Floppy Hellebore!

linzijayne74

Hi there.  I've recently acquired a Hellebore that I've planted into a pot.  I've just got home from meeting a friend and I can tell that my husband has watered this Hellebore whilst I've been out (I think he's emptied some of the dogs' water bowl into it).  Now it's gone floppy (I know their habit is to droop but this sudden droop is because of the water, I think; it wasn't like this when I went out only three hours ago!).  I'm fairly new to gardening and would be grateful if anyone with knowledge could reassure me that he hasn't harmed it and if there's anything I should do to avoid any further problem with it, please!  Thank you ever so in advance. 

Lizzie27

Hello Linzijayne,

I think if you put some folded newspaper under your hellebore pot on the sink, it should soak up some of the surplus water.  The floppiness however could also be due to the heat in your house (if applicable) - hellebores like it cool.  Hope this helps - oh, and tell your husband he's forbidden to do any more watering!

nutcutlet

Is it in the house !!!

Purplerain

I would put it outside if you can. Depending on where it came from you might need to acclimatise it, but it is a tough outdoor plant and will be much happier there. 

DampGardenMan

Funnily enough the flower stalk of one of our (outdoor) hellebores always flops when it's cold! Just the one plant, those around it are fine. When it warms up it recovers, though it hasn't yet this time.

linzijayne74

Hi Lizzie27!  My Hellebore is outside; I'm not very good at keeping plants indoors.  I know, my husband means well but he thinks everything needs watering all the time; when I first had Lavender three years ago he kept watering it!  I have told him repeatedly to just leave it to me but he seems to know 'best'?!  Hoping my Hellebore recovers; he told me it was floppy when he came across it but it definitely wasn't like that when I left the house earlier.  I shall hide all watering receptacles from him in future!  Thanks for your help.     

linzijayne74

Hi Nutcutlet and Purplerain; thanks ever so for replying.  My Hellebore is outside.  I've moved it to a warmer spot against the wall of the house (still outside); I don't want any forthcoming colder/wet weather getting it even wetter!  Thanks again. 

linzijayne74

Hi Dampgardenman; thanks for replying.  I'm sure your floppy Hellebore will be upright and upstanding anytime soon! 

Lizzie27

Hi Linzijayne, it's good it's outside, but the newspaper trick will still work. You only need to keep it underneath for a few hours until the paper is saturated - it removes the surplus water quite easily and safely. If the paper doesn't get very wet, that is even better and means the watering wasn't overdone in the first place.

linzijayne74

Thanks Lizzie27; you're absolutely right with the newspaper solution.  I have a few sheets of one going spare.  I shall 'go spare' at my husband if he's hurt my Hellebore!!!!!!!!!!  .  Thank you ever so. 

Palustris

If your husband cannot be dissuaded from watering, then the answer is to grow everything in pots in very porous free draining compost. We grew lots of things in almost pure sharp sand since the School cleaners thought that they had to water the plants everyday.