Hellebore
Helleborus
An ornamental plant, planted September to May, or sown July to August.
In September: lift and divide the hellebore, mulch it and feed it. It can be planted now. Wear gloves: the sap irritates skin.
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Hellebore, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual |
| Plant a pot-grown hellebore. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Cut back the hellebore. | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | usual | none | none | none |
| Deadhead the hellebore. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Lift and divide the hellebore. | usual | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Mulch the hellebore. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Feed the hellebore. | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Handle it with care
Wear gloves: the sap irritates skin.
Strong sources: RHS and Gardeners’ World.
Sowing and planting
Sow outdoors July to August. Moderate source: RHS.
Plant a pot-grown hellebore September to May, 35 to 45cm apart. Moderate source: RHS.
Cut back the hellebore
Cut off the old leaves so the flowers are on show; this also helps control leaf spot disease.
Usually February to March, and May. Moderate source: RHS.
Deadhead the hellebore
Usually March to May. Moderate source: Sarah Raven.
Lift and divide the hellebore
Usually March to May, and September. Moderate source: RHS.
Mulch the hellebore
Spread a generous layer of organic matter, such as home-made compost, around the plants.
Usually September to November. Moderate source: RHS.
Feed the hellebore
If feeding, use a general-purpose fertiliser such as Growmore or fish, blood and bone, 50-70g per square metre.
Usually September to November. Moderate source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Hellebore” comes from.