After flowering, adult hellebores go to seed, and the next spring, new seedlings sprout close to the parent plant. These seedlings can be moved in the spring, either into pots or to expand your garden. When they are large enough to handle and before the parent plant’s new foliage covers the sun, transplant them. With a little trowel, remove the seedlings being cautious not to damage the root ball. Replant them in dappled shade and moist soil.
Choose pots with drainage holes and a minimum diameter of 8 inches to place the seedlings in. Fill the pots with potting soil.
When can hellebores be moved?
The best moment to divide a hellebore is when you are already moving it, even though you should only move them when required. In September or October is the ideal time to transplant and/or divide hellebores. The optimal time to divide hellebores is just before their autumn root growth spurt, which occurs about this time each year. This enables the rapid establishment of new roots in the plants that have just been divided.
When transferring hellebores, you should dig up the entire plant in an 8-inch-deep circle that is six inches from the outermost leaves if you want to divide the plants. Once it is freed, raise the plant off the ground, wash the crown to remove any dirt, and then use a sharp knife to cut between the growth buds so you can see what you are doing. The plant will heal faster if you leave at least three buds in each division. A least of one bud, ideally two or three, some woody rhizome tissue, and some developing roots are required for each new division. The next step is to plant each tiny transplant with lots of organic debris in a spot that is somewhat shaded and to water it well.
After that, mulch the transplants with a layer of compost or leaf mulch and keep watering them until they are established.
How are hellebores dug up?
Always use gloves when working with hellebore plants. They contain sap, which can make sensitive people’s skin react negatively. Waterproof gloves are advised for this task.
Before the sun rises in the morning is the best time to divide a plant. Select a day with a moderate climate, thawed and useable ground, and little wind.
What you should do is:
1. Lightly water the plant to saturate the soil.
2. Use a shovel with a 12-inch blade that is pointed, sharp, and long-handled. Dig an 8-inch ring around the plant’s perimeter, keeping your foot 8 inches away from the stems and foliage’s edges. Press down on the handle of the shovel as you dig to begin lifting the entire plant—dirt and all—along with it.
3. Dig and lift your way repeatedly around the plant until it emerges from the ground on your shovel. Remove the entire plant from the ground, and place it next to the hole.
5. To gently separate the soil from the roots, use a garden claw with three prongs. Without endangering it, expose as much of the root system as you can.
6. You should be able to see clearly where the roots that grow below the earth meet the stems and leaves that grow above the ground. The crown is the name of this gathering place. Turn the plant over. Examine it to locate the rhizome, a thick root from which the stems emerge.
8. To split a huge plant into several smaller ones, cut through the rhizome at predetermined intervals using a fresh pair of pruners. One or more stems, a piece of rhizome, and a number of microscopic roots should all be present in each cut part, or division.
9. Put the sections in the water-filled bucket. They shouldn’t ever be allowed to dry out fully.