Hellebore

How To Propagate And Grow
Absolutely Free

Hellebore, ( Helleborus ), sometimes known as the Christmas rose or Lenten rose are a perennial garden ( yard ) plant which flowers in winter and in spring.

They produce some of the most lovely flowers in infinite colour variations with shapes varying from saucer to bell or tubular.

The flowers appear at the time of year when most other plants are dormant, giving a spectacular and most welcome display.

Most species will retain their green leaves all year round, although they may be somewhat drab and limp in summer.

These leaves should be cut off at the onset of spring or just before the flower buds start to develop.

Hellebore once established will self-seed profusely, giving you loads of new plants for absolutely nothing.

And what's more, they will self-seed year after year after year.

What does self seed mean?

Well, most garden plants after flowering, produce seeds.

When the seeds are ripe they will be dispersed. Some will be blown away by the wind, some will be eaten by birds.

Others, however, as they are dispersed will drop below or near the plant.

These seeds, when the conditions are right, will germinate, they will spring into life.

And if left undisturbed, they will grow on as seedlings and if the conditions remain right, grow on to maturity.

This is known as self-seeding.

And quess what.....!

Hellebore self-seed profusely.

They flower from mid winter through to end of spring. After flowering they produce seed, which, when ripe, they will then disperse.

These dispersed seeds will germinate the following spring, usually in vast numbers.

All you have to do is dig them up put them in a pot filled with compost and grow them on. It's so easy.

Now that's what you call plants free for life!

If you don't have hellebores in your garden ( backyard ) at the moment, not to worry. Plant some up as soon as possible and you should have seedlings for the next spring, or at the latest the spring after that.

The sooner you get yourself planted up with hellebores the sooner your seedlings will start to appear.

So, want to know how to make the most of these self-seedlings?

Right then, just read on, to find out how easy it really is............

FREE HELLEBORE STEP ONE

First of all you need to have a good look around your hellebore plants to see where the best seedlings are. You will usually find them in clumps of about a couple of a dozen, or so.

This is Alison making her annual spring inspection of our "Helleborium", with head gardener Sam, as usual, overseeing things.

We have around two hundred hellebores growing in a dedicated bed under the cover of trees, this is an ideal position, they really thrive here.

And every year we have hundreds of seedlings some of which we dig out and pot on.

Others we leave to grow on where they are.

But many we just dig up and discard as they are weak or deformed but mainly because there are just far too many for what we currently need.

Once you have had a good look around select the clumps with the strongest looking seedlings. These are the ones you want.

Select the greenest, strongest, shinyest seedlings, these are the ones that will have plenty of vigour to grow on to maturity.

The stronger the seedling the better the chances of them growing into strong mature plants that will flower and set seeds year after year.

Depending on how many established hellebore plants you have will determine the number of seedlings that will have germinated.

But even with half a dozen plants you can expect to find a couple of dozen suitable seedlings.

Now carefully dig into the ground around the clump of seedlings with a hand trowel.

Dig down at a slight angle towards the center of the clump to about the depth of the hand trowel but without trying to lift the clump.

Do this all the way around the clump. This will loosen the soil around the clump of seedlings.

Once you have dug all the way around the clump lift the entire clump of seedlings, complete with the soil, gently supporting it with one hand while gently lifting it with the hand trowel.

Use care here to avoid too much root disturbance, you don't want any broken roots.

The clump of seedlings should come up fairly easily so no great effort is needed. Take your time, the less root disturbance here will make for better, stronger and healthier plants later.

Lift the clump of seedlings, with the soil, making sure it does not fall apart. It would be a disaster if the clump broke apart here and the soil fell away, it would certainly brake several roots making the seedlings useless.

So, take your time, lift the clump with care and gently place it in a suitable container ready for transportation to your potting bench.

Once you have lifted all the seedlings and placed them in your container you are ready for the next step.

Alison having lifted all her seedlings has placed them in a container, a plastic tray previously used as supermarket food packaging and throughly washed.

This plastic tray is about 25cm (10inch) by 10cm (4inch) and around 5cm (2inch) deep, the ideal size for this self-seedling collection job. And what's more it cost nothing, not only that it's recycling in action.

You can utilize all sorts of household objects for propagating which will cost you just pennies, or in most cases nothing at all!

Before you make your way to your potting bench don't forget to level the soil off from where you have lifted the clumps of self-seedlings. This is easily done with your hand trowel.

It is also a good idea to remove any weeds you may find at the same time, but be careful not to mistake any hellebore self-seedlings for weeds.

Ready for Free Hellebore STEP TWO ?