Seed Talk #77 - Growing Hellebores as Cut Flowers

[@Jpatmeadowbrook]

Great information! I brought my seeds home from Italy 40 years ago. I have a bed full under oaks and hickories and love to pot the some as gifts. No weeding needed. I leave the leaf until they are brown. It’s 25 here this morning in N.J but my friend in Oklahoma was 75 yesterday afternoon! Have a great day:)

[@LayneAngelo]

What a lovely story about your hellebore seeds! 🥰 So happy to hear they are thriving in your garden and producing enough babies to share with others ☺️ Thanks so much for sharing, and have a fantastic day! 💚🤗💚

[@MoonchildBloomsFF]

One of the biggest blessings on my heart is plants gifted from friends. I have one that let's me come dig her lenten rose babies every year ❤

[@LayneAngelo]

Oh, how sweet! 🥰 I love that your friend is so generous and that you have little pieces of her garden in yours ☺️ Thanks so much for sharing, and have a lovely day! 💚🤗💚

[@WhereTimeBegan]

Hi Lisa! Last year I purchased your book Cool Flowers and it NEVER occurred to me that I could start seeds in the fall. Your book changed the way I view winter and cold weather. Thank you for all the knowledge you share with us :)

[@mpmitton8377]

Thanks for this Seed Talk episode. I was gifted a few about three years ago and have found they really thrive here. I love them and have ordered four varieties in 18ct liners that are expected to arrive in about a week - 72 total. I'm so excited to plant them in the woodlands around my property. I have so many places that they will grow well in.

[@cathypolera9748]

Thank you so much for this video. It is perfect timing for me. I am a home gardener on the eastern shore 7B who is totally addicted to hellebores for a few years now. I have heavy deer, rabbit and vole pressure and nothing touches them. I have never consider cutting them but I will sure try now. Even though I’m not a flower farmer or sell flowers for resale, I love learning from your channel and all of the knowledge that you share. Thank you so much.

[@LayneAngelo]

Hello! Glad to hear you love hellebores as much as we do and that the deer, rabbits, and voles leave yours alone, as well 😊 Yes, you should definitely try cutting some - they have an extremely long vase life in addition to being gorgeous 🥰 Thanks so much for sharing, and have a wonderful day! 💚🤗💚

[@madonnaschmid7707]

I love Hellebores! This was great info for me. Thanks as always♡ I have just planted my 1 batch of Hellebores Ice and Roses series.

[@LayneAngelo]

Oooo - I love that series! Great choice 🙌 Thanks so much for sharing, and have a fabulous day! 💚🤗💚

[@judyrobinson2282]

I just happened to get those great reseeders years ago and I have been spreading them around --they do GREAT! My little seedlings that I transplant bloom the second year after transplanting. Yah, very slow

[@fraukeg.facchini2691]

I received a hellebore as a gift about 5 years ago, and it has thrived and given me more pink flowers every year. It didn't have a tag and has spread into a nice sized clump. If i can find another spot in my limited landscape, I will divide it. It has not reseeded, so I assume that it is a sterile variety. I would love to add a frost kiss for the beautiful foliage, though. As always, a very informative video and beautiful photos, Layne! Love your new book, Lisa!

[@lovelight9164]

If you are in the United States check your local Lowe's they are getting hellebores in now. I just bought aPennys pink frostkiss at my local Lowes.

[@denisekelley2292]

All the varieties are my favorite, I have several. I'm fortunate to live in NW Oregon where we have good hellebore growing conditions. I have never thought to use them as cut flowers. I'm very much looking forward to cutting them this year. Mine start blooming mid -January and last for months. FYI my Cut Flower Handbook arrived today. I've ready the first 20 or so pages. It's very good so far, great info and pictures.

[@zaneymay]

Hello from Florida! I'm excited about this episode I'm wanting to add these to my garden.

[@LayneAngelo]

Hello! So excited for you to add some hellebores to your garden ☺️ Thanks so much for watching, and have a lovely day in beautiful Florida! 💚🤗💚

[@janjohnson1052]

Thank you again! I planted hellebores in my yard under a tree two years ago. I haven't harvested any blooms yet because Ive heard they're droopy. Now I know why. You gals are so awesome, I watch and rewatch your videos. Fantastic educators!!

