cut em' down-2

[Myro]

Hi everybody,
I am a newbie in hellebore growing. I have Helleborus niger and Helleborus Orientalis and it is about to bloom now. I am not sure to cut old leaves or not. It looks that flowers have a problem to unfold from under the leaves
Leaves from last year looks good with no marks from freeze or spots from some plant disease. Some advice please.
Plants are in shadow and because of low temperatures it starts to blooming now.
I will post some pictures when it will open its flowers ( soon, I hope )

[pauhaus]

Hello Myro,

I cut the old foliage from my hellebores so it doesn't interfere with the blooms, your plants will look much better. Just be careful not to cut the new growth with buds. They will start sending up new leaves when the flowers start to bloom. Looking forward to seeing your pictures!

[KellieD]

Cutting the leaves off is a cosmetic thing. It won't hurt the plant if you leave them.

[Myro]

I finally take some time to take some photos of my hellebore and post them

[kHT]

I agree with KellieD, we here cut them back in the fall when we do the yard clean up as they are the last thing we
cut back. Clean up and keeping the critters at bay is important as we are now seeing the Black Death virus which
is spread by aphids. Myro, in a couple of years you will really be enjoying those two that you picked up!!

[pauhaus]

Nice pics Myro, thanks for posting them.

Karma, holy cow, what a display you have there. What's your secret to get your hellys to bloom like that? How old is that clump?

[kHT]

pauhaus, this is one of our oldest (10+ years old??) plants and the photo was taken from above.

[kHT]

pauhaus, it's about timing on tossing the compost out? Yes these are in full sun too!