Lenten roses (Hellebores) are a total game-changer for any garden because they start popping up with gorgeous colors while there’s still snow on the ground. It’s no surprise that so many of us gardeners want to find ways to get more of them into our flower beds!
Two Ways to Grow Your Collection
If you’re looking to propagate these beauties, you’ve basically got two options. You can try your hand at sowing seeds, or you can go the route of dividing your existing plants. One big plus for dividing is that you know exactly what you’re getting—the new plant will be a perfect clone of the original. If you go with seeds, however, don’t be surprised if the new planted Lenten roses show off colors that are a bit different from the parent plant. It’s a bit of a garden surprise!
How to Grow from Seed
It’s actually pretty tough to find Lenten rose seeds in stores, so your best bet is to harvest them yourself. Thanks to their early bloom time, which starts in late winter and wraps up by early spring, you’ll have seeds ready to go before most other plants have even woken up. Once the flowers have dried out, you can collect the seeds from inside. Just a heads-up: make sure to wear gloves! Lenten roses are toxic in all parts, including the seeds. Here’s the game plan:
- You can sow the seeds in starter pots or directly into your garden beds.
- Only cover them with a very light dusting of soil.
- Keep the soil consistently moist, but make sure it’s not soaking wet.
Dividing Your Lenten Roses
If you’d rather skip the seeds, dividing is a great alternative. Spring is the perfect time for this. The main thing to remember is that these plants like to send down long roots, so you’ll need to dig deep to get the whole root ball out. Once you’ve lifted the perennial, use a sharp spade to split it right down the middle. After that, just find a new spot for your second plant and get it back in the ground!
