Monday, May 11, 2009

Hollyhocks (doubles)?

I live in zone 8-9 approx 70 miles ENE of houston. My hollyhocks in the past were healthy and beautiful looked like carnations on a giant stalk up to 10'. But I'm wondering when the best time for me to plant seeds outdoor. I don't like to mess with planting indoors then moving out I had been planting around Jan And light freezes did not bother the young plants say 2-3" high. But; (1) How cold can the young plants stand it before they freeze; also (2)I had one black h-h. It was beautiful. I collected seeds after the seed pods dried on the plant but I could get none to sprout, is it true that the black ones are harder to sprout or even virtually impossible. I still have some of the seeds from the plant from 2yrs ago. What can I do to get it to sprout. I've tried soaking, tried planting under plastic tent indoors with controlled temps. All the other seeds from 2yrs ago came up and did beautifully, deep, deep red, pink, white (no yellows bummer) OK doce sock it to me or is plantmd gonna tr

Hollyhocks (doubles)?
Since hollyhocks are biennial, you want to shake out, (or carefully plant) the seeds as soon as they're mature on the stalk. When the flower dries up and leaves a seed pod, then the seed pod dries up and starts to open, the seeds should be nearly black. Scatter these dry seeds in the area in question and, well, I ignore them. The young plants that come from them this year will bloom next year. If you wait to start the seeds indoors and transplant in the spring, you'll have no bloom from them next year. Hollyhocks are very very tough and will winter fine even here in zone 5, much less near Houston.


Some cultivars are hard to start. I've had black ones and yellow ones in the past, too, and they only came back once. All the pinks and reds and fuschias took over, but no more black. Ask your favorite greenhouse about starting some for you. We do custom propagation for lots of folks where I work. (Sorry, we're in Missouri.)
Reply:I guess your season is just that much different from ours. The plants are still biennials, and a Jan to Sept maturity would be like our Aug to June. Good luck. Report It

Reply:I have always had better luck saving my seeds and then planting them in the spring. They probably won't bloom the first year but they will be ready to bloom the second summer
Reply:Heck, I've just shaken the seeds out on the ground, and new ones come up the next year. And I'm zone 5-6.


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