When To Cut Back Hellebores?
Timing is everything when it comes to pruning…Get your tools ready two months after the plant flowers
Learning the skill of pruning Helleborus Orientalis or Lenten roses is helpful to keep them blooming beautifully for a long time. It will allow you to keep your hellebores intact throughout the year.
Lenten roses are beautiful plants that start flowering from December through the middle of spring. These are known as the favorite plants for people living in winter cold areas. Even though these plants don’t require much maintenance, they can get ripped when not taken care of properly. Hence, you must keep a check on when to prune hellebores.
Sometimes you can even see its old growth as the new spring season arrives. Of course, this can usually give an unsightly appearance to your plant. If you are someone who likes to keep your hellebores trimmed and tidy, it’s better to let its foliage grow as much as possible and then chop off the unwanted parts.
More important than knowing how to prune hellebores, it is important to keep in mind when should hellebores be cut back. Timing is everything!
So, once your hellebore foliage has fully grown and ragged, you can trim it off and prune it in just 2 months after it starts blooming.
Continue reading and follow this informational guide on how to keep your hellebores blooming healthy and happy.
When To Cut Back Hellebores?
If you want to keep your Lenten rose in a good condition, one of the best things you should do is trim off the old growth. By cutting off the damaged foliage from the previous year you can protect it from getting leaf spot disease.
According to professional gardeners, you should prune your hellebore plant after it starts producing flowers. Most often hellebores start producing fresh growth in the late winter end or at the beginning of spring. This means you should prune it between January and April month, it is generally the best time to prune them.
Just begin after the new growth appear. It’s also better to remove any dead flower heads which include flowers losing colors.
Since these plants are everlasting, you can make them flower again next year. Just remember to watch that the plants’ previous foliage doesn’t get entangled with the newly grown foliage. You can reuse the old hellebores leaves for decorating your residential space.
What Happens If You Miss When To Cut Back Lenten Roses?
If you leave it to grow for many months, it might get intertwined with the freshly grown foliage. This will make it difficult to prune your Lenten rose plant later. It might even serve as a sight of attraction for different types of insects. Don’t forget to protect your hellebore’s leaves from slugs.
Also, it is important to know when to prune hellebores. If you miss the chance cut back your hellebore and allow the new foliage to get entangled with the old one. It will get you in a mess.
Remember it is difficult to get rid of the old foliage without damaging the fresh new foliage. To keep your plant looking attractive you should not forget that shaping a plant is a beautiful activity.
It forms an important part of facilitating hellebore’s plant growth with bushy foliage and increased flowering.
Do You Prune The Hellebores In Pots At The Same Time?
Now, for people who are wondering when to trim hellebores planted in pots. Of course, you can trim the hellebore just after it starts producing new flowers, no matter whether you have kept it in pots or outside in the garden.
Just keep an eye on the old foliage and chop it off two months after your plant starts to bloom.
Related: How to grow hellebores?
FAQs
Q. Do hellebores flower twice?
Ans. While some types of hellebores flower twice because they might propagate themselves. These serve as an ornamental plant for a longer time and needs minimal maintenance.
Lenten roses generally bloom as soon as spring arrives. In some areas, the plants bloom beautiful flowers even when you can see the garden covered with clumps of snow. Some varieties of hellebores can be seen flowering for a very short period when the winter ends through early spring.
Q. How many years do hellebores last?
Ans. These ornamental flowering plants offer superb longevity when you take care of their needs. It’s no wonder hellebores are known as the most beautiful flowering perennials which last for about 2-3 weeks.
Based on the type of plant and growing environment, it can live healthy for about 2 years. They prefer to grow best in USDA hardiness zones 3-9, at 40°F to 60°F temperature.
Q. What to do with hellebores when they finish flowering?
Ans.Many professional gardeners strongly believe that after hellebores finish flowering you should trim their foliage from the previous month. It is necessary so the hellebore plant doesn’t contribute to spreading leaf spot disease and also allows fresh growth to flourish.
It might spread on the plant leaves and harm its flowers throughout the winter months.
Just remember to prune your hellebore exactly two months after it begins producing flowers. Also, get rid of any old flower stems or dead flower heads.
Q. Should you cut back hellebores in the fall?
Ans. Not necessarily.If and when to cut back helleboresdepends on the growth of the plant. Normally, winter end, and early spring months are considered the best time for pruning them.
So, start cutting back the old hellebore’s foliage as soon as you see fresh growing leaves on them. As soon as you see that your plant has turned unattractive due to fading flowers or ragged foliage you should prune it.
Q. Can I prune hellebores in summer?
Ans. Of course, you can remove any old or dead leaves on your hellebores in summer. Just remember to do it as soon as you see fresh growth in your plant.
If you see old stems are in a bad condition, quickly remove them from the base to give a nice shape to your hellebore. Likewise, take care to remove any flowers with fading color. However, make sure you don’t disturb the plant such that it affects its growth.
Summing Up…
Hellebores are the primary choice for people who are looking for wonderful flowering plants in winter. The good part is that these plants can happily grow through the spring season. In colder regions, the attractive and perennial foliage offers a graceful sight to look at. And, what makes it more cheerful is its vibrant flowers.
You don’t have to take much stress about maintaining these kinds of flowering plants because hellebores are easy to care for. But you should know when to prune hellebores. You can do it whenever you see its foliage growing ragged.
Generally, it happens in months when winter ends and spring starts. Remember cutting back dead stems and flowers is important because it encourages plants to grow healthy.