[@LindasFlowersandVegetablesGard]

Beautiful early bloom plants, I have a lot white hellebores in my garden, will add some pink this year, they are truly deer resistant!,love your video and subscribed!

[@bettyjocohagen7955]

Good morning from Kentucky!

[@LayneAngelo]

Good Morning! ☀️ Thanks for watching, and have a wonderful day 💚🤗💚

[@torimarie7659]

When harvesting as a cut flower you shared waiting for 1-3 blooms to set seed pods. If that stem still has other flower heads that have not set pods yet would you expect them to wilt? Should I cut those off if I plan to arrange with them? I want to make sure to get that great vase life you were talking about

[@darlenecullen9806]

Same question!

[@darlenecullen9806]

Mine are blooming now in NW AR.

[@sheilahurford5931]

Hi from midlands uk . Weather only good for ducks 😢 . Thanks for this . Have just ordered somemoreplants love them thanks ladies

[@caseymccagh1450]

Great info. Thanks so much

[@camelliazhang1189]

Thank you for the episode! What would you do if you find the flowers on the same stem are at different stages? Thank you! ❤❤

[@joycedagostino8869]

Thanks again. You two are such pros and always great information. I had been thinking about Hellebores and now I do need to plan for some of them! I may have missed this, but when are they planted? Weather has been unseasonably mild this week here in Denver,CO area but we had some very cold wet weather recently. Starting to see some of my fall sown cool flowers peeking up!

[@rachelle3445]

Thank you

[@jenniferfisher1743]

Love this episode. So much to think about. Can the sterile varieties be divided to increase the amount of plants?

[@lovelight9164]

Yes, They can be divided to get more. If you check out suburban oasis she has a couple of videos where she divides her hellebores.

[@heikedeubner9073]

Great topic. What time of year do you divide hellebore?

[@jessiethomson2673]

I have 2 north facing beds that would be perfect. Do they mix well with hostas? There are several hostas already in residence.

[@lovelight9164]

How can we newbies know if our hellebores are sterile or one that will produce seeds? For instance would a pennys pink frostkiss be a sterile variety?

[@jenniferfisher1743]

Do the plants bloom all summer or just in the spring? Also, if they don’t bloom all summer does the foliage die back like a bleeding heart and look like it “disappears” in the summer months?

[@kendraneipp1382]

What is a typical number of stems per bunch when selling to florists?

[@emkn1479]

Deer (or other critters) chew my hellebores down to the ground if I don’t protect them in winter. No one believes me, since the leaves are so rough, but it’s true!

[@LayneAngelo]

Oh, no! 😱 I believe it 😩 The critters in our garden seem to enjoy all sorts of things that are deer- and rabbit-resistant for many other people, although - luckily - they leave our hellebores alone! Out of curiosity, which plants have you had the best luck with in terms of critters leaving them alone? Thanks so much for sharing, and have a great day 💚🤗💚

[@emkn1479]

@@LayneAngelo hmmm…that’s a tough one. They seem to sample almost anything, even boxwood, juniper and daffodils. Anything with very spiny growth, very scented leaves (herbs), or really fuzzy foliage (like lambs ear) seems to be safe. As are some non-native flowering shrubs. Ferns, spruces, and ornamental grasses are pretty much always left alone as well. Foxgloves and many spring ephemerals (non-native) are safe too, as are most alliums and species rugosa roses. That’s all I can think of at the moment. I have to keep a careful eye on the garden so I can see what they’re interested in and up my spraying to deter them. I live in a very wooded area with state gamelands nearby, so we have quite a population of wildlife here, which I love, minus the deer.

[@lisar9847]

Have you found that hellebores can cause skin irritation?

[@brittany.s_story]

Thank you! I recently saw hellebores at the garden center and didn’t get any because i thought they were short and down facing. But you’ve just given me hope that they can get longer over the years if enough rain and have a long vase life if picked at the right time. Yay!! One thing though: are there shorter varieties to beware of? I watched the video but still couldn’t hear Lisa mention her ideal variety. Could i get some pointers here? 🩷