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Posted By: angelblossom Hollyhocks - October 17th, 2006 at 05:35 AM
Last spring I planted holly hocks they have grown nicely and I understood they probably would'nt bloom the first year.

Now,, do I cut back it back and mulch it over untill next spring or let it die on it's own this winter??? It is still very green and is still growing (adding new large leaves by the week).. Duh
Posted By: netty Re: Hollyhocks - October 17th, 2006 at 05:57 AM
I usually just leave them and cut off any dead foliage in the spring.
You do know that Hollyhocks are biennial? If you want flowers the following year you should plant more seeds now.
Posted By: angelblossom Re: Hollyhocks - October 17th, 2006 at 06:36 AM
Okay Now I'm confused Netty. If I don't plant seeds with the ones growing now ;then the ones growing now won't bloom in the spring?? I didn't plant seeds I planted Bulbs Or simulair wellll I can't think of what their called shocked lala laugh
Posted By: Triss Re: Hollyhocks - October 17th, 2006 at 06:45 AM
Diane, With hollyhocks, it is good to plant every year. That way you get blooms each year instead of every other year. The ones you have now will bloom next year. The ones you plant now will bloom the year after and so on.
Posted By: angelblossom Re: Hollyhocks - October 17th, 2006 at 06:52 AM
OHHHHHHHHH Okay!!Got cha'! kissies
Posted By: Vera_M Re: Hollyhocks - October 21st, 2006 at 12:08 AM
I gotta step in on this one LOL!

Not ALL Hollyhock are biennial...many can and do live as short lived perennials and some DO bloom from seed the first year; "Indian Summer" is one that will. The same goes for certain species of Foxglove. The species I keep have been perennial for me for 5 years. I remove all seed pods long before they have formed mature seed and dispose of them to prevent re-seeding...so yes, I'm speaking from experience here laugh

They are hardy to zone 3 and do just fine without mulching. In summer I cut back all the flowering stalks down into the foliage for a nice fluch of new leaves and a fall re-bloom.
Also try this trick...I believe you will like it especially in windy areas! To create a HH that is fuller, shorter and more compact with several flowring stems, cut the first flowering stems (before they flower) down into the foliage. They will bloom later and be more attractive laugh

Vera

Vera
Posted By: Deborah L. Re: Hollyhocks - October 21st, 2006 at 12:41 AM
Vera, how tall do hollyhocks get? I remember them from childhood and they seemed giant to me.
I haven't seen any since. Might be fun for me to grow some !
Posted By: angelblossom Re: Hollyhocks - October 21st, 2006 at 01:57 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Vera_M:
I gotta step in on this one LOL!

Not ALL Hollyhock are biennial...many can and do live as short lived perennials and some DO bloom from seed the first year; "Indian Summer" is one that will. The same goes for certain species of Foxglove. The species I keep have been perennial for me for 5 years. I remove all seed pods long before they have formed mature seed and dispose of them to prevent re-seeding...so yes, I'm speaking from experience here laugh

They are hardy to zone 3 and do just fine without mulching. In summer I cut back all the flowering stalks down into the foliage for a nice fluch of new leaves and a fall re-bloom.
Also try this trick...I believe you will like it especially in windy areas! To create a HH that is fuller, shorter and more compact with several flowring stems, cut the first flowering stems (before they flower) down into the foliage. They will bloom later and be more attractive laugh

Vera

Vera
Hi Vera wavey I don't know which kind I have grinnnn
Posted By: kennyso Re: Hollyhocks - October 21st, 2006 at 03:31 AM
Just a word of caution, be very careful if you want to store seeds cuz 99.99999% of the time (from my exprience) there are weevils inside and if you keep them in a plastic bag, you will see them appear in a few days, YUCK!
Posted By: angelblossom Re: Hollyhocks - October 21st, 2006 at 05:15 AM
eeeuuuuwwwww thanks Kenny for the 411 on that!! eek
Posted By: tkhooper Re: Hollyhocks - October 21st, 2006 at 05:16 AM
I guess the wevils haven't found me yet. My hollyhocks last year and this year were pretty bug free. But that may just have been because the bees loved the hollyhocks and the japanese beattles loved the cleome. And the spider mites loved the marigolds. Funny how that worked isn't it.
Posted By: tkhooper Re: Hollyhocks - October 21st, 2006 at 05:17 AM
I guess the wevils haven't found me yet. My hollyhocks last year and this year were pretty bug free. But that may just have been because the bees loved the hollyhocks and the japanese beattles loved the cleome. And the spider mites loved the marigolds. Funny how that worked isn't it.
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