Large, delicate flowers in strong colors: hollyhocks are a real eye-catcher in every garden. However, so that the beautiful mallows are pleasing to the eye next year, they should be sown in the bed now. We explain how to sow hollyhocks and what needs to be taken into account.
Sow hollyhocks: Harvest the seeds in mid-August
Admittedly, the blooming hollyhocks are real eye-catchers. With good care, the flowering period extends from mid-summeruntil autumninto it. Fruit formation begins at the beginning of August. Mid-August is the right time to harvest and sow the seeds of the flowering mallows.
Wait for the fruit capsules to open - this is a sure sign that you are ready to harvest the seeds. Collect them and scatter them on newspaper. Allow the seeds to dry overnight and then store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Demands on location and soil
Before you sow the hollyhocks, you should find a suitable location in the garden. The permanent bloomers prefer a place in full sun. However, they need wind protection, otherwise their stems can break. It is advantageous if the flower bed is also protected from rain.
As far as soil requirements are concerned: a humus-rich soil proves to be optimal. Good drainage is an absolute must so that waterlogging does not form and the roots do not rot. Otherwise, the mallows are very easy to care for and undemanding.
Sowing hollyhocks: the most important things at a glance
A few days before sowing, you can loosen the soil in the flower bed a little. This is necessary because the young plants initially form very fine roots. If the soil is too clayey, the mallows cannot take root and die.
Hollyhocks are very sensitive as young plants and cannot tolerate root competition well. You should therefore first destroy weeds in the bed and only then sow the seeds.
If necessary, you can add coarse sand to help the water drain away better. If necessary, you can additionally fertilize the bed with compost or humus.
The hollyhocks are dark germinators. So dig several small holes about ten millimeters deep at a distance of 50 cm. First fill some potting soil into each hole and then place the seeds.
You can put the seeds into the hole in groups of three. Not all three seeds in one hole are likely to germinate and sprout. However, if you see next year that the young plants are growing too close together, you can dig up the sickly and weak specimens and replant them.
Then water the seeds vigorously and cover them with soil. Now is the time to make a sketch with all the plants in the flower bed and mark the mallows on it.
Proper care after sowing
The seeds get through the winter well without any special care and then germinate in spring. In the first year, the young plants develop their roots and leaves. They only bloom from the second year onwards. In this country, hollyhocks are grown as two-year-oldsFlowers drawn. But they can also please the hobby gardener's eye for much longer with their splendid flowers. It is particularly important that the flowers are cut back close to the ground after the first bloom.
However, if you grow hollyhocks as perennial flowers, you should check them regularly for diseases and pests. The young plants are often attacked by fungi. However, you can avoid this if you transplant the mallows in spring, immediately after they sprout. The minimum distance between individual plants is 50 cm. You should also make sure that the flower bed is not planted too densely.
Always water the hollyhocks from below. The leaves and flowers should remain dry. Wet leaves provide the best conditions for fungi to multiply.
Prune in late summer and fall on a warm, sunny day. Open interfaces are entry points for germs, which spread quickly when it rains
What can you do if the young plants are attacked by a disease? React as quickly as possible, cut off the diseased plant parts and dispose of them with household waste. You can also get advice at the garden center. If all the young plants die, you should sow the mallow seeds in another bed next year. Fungi in particular remain in the soil for a long time and can attack new young plants.
Sowing hollyhock hybrids: Is that possible?
In garden centers you can find hollyhocks that are resistant to most fungal diseases. However, these are hybrid plants that cannot be sown.
In contrast, “real” hollyhocks can sow themselves. Cut off all but 2-3 fruit capsules before the seeds become ready to harvest indoors. Leave the remaining three on the plant. In mid-August to mid-September these will open and release the seeds.
The hollyhocks are beautiful flowers withimpressive large flowers, which provide food for pollinating insects. At the end of summer you can harvest the seeds from the fruit capsules and plant them in the flower bed. Choosing the right location is crucial for success. The mallows prefer a sunny spot in the garden. Since they grow very tall - sometimes up to 2 meters high - the stems can break in strong winds. Wind protection is therefore crucial. Otherwise the flowers are easy to care for.
