Bred for flower power and reduced susceptibility to rust (a fungal disease that can plague hollyhocks), they are a triumph. When to plant alcalthaeaĪlcalthaea are the gorgeous offspring of hollyhock (Alcea) and marshmallow (Althaea). Plant them in well-drained soil in sheltered sun. These should be transplanted into bigger pots and left until they reach a big enough size to plant outside between April and October. Sometimes hollyhocks are available in nurseries as trays of tiny plug plants. Alternatively, in a modern garden, opt for the rich claret ‘Nigra’, which looks black from a distance, or plant a mass of elegant pale cultivars (such as ‘Halo White’). If you are planting a cottage garden border, buy a mix of ready-grown hollyhocks that includes a good range of colors, such as cream, yellow, pink, and purple. But if they were sown last year, they can be planted out between April and June and should flower this summer. If they were sown this year, they can be planted out between May and October and will bloom next year. Check with your supplier whether they are this year’s young plants or last year’s plants. Hollyhocks can be bought ready-grown in pots. Some of Jonathan Sheppard’s favorites include ‘Mars Magic’ (‘a vibrant red variety that really pops in the garden’), ‘Halo Lavender’ (‘a rich purple colored hollyhock with a light center’), and ‘Peaches ’n' Dreams’ (‘a double variety whose blooms can rival those from growing peonies.’) When to plant potted hollyhocks There is a huge range of hollyhocks available to sow. If you grow foxgloves, this is the same two year principle.ĭuring spring or fall, the seedlings that the plants have sown themselves around the backyard can be moved into the position you’d like them to grow. However, being biennial, you must do a second sowing next year in order to ensure flowers every year (rather than flowers every other year). Hollyhocks readily self-sow, providing you with free plants (if you don’t deadhead them). The subsequent young seedlings in pots can be overwintered in a cold greenhouse or cold frame or on a cold windowsill. I sow in 3in (7cm) pots, so that the hollyhocks have a much better chance of flowering in their first summer, after they get planted out the following year.’ ‘This is essentially to try to cheat that biennial nature and get flowers within 12 months. ‘I often do a sowing under cover around September,’ says Jonathan Sheppard. It’s also possible to plant hollyhock seeds in late summer or fall. The seeds are fairly large and are best sown into module trays: sowing one seed per module. ‘I do a sowing of hollyhocks around April,’ says Jonathan Sheppard, ‘so the plants then establish themselves and get planted out, but won’t flower until the following year.’ ’If your greenhouse doesn’t get that hot, 60☏ (15☌) is fine and can be achieved by using a propagator.’ ‘When sown indoors in spring, barely cover the seed with soil,’ advises Kelly Funk, President of Park Seed, ‘while maintaining a temperature of 70☏ (21☌).
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