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Hollyhocks

Ryan180680Ryan180680 Posts: 202
in Plants
When is best to sow seed? Can I start now ready for next year?
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  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    edited July 2018
    What did you have in mind. I won’t sow anything in this hot spell, then I’ll just sow viola and pansy seeds. I will do cuttings of various plants. 

    I’ve  found over the years, there’s no advantage here to sow in the autumn so I will sow in March next year, they all catch up and they’re a constant worry through the winter. 
    There are some seeds that need to be sown and left out for the cold winter snap, so it will depend on what you want. 

    Oops! Didn’t notice you just meant hollyhocks. Can sow in the autumn if you want too. I sow in the spring, 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Ryan180680Ryan180680 Posts: 202
    I really want to grow hollyhocks but by the sounds of it I should leave til next year now
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    What I like to do is sow any perenials in March, then you can keep potting on through the year, then plant out the following year, that way you have nice big plants that the slugs may leave alone. 
    Growing perenials  from seed is a waiting game, but rewarding and cheap, you just have to plan two years ahead what you are going to want. It’s a constant round of sowing and potting. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    I agree with Lyn, although I do like to sow some seed (in cold greenhouse) in the autumn and save some of the seed to sow in the Spring.  I do find the seeds sown in the autumn make good strong plants over the winter, whilst the spring sown seed gets planted out before it has developed into such a strong plant.  That is my experience Ryan.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I don’t plant out my spring sown until the following year, by then they are in big pots and stand a better chance. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I planted some a couple of weeks ago...........potted them on today.
    I will plant them out in late Spring.
  • Ryan180680Ryan180680 Posts: 202
    Thanks for all the info
  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 260
    Best of luck with them! Just be sure to keep a eye out for rust and crack down on it before its too late.
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    @RubyLeaf.........I had to dump all my hollyhock seedlings earlier in the year as i was afraid the rust on their leaves would spread to other plants in the garden or into the soil.  Any tips on what I can do to prevent the rust affecting them again or what I can do in future, besides dumping them?  I do love hollyhocks, and have little seedling already, for flowering next year. 
  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 260
    Mary370 said:
    @RubyLeaf.........I had to dump all my hollyhock seedlings earlier in the year as i was afraid the rust on their leaves would spread to other plants in the garden or into the soil.  Any tips on what I can do to prevent the rust affecting them again or what I can do in future, besides dumping them?  I do love hollyhocks, and have little seedling already, for flowering next year. 
    Whilst on a gardening course I asked my tutor about hollyhocks. For the 2nd year in a row my hollyhocks caught rust. I was told rust can stay in the soil, and to plant no more hollyhocks where I had them for 2-3 years. Its gutting to hear that as I love them and so badly wanted to line the back of the border with them.

    I'm not 100% sure but like how powdery mildew is specific to which plant it infects, hollyhock rust doesn't affect other plant species. 

    IMO I don't think rust resistant varieties are much good. If one hollyhock has it, you can bet all the others will catch it. 

    I hope someone else can give better, more elaborate answers!
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