THE SEED .... STORE AT 40f FOR 6 WEEKS & SOW THE SEED BEFORE ITS 6 MONTHS OLD.....
lightly cover the seed soil temp 68-72F for germination which takes 4-8 weeks

I'll give you the suggestion from Druse, Making More Plants -

If not immediately fresh, sow seed moist warm 6 weeks, moist cold 6 weeks (this is approx 40F, not freezing), move to moist warm 6 weeks, followed by 55-60F for germination in additional 30 days or longer.

What's worked for me in my mild Z8 - buy the plant, sow the seeds within a day or two at most of harvesting. Leave seed pot outdoors where they will normally germinate in late winter.

Wintersow!!! Check out the wintersown forum. People there grow Bleeding Hearts from seed all the time with excellent results. Detailed instructions in the FAQs.

Martha

I will have to try that next year.

I haven't started bleeding hearts from seed, but the plants I have reseed profusely by themselves--at this point I'm running out of room for more plants and have to pull the new seedlings as weeds. So you might try buying one established plant from a local nursery and letting it reseed. These are the big old fashioned ones--the fernleafs don't seem to reseed. One new seedling turned out to be an alba, even though the original plant was classic pink.

thank you all for the great advice!!!!!!!!!