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HELLebores
Hello I am a gardening novice and hope someone can help! I have some Hellebores which didn't do very much this year except grow lots and lots of foliage with just a few flowers. I know I probably should have cut them back by now but can someone tell me the best way to do this? Do I cut all flower stems and leaves back to the ground? I did this last year but this has only seemed to encourage ugly foliage which attracts snails. Any tips on how to care for this plant are much appreciated. I love them but they don't seem to love me back.
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You cut the old leaves off in spring to showcase the flowers. You will currently have this year's leaves and the flower stalks. Cut the flower stalks back to the base. Leave all the leaves on unless they are diseased, they will build the plant up to give a good flower display next year. If you give them a liquid feed every now and then during the summer, that will help too. A teaspoon of phostrogen in a watering can of water once a fortnight will do.
Don't cut the leaves off now, plants need leaves. You can cut off the flower stems. Cut off the old leaves as new growth starts in the new year
In the sticks near Peterborough
If there are any leaves resting on the floor cut them off especially if they are looking black.
I only trim off the leaves affected by black spot at his time of year along with spent flower heads
Thanks all - very useful!