Seems like I read somewhere, because I did the same thing Mike, that they won't really take off until next year. I'm sure someone with more experience can answer definitely for you though :)

I believe it can take a month for the first leaves to appear, and in the shade in zone 5, your soil may still have been a little cool to encourage growth.

Almost all perennials take a few years to get going - the saying is "the first year they sleep, the second they creep, the third they leap." Unlike annuals, which only have the one growing season to accomplish their mission (grow to maturity and produce seeds), perennials are not under such pressure and will take time to establish a root system, putting out only modest growth at first.

Mine has been in place for some years now and is finally hitting its stride ... blooming nicely (about at peak now) and beginning to spread.

I'm assuming these are the "old-fashioned" bleeding hearts, dicentra spectabilis, and not the fernleaf bleeding heart, dicentra eximia. The former will go dormant in summer, after flowering, so you might want to mark the spot so you don't disturb it while gardening.

Thanks. I figured I was just too impatient. I'll post when they start to sprout. I'm also having problems with my elephant ears too. I know I have to dig them up before winter comes.

Finally! We have 3 out of 6 EE's sprouting w/2 or 3 big leaves on them. Only one bleeding heart though.

Wow, that seems like a long time! Good thing you were patient. The bleeding hearts will probably leaf out sooner for you next spring. Since you have to dig the EE's, you might want to give them a head start by potting them up in late winter/early spring and setting them in suitable light. Then you can plant them out when the danger of frost has passed.