Learn how to successfully grow hollyhocks to produce beautiful blooms.
If you’re a flower lover, there’s nothing quite like catching sight of a field full of hollyhocks in bloom. With their dramatic height and amazing puffball blooms, they instantly add life to any garden. Unfortunately, hollyhocks have a bad reputation when it comes to growing; many think they’re temperamental and difficult to care for. The truth is actually quite different—with the proper information, everyone can learn how to plant and care for hollyhocks successfully and get the beautiful garden of their dreams.
In this article, we’ll share what all hollyhock enthusiasts need to know about planting and caring for this iconic flower in order to grow healthy plants that burst with gorgeous blooms year after year.
How Do You Keep Hollyhocks Blooming All Summer?
Hollyhocks are a stunning addition to any garden, with their tall stalks of single or double blooms appearing in the spring and summer. To ensure your hollyhocks bloom all season long, it is important to choose the right growing zone and climate for the plant, plant in its preferred soil type, provide regular water and fertilize when necessary.
When starting hollyhocks from seed, begin nine weeks before the last frost date for summer bloom by sowing them in tall individual pots. Plant seedlings outside two to three feet apart once danger of frost has passed. Just lay seeds ¼ inch below the surface and cover lightly with soil—no digging required! If you’re in a colder region, sow seeds outdoors after the last frost for flowers in the second year during early summer. In warmer climates, sow seeds outdoors during late summer or early fall for flowers the next summer.
Once planted, hollyhocks need minimal care but there are a few things to keep in mind while growing them. Provide regular water and keep soil moist when starting; however, established plants are fairly drought tolerant so be careful not to overwater them. Water from below and avoid wetting foliage as this can lead to diseased leaves. Fertilizing isn’t necessary if your soil is fertile but if not feeding every two to four weeks during bloom period can help promote growth and flowering with an organic flower fertilizer or fish emulsion that is high in nitrogen works best.
It’s important to remember that common hollyhocks are biennials so don’t be disappointed if your plants don’t bloom the first summer after planting—whether you planted them in spring or summer. To make sure you’re blessed with beautiful blooms: choose an appropriate growing zone and climate; plant in their preferred soil type; provide regular water; fertilize when needed; check for pests such as aphids; deadhead spent flowers regularly; remove weeds often; stake taller varieties if needed; protect plants from cold temperatures if necessary; mulch around plants during springtime with compost or bark chips; and make sure plants have plenty of sun exposure throughout day (at least six hours).
With proper care and maintenance, you can enjoy lovely blooms from your hollyhock plants all season long!
How Do You Get Hollyhocks To Bloom?
Hollyhocks are a stunning addition to any garden and require some extra care in order to get maximum blooms. Make sure to pick a spot that is sheltered from the wind so that the tall flower stalks are not damaged by strong gusts. Hollyhocks need full sun and moist, rich, well-drained soil. Plant seeds outdoors about a week before the last frost and space them two feet apart for best results. Established hollyhocks don’t need much water, but young plants should have consistently moist conditions—aim to keep the top 5 inches of soil damp. Water from below and avoid wetting the foliage as this can lead to diseased leaves; also, space common hollyhocks 18 inches apart for good air circulation and reduce problems with rust. For container grown hollyhocks, use your finger as a guide and water when the top inch of soil is dry. Fertilizing isn’t necessary if your soil is fertile but if not feeding every two to four weeks during bloom period can help promote growth and flowering with an organic flower fertilizer or fish emulsion that is high in nitrogen works best. Deadheading spent blooms with sharp and clean hand pruners will encourage multiple blooms throughout the season! Following these tips will ensure you get beautiful blooms from your hollyhock plants all season long!
Why Are My Hollyhocks Not Flowering?
Hollyhocks are a biennial, meaning they may not bloom every year. To ensure blooms, it is best to plant from bare roots rather than seeds and make sure to give them full sun exposure throughout the day (at least six hours). Additionally, hollyhocks need well-draining soil and prefer moist, fertile conditions. Plant seeds no more than ¼ inch deep and allow two feet between plants for them to grow properly. Water the plants at their roots and avoid wetting the foliage as this can lead to diseased leaves. For container grown hollyhocks, use your finger as a guide and water when the top inch of soil is dry. Fertilize with an organic flower fertilizer or fish emulsion that is high in nitrogen every two to four weeks during bloom period for best results. Deadheading spent blooms with sharp and clean hand pruners will encourage multiple blooms throughout the season! Furthermore, prune back their leaves and stems 6 inches (15 cm.) from the ground in fall followed by laying 4-6 inches (10-15 cm.) of organic material over their root zone such as straw, compost, leaf litter or mulch for protection against freezing temperatures. Lastly, don’t get discouraged if your hollyhocks don’t bloom right away as they typically do not bloom until their second year of growth when flowers first appear in June continuing through summer usually finishing in August with single or double blooms growing upward along their stem.
Where Is The Best Place To Plant Hollyhocks?
The best place to plant hollyhocks is in a location that has plenty of sunlight and is sheltered from strong winds. Hollyhocks thrive in well-draining soil and full sun but can also tolerate partial shade. When planting seeds outdoors, choose a weed-free area and sow the seeds two feet apart, pressing them into the surface of the soil no more than ¼ inch deep. Keep the area moist and shaded until seedlings appear within 12 to 21 days.
For those who live in cooler climates (zones 3-8), you may want to treat your hollyhock plants as annuals since they are only short lived biennials lasting 2-3 years. Plant them in late summer or early fall for blooms the following summer, or start transplants indoors during late winter or early spring.
