Hollyhock seeds or Alcea are eye-pretty, spectacular flowering plants that have been adorning gardens from as early as the 15th century. Most of these plants grow naturally in Europe and Asia but they have been adopted in gardens all over the world. Lovely hollyhocks with their spikes of multicolored flowers are popular in conventional as well as contemporary garden designs. The most interesting part of hollyhocks might be the seeds that are used for propagating such plants and flowers. This article explains important information on hollyhock seeds such as the type, how to plant them, how to take care of it, and how to maintain it.
Table of Contents
What Are Hollyhock Seeds?
Seeds of the hollyhock are the reproductive structures of the hollyhock plant. They are usually small flat seeds of brown or black color and normally have a rough texture. The seeds grow in the plant’s spent flowers, where they dry when the seeds develop and are released. In particular, seeds are important for growers willing to obtain hollyhocks for their plantations, as seeds can be used as a cheap and effective means for obtaining new individuals.
Perennial Hollyhock Species and Seeds Types
Hollyhocks seeds come in myriad forms: White and yellow, pink, red, purple, and even black flowering forms are available. These flowers are simple and can either be single or double-petaled and the size and the shape of the blooms also differ with the cultivar of the plant. The most common varieties include:
- Single Hollyhocks – These flowers have one row of petals and are usually the wild type of flower.
- Double hollyhocks – These are more attractive in that they consist of many layers of petals and hence making the flower appearing much bigger.
- Dwarf Hollyhocks – A much smaller plant than the standard sized hollyhocks that is great for the smaller garden.
- To choose wild hollyhocks, they are the natural species of hollyhocks and these are most likely to withstand droughts.
These varieties produce seeds of nearly equal sizes, and the seeds may differ in terms of size and shape. It usually forms a small disc-like structure or flattened bead and is comparatively large and can conveniently be picked up by hand after the flowers have set.
The Advantages of Sowing Hollyhocks from Seed
Growing hollyhocks from seed offers several advantages for gardeners:
Easier to Find – Seeds are easier to get your hands on as compared to plants as they do not require as much care when handling.
Variety – Whenever one is growing hollyhocks from seed, one is offered a very wide option to try different colors and forms.
Healthier Plants – By planting hollyhocks seeds, you are able to select and grow only healthy vigor plants.
Longer Flowering Time – Growing hollyhocks seeds means that you can plant at different times, hence allowing the plants to flower at different times into the year, and through the fall.
Methods of picking – Hollyhock Seeds
It is quite easy to collect seeds from hollyhock but the important factor that should be observed isthe time when the seeds are ripe enough. Here’s how you can collect them:
Wait for the Flowers to Dry – When the withered and the petals drop off, the seed pods will start to form. These pods should be left on the plant as long as necessary for them to dry completely.
Look at the Seed Pods – Upon the pod develops a brown scaly exterior, use your hands to tap them and if they sound hollow, this is an indication that it’s time to harvest the seeds.
Reaping the Seeds – After the seed heads have dried, they should be harvested from the plant and the pod teased open to let the seeds fall out. Be careful not to touch any area of the body to the gloves or wash your hands to prevent skin itching from any dried portions of the plant.
Storage – Keep the seeds in a clean cool and dry place until you wish to grow them. Pack them in a paper envelope or any other container that permits some flow of air. When sown, hollyhock seeds should germinate within one year of being properly stored.
How to Plant Hollyhock Seeds
They are easy to grow from seed, either in seed trays in a warm, sunny windowsill or in individual pots in the garden. The possibilities of the plan’s success are defined solely by the creation of favorable conditions for germination and further development.
One advantage of beginning to grow hollyhock seeds indoors is that it helps the plant to grow in advance. Here’s how you can do it:
Timing- Hollyhock Seeds
Plant your seeds 6-8 weeks before the time of the last frost in your region. Instead, this will provide the plants enough time to grow before moving them outdoors through transplanting.
Pre-sowing preparation – Hollyhock Seeds
It is possible to scarify hollyhock seeds by making some small incisions on the surface of the seed to help the seed easily soak water during germination process. This is most useful where the seeds have a hard outer shell since using the usual pointed end can often be ineffective as the seed just rolls around when you try to plant it. There is also some soaking the seeds in warm water for about 24 hours to enhance germination.
Sowing – Hollyhock Seeds
Place seeds in a seed tray or small pots and fill the pots with a good drainage media. Spread the seeds on the surface of the soil and with a flat base of your hand, press it gently onto the ground. Do not sow hollyhock seeds very deeply because they need light in order to be able to grow.
