Topic: Is it too late to sow hollyhocks?

[antipodes]

I tried some seedlings that I transplanted but they haven't done too well. Can I sow these directly, and is it too late now?
I have trouble growing flowers :(

[worldor]

Me too. Keep trying though. I love Wall Flowers but have never been able to get them going. This year I have just sprinkled the seed on the flower bed and crossed my fingers.

[sunloving]

Hi
Hollyhocks are biannuals in that they flower ususally in the second year so you would sow the seed mid summer to plant out the next spring.
But if the summer is a long one and we dont get frost until late you might get a flower from this years seed.

If it was me Id sow some anyway for next year and look out for larger plants at the car boot sale to plant out for flowers this year.

good luck
x sunloving

[campanula]

this is a good time to sow your hollyhocks. They will germinate without ectra heat in pots and will make nice size plants for planting out in September to flower next year. Although classed as niennials, i find they are actually short lived perennials. Biggest problem is rust but if you sow new stock every year, you will not be so affected. Chiltern seeds sell them in single colour packets - always nice.

[antipodes]

In pots? hmm I have great trouble with anything that is not straight-sown as pots die when I bring them home to the flat (too hot) and I can't get to the lottie every day to take care of them.. Bit of a catch 22. I will just direct sow and see if any take.

[melann]

i sowed hollyhock seeds last weel in my greenhouse in a tray i have loads of hollyhock plants now :) and its freezing here in sunderland

[campanula]

well you can sow directly into the soil in a nicely prepared nursery bed. I am doing wallflowers and foxgloves now and will do the wallflowers straight into a small bed and lift and replant in Sept. Hollyhocks will do fine in a direct sow.

[pigeonseed]

I have the same problem growing flowers in trays or pots, and I prefer to sow straight in the ground. I think my favourite flower must be single-flowered hollyhocks, and I've always sowed the seed straight into the ground - and I mean sprinkling seeds about a bit, I don't do prepared nursery beds either!

At my old allotment they grew easily, and were no trouble at all. But I brought seed with me when I moved to Hastings, and they haven't been as successful.

They seemed very happy in the dry, poor soil of the old allotment. They can tolerate quite shallow or small amounts of soil too. Perhaps they don't like clay? Or moist soil? What type of soil have you been trying to grow them in?

[campanula]

yep, they seem to like it poor - sandy, well drained.