Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Pruning foliage
• Method 2 of 2: Cropping flowers
• Tips

Hybrid winter roses (Helleborus x hybridus), also known as hybrid helleborus and hybrid oriental hellebore, are herbaceous perennials that adorn dull winter gardens with flowers from mid-winter to mid-spring. They are hardy in American climate zones 4-9, which means they can withstand temperatures that drop as low as -34.3 ° C. The flowers bloom in pink, red, white, or yellow. They don't require any special maintenance, but a little pruning each winter will make it easier for them to display beautiful flowers.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Pruning foliage

1. 1 Use the right pruning tools. Use hand pruners that are nice and sharp. Pruners with scissors are best. You should also consider wearing work gloves, as Helleborus have thorns that can be harmful.
2. 2 Prune the plant in the middle of winter. Wait until mid-winter to prune the plant (new buds should have formed by this time). Cut off any old foliage that grows around the perimeter at the base. These old leaves are generally unsightly and can contain bacteria and fungal spores that can infect winter rose bushes. New leaves that grow from the center will bloom and spread as they grow.
   • After pruning, be sure to remove old leaves from the garden.
3. 3 Cut off damaged parts of the plant during the growing season. As the season progresses, some of the new leaves may look frayed. These damaged leaves can be cut at any time during the season to keep the plant looking neat and tidy.
   • Helleborus are very forgiving and will allow you to prune it year round without any adverse side effects.
4. 4 Cut off the affected parts of the plant as soon as you notice diseased growth. If you notice that a part of your plant is sick, cut off that part of the rose to stop the spread of the disease. After you have removed the affected growth, burn it or put it in bags and take it out. Do not put diseased foliage in the compost bin, as this will allow the disease to spread.
   • After you have cut off any diseased plant parts, wash your pruning shears with hot water and soap to prevent spreading the disease to other plants the next time you use them.

Method 2 of 2: Cropping flowers

1. 1 Trim off the faded buds on the flowers. To avoid unwanted seedlings, prune flowers when they begin to wilt or die. This type of cropping is commonly referred to as flower cropping. Pruning flowers also helps the plant supply energy to new flowers, rather than keeping old flowers alive. Cut off the stems towards the base.
   • From the flowers that remain on the plant, seeds will fall into the soil and new seedlings will appear around the mother plant in the spring of next year.
2. 2 Control the seedlings that appear. Seedlings growing from discarded seeds from the previous season can be grown. However, they need to be carefully dug up and transplanted as soon as they are large enough to handle to prevent overflow.
3. 3 Consider seed propagation in a greenhouse. If you remove seeds from roses, you can harvest these seeds and grow them in a greenhouse.
   • Be aware that the seedlings may not look like the mother plant. The seeds of hybrid plants often produce plants that look like winter roses from the previous generation.

Tips

• In harsh climates, try to protect the rose to keep it blooming throughout the winter.