I only have one hellebore but I've always pruned it right down to the ground in autumn, every leaf, and it comes back with a fabulous display of flowers first then a flush of new tidy-looking leaves later. I do the same with ferns, take off all the old leaves and they come back looking fresh each time. If you have multiple plants maybe try it on just one and see what difference it makes to the plant's progress.
I put the leaves in the bin, especially any with black spots on. I cut them off last week, but that's because they are so advanced. If I cut them off much earlier, animals coming through from the wood trample them.
I did wonder if removing the leaves will leave the flowers more available to the mutjac but last year they ate the flower buds before I cut the leaves.
Some people cut the leaves off in autumn, others do it later. Around now works for me most years but this year they're a good 6-8 weeks in advance. It only needs doing once.
perhaps yours get better treatment Jo Mine are crispy round the edges/brown in places/horizontal, a sorry state. They go through the shredder well though
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I only have one hellebore but I've always pruned it right down to the ground in autumn, every leaf, and it comes back with a fabulous display of flowers first then a flush of new tidy-looking leaves later. I do the same with ferns, take off all the old leaves and they come back looking fresh each time. If you have multiple plants maybe try it on just one and see what difference it makes to the plant's progress.
The old leaves aren't very pretty are they? I haven't experimented to see if mine grow better following a haircut.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I put the leaves in the bin, especially any with black spots on. I cut them off last week, but that's because they are so advanced. If I cut them off much earlier, animals coming through from the wood trample them.
I did wonder if removing the leaves will leave the flowers more available to the mutjac but last year they ate the flower buds before I cut the leaves.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi Jo
Some people cut the leaves off in autumn, others do it later. Around now works for me most years but this year they're a good 6-8 weeks in advance. It only needs doing once.
In the sticks near Peterborough
The old leaves usually look naff by flowering time and the plant makes new leaves as flowering goes on. Before flowering is best, I was late.
I've tried cutting and not cutting and the former looks best.
In the sticks near Peterborough
perhaps yours get better treatment Jo
Mine are crispy round the edges/brown in places/horizontal, a sorry state. They go through the shredder well though
In the sticks near Peterborough
Give it time Jo
In the sticks near Peterborough