When selecting a spot for your hollyhocks, look for an area with maximum light, warm roots and cool tops. Choose a full-sun spot with at least 6 hours of sunlight per day that has a natural wind barrier like a fence or building, as well as larger plants like trees or shrubs around it. You can also plant them near walls or tucked into corners of fencing for added protection from strong winds.
There are several varieties of hollyhocks to choose from depending on your climate zone. The bristly hollyhock (Alcea setosa) typically blooms from April to June and grows best in hardiness zones 5 to 9 with pink blooms while the Russian hollyhock (Alcea rugosa) is not as cold-hardy but produces yellow single flowers. Make sure to water regularly during dry spells if you have dry soils for optimal results.
Hollyhocks are great for attracting hummingbirds due their long bloom period which usually lasts through spring and summer, as well as their spectacular display when planted together with other flowers of similar height like larkspur or foxglove. With proper care and attention these beautiful flowers will be ready for harvesting by mid summer!
What Do You Do With Hollyhocks Once They Have Flowered?
Once your hollyhocks have finished flowering, it’s important to know how to care for them for maximum blooms. Pinch or clip off those that have faded and finished flowering before the seed pod forms, and deadhead the flowers when they begin to wilt. This will give the plants a tidy appearance and keep them looking good overall. Pruning is also beneficial for promoting more blooms; cut back stems to the ground once they start dying back with scissors or pruning shears. Additionally, remove any diseased leaves as soon as you spot them in order to keep your hollyhocks healthy and strong.
When it comes to watering and feeding your hollyhocks, provide regular water and keep soil moist for starting plants. Once established, they are fairly drought tolerant but may need additional hydration during hot and dry spells. Water at their roots instead of their leaves in order to prevent fungal disease rust problems. Hollyhocks need full sun and moist rich well drained soil; if you’re planting seeds don’t bother digging a hole or trench – simply lay them ¼ inch below the surface about a week before last frost is expected in temperate regions.
To help your hollyhocks self-seed you can give them a really good shake; wait until seed pods are fully brown and dry rather than yellow or green then shake them over the area you want them to grow in if you’re planting in rows leave 3 feet between each row of plants. Finally protect your plants with organic material such as straw compost leaf litter or mulch by putting 4-6 inches over their base during fall months after trimming stems back 6 inches from ground level. With proper care of spent flowers pruning watering and feeding you’ll be sure to enjoy maximum bloom season next year!
How Do You Winterize Hollyhocks?
Winterizing hollyhocks is an essential part of keeping them safe from cold weather damage. Pruning your hollyhocks is the first step to winterizing the plant. Cut back the leaves and stems to 6 inches (15 cm.) from the ground in fall. To protect them from freezing, spread a layer of organic material like straw, compost, leaf litter or mulch over the root zone. Use 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm.) for maximum protection during winter months.
You don’t need to bury the seeds; instead, water them in well and keep them moist until winter arrives. You can also clip off the seed pods and store them in an envelope for spring planting. If you are starting hollyhock indoors, cover with a 4-inch layer of mulch for extra protection during winter months before moving outdoors. This will help insulate soil and reduce chances of cold weather damage due to ground freeze which can cause roots to be exposed and kill it.
To prepare perennial gardens for winter, avoid fertilizing, remove dead foliage and spent flowers, keep base clear by trimming back growth after blooming or being hit by frost—trim down to about six inches (15 cm.). The plant can tolerate a variety of soil consistencies; however if you are planting light colored blossoms one rule applies: Make sure soil drains properly as wet soil will lead to root rot and other diseases that can weaken or kill your hollyhock plants.
Keep Your Hollyhocks Healthy Hollyhocks are low-maintenance even when it comes to winterizing them. Deep root watering via a soaker hose or above ground irrigation system is more efficient than sprinklers that saturate leaves; this will help ensure healthy growth come springtime. Additionally, make sure your hollyhocks get plenty of sunlight throughout their growing season; this will give you beautiful blooms come summertime!
Do Hollyhocks Self-seed?
Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are ornamental flowering plants that may be either biennial or short-lived perennial with flowers in shades of pink, white, yellow and red. Most hollyhocks will come back every year as they are self-seeding perennials. However, depending on the variety of hollyhock, this may change. To ensure good bloom each year in the cottage garden since the flowers will readily self-seed by dropping their seeds, plant them somewhere with plenty of space and keep in mind that these plants can also grow to be quite big.
Hollyhocks self-seed readily if you allow the flowerheads to go to seed. If you don’t want this to happen (and you don’t want to collect the seeds), simply deadhead spent blooms before they form seed pods. Sowing Hollyhock Seeds in Fall is the best time and easiest time for planting hollyhock seeds as it requires simply sprinkling the seed onto soil that’s been amended with lots of rich compost and covering it very lightly with soil; since hollyhock seeds need light in order to germinate. You don’t need to bury the seeds; instead, water them in well and keep them moist until winter arrives. You can also clip off the seed pods and store them in an envelope for spring planting. If you are starting hollyhock indoors, cover with a 4-inch layer of mulch for extra protection during winter months before moving outdoors.
To prepare perennial gardens for winter, avoid fertilizing, remove dead foliage and spent flowers, keep base clear by trimming back growth after blooming or being hit by frost—trim down to about six inches (15 cm.). The plant can tolerate a variety of soil consistencies; however if you are planting light colored blossoms one rule applies: Make sure soil drains properly as wet soil will lead to root rot and other diseases that can weaken or kill your hollyhock plants. Deep root watering via a soaker hose or above ground irrigation system is more efficient than sprinklers that saturate leaves; this will help ensure healthy growth come springtime. Additionally, make sure your hollyhocks get plenty of sunlight throughout their growing season; this will give you beautiful blooms come summertime!