All 3 of us are big Hellebore fans.
They work brilliantly on all our soils, and were one of the discussions that brought us together to write more about Perennials for cutting for our Short online course.
They seem to be pest free, with Claire’s deer and rabbits ignoring them, and Paula even had hers covered in soil by builders this year and they are starting to show through.
At this time in January, they are just starting to bud, and showing so much potential. But they need a bit of care and attention to make sure they are the stars of the show as your season starts in late March and April
While pests may not eat them, they are susceptible to black spot on the leaf. The Hellebore leaf spot is a fungal disease, which will not kill the plant, but may weaken it if left through the spring. Cutting off the affected leaves between November and February means that buds are clear to get all the winter light, and the fungal disease isn’t perpetuated by going back into the soil.
Clearing away the leaves also gives flower farmers plenty to photograph through late January and February when we get to enjoy Hellebores before we start to cut them
Mid March wedding bouquets
Here’s how to get the best from them
Hellebores love deep, rich humus soil and a dappled shady spot. By the end of the summer they’re usually a bit weedy and shabby looking, so give them a good tidy up and weed or hoe around them. Keep an eye out for self sown seedlings and pot them up if you’re lucky enough to have some new ones emerging.
Top up the feed in their soil with some well rotted manure or compost and apply a mulch. – leafmould, sheep fleece, cardboard are all good – so long as it provides a moisture retentive cover for the soil.
Autumn is the right time to divide hellebores, so if they’re a good size and you want to increase plant stocks, take a sharp spade and slice up a big plant, making sure that each piece has a growing point. They might not flower so well in the following Spring but should grow on well after that. More hellebores can never be a bad thing, and no matter what the weather throws at you this winter, you’ll know they’re there, just waiting to burst into bloom!
While we all agree that the Orientalists Hyrids are the most prolific for cut flowers, Carol has had great success with Christmas Hellebores, which while shorter are great for events in the winter.
If you’re planning to sell in Early Spring, then the Hellebore is a key part of your Flower farming tool kit.
