding heart vine
Half strength is the safe default for bleeding heart vine — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water bleeding heart vine first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the bleeding heart vine watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding bleeding heart vine
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for bleeding heart vine:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding bleeding heart vine
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full bleeding heart vine care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of bleeding heart vine with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for bleeding heart vine
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising bleeding heart vine — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does bleeding heart vine need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Bleeding heart vine is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed bleeding heart vine?
Feed every 2-4 weeks through the growing season (spring to early autumn) with a balanced or bloom-boosting liquid fertiliser diluted to half strength. Stop feeding entirely during the winter rest period, resuming only when new growth appears in spring. Feed every 2-4 weeks through the growing season (spring to early autumn) with a balanced or bloom-boosting liquid fertiliser diluted to half strength. Stop feeding entirely during the winter rest period, resuming only when new growth appears in spring. Treat that as every 2-4 weeks between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for bleeding heart vine?
Half strength is the safe default for bleeding heart vine — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding bleeding heart vine look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding bleeding heart vine year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of bleeding heart vine?
Flush the pot of bleeding heart vine with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Bleeding heart vine care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water bleeding heart vine — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise monstera
- How to fertilise pothos
- How to fertilise fiddle leaf fig
- All 609 fertilising guides in the Growli library