Have you checked your hellebores lately?

Late autumn to winter is a great time to tidy up hellebores before they start flowering. This is a quick and easy job that will make a big difference to your plants. Giving these beautiful winter-flowering plants some attention this month will boost hellebores' health and help show off the flowers, too. To keep hellebores looking their best, cut off their old leaves now.

Why do you need to cut off old leaves?

Cutting off the leaves makes it easier to see the flowers, but it also helps prevent disease. Hellebore leaf spot spreads quickly in winter if affected leaves are left on the plant. Look out for brown blotches on the leaves and flowers. This fungal disease is common and the best control is to remove all the old foliage. The leaves will be looking pretty scruffy at this time of year anyway. Don't put these leaves in your garden compost. Even if your hellebores show no signs of leaf spot, it's a good idea to cut the leaves off as a precautionary measure, and bin or burn them. It also makes room for new foliage, which provides a fresh backdrop for the flowers.

How to do it

Cut off the leaf stem at the base of the plant using secateurs, or pull out the leaf stem. It's a good idea to wear gloves as the sap is an irritant.