Do I have to cut off the old leaves?

20 years ago

I've just planted a bunch of hellebores over the last year, so this is my first spring with them. Do I have to cut the old leaves off? They just don't look that bad. We had a really mild winter -- I don't think it even frosted once -- so it's not like there's winter damage. There's new growth and everything, but I hate to get rid of the old. It just seems like a shame to cut it off while it's still green and healthy looking.

Comments (2)

Greenmanplants
20 years ago
NO, take the old leaves off. They may seem fine now but you need to clear out the old to make room for the new. Once the new leaves get going the old will die off, only trouble is that's when the spores of fungal disease get in and before you know it you may get plants with black spot and rot.

Trust me, the plants will be better for it.

Cheers Greenmanplants
kimberf
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks! I was out doing all sorts of other yard & garden work this afternoon, so went ahead and cut off the old leaves, or at least most of them. A couple that haven't had the old growth really come up yet (only an inch or so up yet), I still left the old leaves until the new gets going a little more. I cut off anything that looked like it was browning or bug-eaten.
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