A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 hollyhock seeds

Hello I got a delivery from my ebay purchase....Black Hollyhocks with red centers. I thought these would make an unusual and different look for the mail box area. My delima is no planting instructions at all. :p and no clue at all eithor. Any help suggestions or orders would be so appreciated. I really want to get some blooms from these and had no luck with the Hollyhock seeds I planted begining of this year. Please help my seed survive!

Hi Karrie

Here's some advice I got for planting Hollyhock seeds from our great friend Mike57 - sweetheart and has a great garden

plant them in pots to get them started about 1/4 inch deep. Keep them wet and in the shade until they come up. When they come up go ahead and plant them where you would like them to grow. They like at lest a half day of full sun on them. Keep the soil moist not water logged. Hope that helps!

I read somewhere that historically people planted Hollyhocks by the outhouse so women visitors could ask where the Hollyhocks were so nobody would know if they were checking out the hocks or if they were doing what people did in outhouses I thought that was an interesting bit of flower history

Oh, that's a scream about the outhouses. So that's why we always saw Hollyhocks around outhouses.

I took a couple of suckers from some Hollyhocks - and some buds. They're in my scrub pot, but I've seen nothing yet.

HI ALL. The Hollyhocks will not bloom the first year but will put on small rounded leafs. mulch them down to hold in moister.the plants will be small this year but next season they will grow like mad.make sure you stake them up when they start to put on the tall stalks so the wind will not blow them over.i also planted some black ones this year and some mixed colors to they are growing great.cant wait till next year to see all the diffrent colors in bloom.i have some that get about 1/2 day of sun. and i planted a new bed in full sun.rember to keep the soil moist not water logged.also if you can get some fireplace ash you can put some of that around the plants it makes them have lots of blooms.good luck on your new seeds just plant them as mary said and you should have no trouble with them.hope yours are doing fine to mary.did most of them come up and do ok for you?if not let me know i just harvested some seeds yesterday.and will have them up for trade soon as seed tradeing season gets here in the fall.Karrie if you need any more help with them just PM me ok.your friend in gardening.mike57

The Hollyhocks also kept down the smell a little around them outhouses

Even though some of my seeds are older do you think they will grow if I wait until spring to plant them? Or should I put them in the ground now?

HI TK you can plant them now.they will still grow you have plenty of growing season left yet.some folks plant theres in the fall.but the spring and summer is the best time to plant them.i just have started some new beds a couple of weeks a go. your friend in gardening.mike57

Hey Mike I have 4 seedlings that came up, but they don't seem to have grown much in the last 2 weeks I'm still not sure if they are Hollyhocks or just some volunteers that came up but you better believe I'm watching them very closely in anticipation! I'll let you know what they turn out to be Also, I am in the middle of making a bunch of beds for spring planting and will do that throughout the summer/fall this year. Would it be possible to put the Hollyhocks in a tree pot this year instead of in the ground? I don't really know how deep the roots grow...but I really want to get the bed prepared first before making the 'Hollyhock garden'.

T - I think the longer you wait with seeds, the less of them will germinate, but like me and most of my seeds I'll have to take the chance and hold off because I don't want grass and stuff coming up in my beds (like it does around my roses because I didn't prepare them first!).

Thank you for the information. I think that may well be a good occupation for me this afternoon say after 4:00p.m.

You are always right there with what I need Mike. I want to take a moment and tell you that I really appreciate that. Your a very good friend. Hope some day I can be helpful to you too.

HI Mary if there round looking leafs then there holly hocks they might not put on many leafs utill there about 1 1/2 inch tall i would place them in full sun now that they are starting to grow. if its a very large tree pot i think it would be ok but mulch them down good ok your vey welcome. anytime i can help you ask ok.you all ready have helped me with some of your postings you have given me a lot of ideas and your frindship.your friend in gardening. mike57

HI MARY here are 3 photos of Hollyhocks.they will put on 2 sucker leafs first then will put on leafs that look like these.
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0UAAtA70Xsr2pC2tTOZwjDn6VjlmN5VE8Y6BySCaGaM!kzJZch7gqYcxbTYza4n*I65V3ROjg10jDFCkZCcB*obGsEi8xMIbCXb072zJdqk0z0C21xa4s2lDtbRJY7W0S/holly%20hock%202.JPG?dc=4675531033389750318[/img]
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0SQDYF30W809rXigJcQ5erxjTYLnKD59!gQwgU4Ze9*dBVU0s8xIyitSkrwWUoSfH*ide4UQpg!Ox00ya2UXzmPF5bNdexRh8ISsWfgamRRn7R*6qPNrDoQ/Hollyhock.JPG?dc=4675531033445680336[/img]
the last one is a photo of a one year old plant the first blooms this is a old photo they will put on more stalks each year i have some that have 4 stalks on one plant.
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0SAAtA8QUOtwUpaRIx*eL8P*LEHw9xV9DIcjDNMvI6omnUP9P3!gX2HmeWNlWmDvuPpEg8iTXe0Hct*g1lR5xdyPXaxITCVwow5U48Q!HvoE2AAAArXKmAg/Jul01#23.JPG?dc=4675523192102147541[/img]
hope this helps you identify your seedlings.your friend in gardening.mike57

Mike the first two photos aren't coming up for me. I'm getting the little boxes with the red x in them. Is it just me?

keep trying TK there showing up ok here. might be the site it has done that a time or two on me also.your friend in gardening.mike57

Mike your first 2 pictures aren't showing up for me either but the 3rd one is Here are some pictures of my seedlings...not the clearest, but best I could get with this camera



Crossing fingers tightly for the verdict....!

HI MARY yep looks like Hollyhocks to me.you need to place them in full sun now ok. good luck with them your friend in gardening.mike57

So If I plant them now in pots and then transplant them to their home outside they will survive the winter here in Indiana and come up again next spring? Also will they bloom next season if I do this or will I have to wait for the following season for the abudance of blooms. I just can't wait for blooms I love them.

HI Karrie yes you can plant them now.some folks plant them in the fall even.here is a link for you about planting.
http://www.wuvie.net/hockwhento.htm
hope this helps you and good luck with your Hollyhocks.your friend in gardening.mike57

Thanks Mike your always so sweet and helpful. 1 in a million!