Irrigation – Hollyhock Seeds
To avoid over watering allow the soil to remain with moisture up to the recommended depth. The tray should be stored in a warm opened area, away from direct sunlight and should ideally be stored at around 70 degrees F (or approximately 21 degrees C).
Transplanting – Hollyhock Seeds
When the seedlings have grown to 3-4 leaves and are sturdy enough to withstand any treatment, harden them off by taking them through the conditions of the other part of the country or region. You can then transplant them into the garden after one or two weeks from sowing the seed.
Direct Sowing Outdoors
It is also sown directly in the garden, although this may result in no flowers the first year if planted in the late summer or the fall. Here’s how:
Choosing Location – Select a soil that has good drainage ability and has a good fertility, lots of sunlight is also important. Prepare the soil to an inch below 6 and add compost or well rotted manure on top of the soil.
Spear Farming – Plant seeds directly on the soil, leaving between 30-46cm space between each plant. Push them gently into the ground to get the best contact.
Irrigation and Protection – When sowing the seeds, the area should be damp until the seed emerges. Once the plants are mature enough they can be quite forgiving of the lack of moisture but they do like to be watered occasionally.
How to take care of them
When your hollyhocks seeds are in place, they will require tender loving care if you want the flowers to bloom in their bright colors. Here are a few tips for keeping your hollyhocks healthy:
Irrigation – Despite the fact that the hollyhocks are somewhat involved in water conservation throughout most of the year, they are still very responsive to moderate irrigation needs throughout the growing period.
Water at the root part so that you do not wet the leaves, which are conducive to fungal infections.
Fertilizing – Hollyhocks can be fertilized just once in spring although the application should be a minimal one at that. Choose a slow-release and balanced fertilizer or a phosphorus-rich fertilizer to support a sturdy bloom.
Pruning – To stimulate the formation of another bud, remove faded and blackened flowers and bracts repeatedly. One can also trim the plant to its base after the blooming period to assist it regrow and starting the successive period.
Soll Servic – One should keep an eye on such pests as aphids and Japanese beetles. This is solved by hand picking them off or using insecticidal soap. Another disease that affects hollyhocks is rust hence spacings should be well provided to enhance free air circulation.
Mulching – A layer of mulch placed around the base of the plants will encourage the soil to retain water, suppress the growth of weeds, and reduce heat’s effect on roots.
Hollyhocks seeds in Different Climates
Hollyhocks are for the most part tender in departments of agriculture 3-9 yet, they flourish best in regions with moderate winters and warm summers. Hollyhocks can be biennial or perennial but in regions where there are cold winters, the plants may have to be grown as annuals or be moved indoors over the winter. In warmer climates hollyhocks either flower earlier and may well carry on flowering until the onset of the fall season.
Hollyhock Seeds – Conclusion
Hollyhocks are truly beautiful flowers for your garden, and learning how to grow them from seeds is very enlightening. If you are saving seeds from your own flowers or starting seed, these flowers come in a virtually endless supply of colors and forms for any garden type. Proper attention and care and hollyhocks will bloom for years giving gardeners who start the seeds from scratch a sense of achievement.
FAQs about Hollyhock Seeds
1. Hmmm how many days do hollyhock seeds take to germinate?
Thus, under optimal conditions, it only takes Hollyhock seeds 10-14 days to germinate. These will take a little longer, particularly in relation to the temperature and moisture content surrounding them.
2. When can I plant hollyhock seeds?
Indeed it is possible to sow hollyhock seeds in the fall if the area experiences very mild winters. But note they may not bloom until the next year.
3. What type of flowers are hollyhocks, annual or perennial flowers or shrubs?
Most hollyhocks are classified biennials which means they grow in the second year and die after flowering. However, some of them may behave as perennials in the warmer climates.
4. When is the best time to try to harvest hollyhock seeds?
Hollyhock seed heads should be harvested when the seed pods are brown and dry, and when you can hear the seeds moving inside when the pod is shaken.
5. Does hollyhocks require exposure to a lot of sun?
Indeed, hollyhocks do well with full sun exposure, which increases their height and bright red-colored flowers.
6. Before we talk about growing hollyhocks in containers it is important to know what type of hollyhocks you are going to grow.
Although hollyhocks can be grown in containers, they need a big container in order to accommodate deep-rooted systems. They also require good amounts of sunlight and soil that will not waterlog for long.d a big container in order to accommodate deep-rooted systems. They also require good amounts of sunlight and soil that will not waterlog for long.
