Table of Contents:
- When we Ship our Hellebores
- What you will receive
- What to do when you receive your plants
- When to plant
- How to plant
- Caring for your Hellebores
- Harvesting Hellebores
- Overwintering
- FAQ's
When we ship:
We will begin shipping orders mid March. We DO NOT take ship date requests. Orders will be filled in the order they come in. An email will be sent with tracking information when your order has been picked up by Fedex. We ship via Fedex so addresses provided must be a physical address. NO PO BOXES!
What you will receive:
Hellebores will be shipped in plastic trays and packed with tissue paper to give your plants some protection during transit. Each hellebore will be labeled individually or by the 4-pack of one variety purchased.
Pictured here are the approximate sizes of the hellebore plants you will receive. Please note that these are small! We do not advertise that these are large plants. However while many hellebore varieties are slow growers, the Ice n' Roses cultivars are much more vigorous growers than other varieties which makes them one of the reasons why we love them so much!
What to do when you receive your Hellebore Plants:
Please be sure to take your plants out of the box asap. Put them in a shady area and give them a good drink of water and allow them to recover from their stressful journey. Protect them from extreme conditions like a hard frost during this time as the plants need time to acclimate to your weather/temperature. If your ground is currently frozen or your garden spot is not ready yet, just pot them up in a 3"+ pot and plant them at a later date. We are not responsible for plants that were received in good condition, but subsequently failed due to improper storage, improper planting/watering/growing practices, or inclement weather.
When to Plant:
If you live in a climate where it is still very cold/the ground is frozen, we recommend waiting to plant until your ground is no longer frozen and your plants have acclimated to your climate. Or you can pot these plants up and keep them protected from temperatures below 30 degrees until they adjust a bit to your climate. If you or your garden spot is not quite ready for planting just yet, you can pot the plants up in a 3"+ pots to plant out at a later date.
Once plants are established in your garden after their first Spring, you will not need to give them special care during Winter months unless harsh conditions come through your area.
We are not responsible for plants that were received in good condition, but subsequently failed due to improper storage, improper planting/watering/growing practices, or inclement weather.
How to Plant:
Find a spot to plant them where they can stay for years to come. We plant our hellebores in our deciduous woods as deer or rabbits do not eat Hellebores. The ideal spot for your hellebores is in full to partial shade. In cooler climates, hellebores may be able to tolerate more sun than warmer areas. Be sure to plant in well-drained soil. Hellebores can tolerate a wide range of soil types but they do not like wet feet! Space 4-5ft apart for a full look once mature. Mix in a bit of all purpose fertilizer into the planting hole. When planting, make sure not to cover the base of the plant too deeply. Water in.
Caring for Your Hellebores:
Hellebores will bloom anytime from December to April. After they flower, new foliage will emerge. Summer months are considered their dormant season so you will notice less growth from the plants as well as worn out looking leaves. Keep caring for the plants during this time by making sure they have adequate water. Their roots are continuing to develop and grow beneath the soil.
In years past, we have always removed the older foliage from our hellebores however, we have recently be advised by the Ice N Roses breeder to leave all foliage on the plant as it will continue to act as food for future flowers.
Exciting News ! The Ice N Roses varieties are not susceptible to the Hellebore Net Necrosis Virus (HeNNV) or Black Death virus that attacked many Hellebores.
Harvesting your Hellebores:
We usually cut our hellebores once most of their seed pods have formed. By harvesting at this stage, no additional conditioning is required for the flowers to last a long time in your vase. When harvesting at this later stage, we also know that the local honey bees have been able to feed on the flowers during Winter months when food for them is scarce. Want flowers for your vase earlier? You can also harvest newly flowering hellebores with some special techniques. Please watch our video on how to make newly flowering hellebores hydrate and last in your vase!
Overwintering:
We do not take any additional precautions when heading into the Winter months. If flowers are blooming during a hard freeze, it is possible to loss some of the flowers. Light frosts will not harm the flowering plants.