Problems with Hellebores

Posts

• Chownie20 Posts: 13

  6 January

  
  

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  6 January

  Slugs and snails love to lurk in the crevices of the borders around beds and feed on decaying overwintering leaves, so at this time of year it’s a good idea to clear up the brown rotting plant leaves in that border … then as the hellebore flower buds poke through most folk remove the old hellebore leaves right down to the base so the flowers can be seen without the distraction of the old snail-nibbled leaves (we all get them). 

  Hope that helps 😊 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Chownie20 Posts: 13

  6 January

  Dovefromabove said:

  Slugs and snails love to lurk in the crevices of the borders around beds and feed on decaying overwintering leaves, so at this time of year it’s a good idea to clear up the brown rotting plant leaves in that border … then as the hellebore flower buds poke through most folk remove the old hellebore leaves right down to the base so the flowers can be seen without the distraction of the old snail-nibbled leaves (we all get them). 

  Hope that helps 😊 

  Thank you! Will try that!!

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• AnniD Posts: 12,585

  6 January

  Hellebore leaves always look tatty at this time of year. I would cut them all off to expose the emerging flower buds.
  I wonder if perhaps they are little overcrowded with the heucheras, but that is a guess 

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• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  6 January

  I think they look quite crowded too @AnniD, which isn't ideal.
  The soil doesn't look particularly good either, and if the crowns are a bit low, it can cause rotting rather than good stem/bud production.
  It pays to improve it, especially if it's heavy clay because, although they certainly don't mind plenty of moisture, permanently soggy soil can be detrimental for some types. I have to keep mine slightly proud of the soil, so when I add any new compost etc to beds, I avoid getting it too close to the main plant, just as I do with peonies. 

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

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• GardenerSuze Posts: 5,692

  6 January

  @Chownie20 I agree all those leaves need to come off. In a wet soil it needs doing every year. They are hungry plants that love leaf mould as a mulch or compost. However you must avoid the crown or the plant can rot. It does look close to the edge, it will develop into a larger plant than the heuchera behind and needs more space.  It can be moved after flowering but don't be tempted to split it is too small.

  I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.

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• Chownie20 Posts: 13

  6 January

  Thank you....so take all stems off the plants and tidy all the rotten bits out of the bed? Then improve the (heavy clay!) Soil in spring? Thanks for the advice!
  
  My nearby cyclamen are the same if not worse!

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• Fire Posts: 19,096

  6 January

  Yes, slugs do love hellebores, the leaves and the flowers.
  

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• Rubytoo Posts: 1,630

  7 January

  I think the first image looks more like a virus with dark and light areas. 
  Aphids can attack early new leaves when the growth is soft and makes it look like the first image, and/ or introduce viruses and cause discoloured and mis shaped leaves , which the first one appears to have.
  
  Check the backs of new leaves when they come through this year. 
  Also often the flowers can get covered check the whole of the flowers closely we can sometimes miss them. 
  ( Read that as I often miss them, initially   )

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• nutcutlet Posts: 27,445

  7 January

  Chownie20 said:

  Thank you....so take all stems off the plants and tidy all the rotten bits out of the bed? Then improve the (heavy clay!) Soil in spring? Thanks for the advice!
  
  My nearby cyclamen are the same if not worse!

  Cyclamen hederifolium leaves will be getting past their best by now

  
  
  In the sticks near Peterborough

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