How to Start Hollyhock
Hollyhocks are popular blooming plants with large, broad leaves and numerous pink, yellow, red, black or purple flowers on long, thin stalks. A favorite among novice gardeners due to their ease of care, hollyhocks grace many gardens across the U.S.
As a biennial, hollyhocks ill bloom the season after planting the seeds. The hollyhocks will drop seeds and grow again annually. Easy to plant and care for, the hollyhock seeds may carry in the wind, causing you to find hollyhocks in areas where you didn't plant them.
- Plant the hollyhocks seeds directly into the garden. These plants do not adjust well to transplantation and grow well from seed outdoors if they are planted between May and September. Be certain the last frost has passed. Hollyhocks planted in September will grow roots during the winter and bloom in the following spring. This first bloom will be a thin one, and the next year's bloom will be much more magnificent.
- Till the ground 6-inches deep. Add 3 inches of organic compost, such as manure, and mix it into the soil. Manure is rich in important nutrients for the seeds and helps the soil to drain well.
- Water the ground well and keep it moist until you see sprouts above the surface. Germination will occur between 14 and 21 days.
- Remove seedlings so they will be spaced 24 inches apart. This will give each plant enough room to grow into mature plants. Expect hollyhocks to grow to at least 6 feet tall.