Hellebore babies - can I transplant and are they 'true'?

Bigbarb

We have bought quite a few hellebore plants over the years and recently spotted little groups of babies nearby. Our garden is small, very close to the North Sea in the Scottish Borders (maybe the reason the seedlings have not appeared before). We have generated a small patch of bare earth (rare in our garden) and want to transplant some hellebore babies in.... we think they are 1 or 2 years old and very small. My question - do we put in pots and move to greenhouse (unheated) or just dig up and plant in bare open patch round new rose bush?

Hostafan1

I'd avoid the greenhouse and keep them outside. They are prolific hybridisers so they're unlikely to be exactly the same as the "parents"

Lyn

As they weren’t born in the greenhouse there’s no need to put them in there now,  I wouldn’t transplant into the garden yet if they very small, I would get them to about 4 or 5” them dig them up.  I don’t think they like being moved much, so wait a bit then put then in the garden where you want them. Only one move then. 

As Hostafan says, be prepared for some dirty white ones, but I’ve got several here, pinks, purples and doubles, all grown from collected seeds, you can always pull out what you don’t like. 

nutcutlet

I don't think I'd move them now, as Lyn says, they're not keen on being moved and will cope better in Autumn than just before summer, especially if we have another hot one

Bilje

Hello Bigbarb. I live down the coast from you, Tyneside and this is the first year I've had self sown Hellebores too. Mine are very small so I'm leaving them where they are. I was given some useful advice a few years ago easy to remember. " if it flowers in Spring move in Autumn, if it flowers later in the year move in spring" 

Bigbarb

Thanks guys - that's tremendous help... we will leave them til Autumn and then take the big ones directly out and into their new home. Bilje interesting that that YOU only got them this year too.... must be to do with the warmer Summer maybe

fidgetbones

I had a load germinate from some seedheads I threw in a corner when tidying up the plants. I have put 32 of them into deep roottrainers, left some where they were.  Some I grew from my own seed three years ago have flowered this year. Worth the wait, I think .

Bigbarb

Sounds very encouraging - thank you fidgetbones