I grow these every year as well as allow them to naturalise across my plot.
The rust is bad, some years worse than others. 2021 (a wet year down south) was awful, the rust stripped the majority of my plants, this year its not so bad with perhaps 50% of mine unaffected. Stripping rust and burning the affected leaves is recommended, but that's an aesthetic thing more than anything as it wont get rid of it. There was a Hollyhock grower on GW last year and he chose to just ignore it, which was good enough for me!
I tend to choose seeds from strong, unaffected plants and sow now (September) in trays in my greenhouse where germination has always been very good. I then pot on and plant out in the spring. Dependant on their size and the site conditions a fair few of these flower that summer. If they're a bit stunted or conditions are poor they sometimes wait for the following year. Some of those that flower don't always die either and get a sort of secondary foliar growth from the base for another go the next summer so look out for that (I find this can also happen with digitalis and verbascum).
Wild/Garden harvest seeds almost never come true but that's part of their charm. I counted 8 different shades/types in my front garden alone last year from the same batch of seeds. Mostly differing flowers but also leaf shape and texture which was very curious.
The one pictured will almost certainly flower next year and i'd get in in the ground asap. I actually have a few drought delayed ones a similar size that are just starting to flower now...but its been a funny year for that.
Best of luck with them, they're awesome plants.
How do you go about sowing them? Do you cover the seeds with some compost or leave them on the surface?
I sowed some a couple of years back and the germination rate was rubbish.
I don't get too scientific, i simply push the seeds approx. 1cm below the surface of the compost.
I also said 'trays' but the reality is I plant them in cells or small P9 pots nowadays as the trays get too congested (although they have tough roots so are easily separated).
Your poor germination rate is curious as usually they're very reliable. Don't give up and perhaps hedge your bets by keeping some in a cool greenhouse and some outside.
I grow these every year as well as allow them to naturalise across my plot.
The rust is bad, some years worse than others. 2021 (a wet year down south) was awful, the rust stripped the majority of my plants, this year its not so bad with perhaps 50% of mine unaffected. Stripping rust and burning the affected leaves is recommended, but that's an aesthetic thing more than anything as it wont get rid of it. There was a Hollyhock grower on GW last year and he chose to just ignore it, which was good enough for me!
I tend to choose seeds from strong, unaffected plants and sow now (September) in trays in my greenhouse where germination has always been very good. I then pot on and plant out in the spring. Dependant on their size and the site conditions a fair few of these flower that summer. If they're a bit stunted or conditions are poor they sometimes wait for the following year. Some of those that flower don't always die either and get a sort of secondary foliar growth from the base for another go the next summer so look out for that (I find this can also happen with digitalis and verbascum).
Wild/Garden harvest seeds almost never come true but that's part of their charm. I counted 8 different shades/types in my front garden alone last year from the same batch of seeds. Mostly differing flowers but also leaf shape and texture which was very curious.
The one pictured will almost certainly flower next year and i'd get in in the ground asap. I actually have a few drought delayed ones a similar size that are just starting to flower now...but its been a funny year for that.
Best of luck with them, they're awesome plants.
Hi McRazz. I have followed what you do and started sowing seeds inside this month. Germination has been very successful. How much longer would you leave the ones shown below before potting on? I only sowed these a week and a half ago.
The ones at the front are in an insert and when I lift them out there isn’t any roots visible around the outside yet so I’m thinking I should be leaving them at the moment?
They’ve only got seed leaves (cotyledons) at the moment so the won’t have roots yet. They need to have some good ‘proper leaves’ in order for them to have roots.
Those seedlings look very leggy … they’re too warm and not getting enough light. Put them somewhere cooler and brighter or they’ll grow too tall and thin and fall over and be useless.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
They’ve only got seed leaves (cotyledons) at the moment so the won’t have roots yet. They need to have some good ‘proper leaves’ in order for them to have roots.
Those seedlings look very leggy … they’re too warm and not getting enough light. Put them somewhere cooler and brighter or they’ll grow too tall and thin and fall over and be useless.
Thanks. Yeh I think I left the propagator lid on for too long. They are next to the kitchen window so hopefully they should be ok there.
Sowing: I haver never succeeded with sowing indoors/greenhouse. They germinate well but they don't seem to like the transplanting. My best results have been self-sewn. Especially in a gravel area.
Rust: There are some strains that are more resistant to rust. I can't remember which, but read the packet carefully. I just pull the leaves off early.
Flowers: I once grew double hollyhocks. They don't have the style of singles. But worse, in two wet summers they held the water and rotted on the plant. Ugh!
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Sowing: I haver never succeeded with sowing indoors/greenhouse. They germinate well but they don't seem to like the transplanting. My best results have been self-sewn. Especially in a gravel area.
Rust: There are some strains that are more resistant to rust. I can't remember which, but read the packet carefully. I just pull the leaves off early.
Flowers: I once grew double hollyhocks. They don't have the style of singles. But worse, in two wet summers they held the water and rotted on the plant. Ugh!
I bought seeds of Antwerp Mix which are said to be rust resistant. Results dispute that!
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I don't get too scientific, i simply push the seeds approx. 1cm below the surface of the compost.
I also said 'trays' but the reality is I plant them in cells or small P9 pots nowadays as the trays get too congested (although they have tough roots so are easily separated).
Your poor germination rate is curious as usually they're very reliable. Don't give up and perhaps hedge your bets by keeping some in a cool greenhouse and some outside.
I might sow 2/3 seeds per pot as insurance. There are 50 seeds so plenty to use.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
https://www.thebotanicnursery.co.uk/
I haver never succeeded with sowing indoors/greenhouse. They germinate well but they don't seem to like the transplanting. My best results have been self-sewn. Especially in a gravel area.
Rust:
There are some strains that are more resistant to rust. I can't remember which, but read the packet carefully. I just pull the leaves off early.
Flowers:
I once grew double hollyhocks. They don't have the style of singles. But worse, in two wet summers they held the water and rotted on the plant. Ugh!
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."