Content
- Is the hollyhock a perennial plant?
- How do I overwinter my hollyhock?
- Life extension by timely pruning
- The essentials in brief:
- Tips
Hollyhocks are basically perennial but not always hardy
Is the hollyhock a perennial plant?
Usually the Hollyhock is traded as a biennial plant, sometimes it gets older. But often it just seems like that. Then, by self-sowing, a new plant grows unnoticed and replaces the old hollyhock.
Especially among the old varieties, there seem to be some that can grow quite old. However, if a seemingly old Hollyhock suddenly blooms in a different color than last year, then it is a new self-seeded plant. The seeds of the hollyhock germinate so easily and reliably, that something hardly noticeable. If you do not consistently collect the seeds, your hollyhocks will soon spread all over the garden and bloom in locations you would hardly have guessed.
How do I overwinter my hollyhock?
The hollyhock is hardy, but only conditionally. So it tolerates only low frost temperatures. If it gets very cold or if the frost persists for a long time, then the hollyhock should get winter protection. A thick layer of brushwood or foliage is sufficient for hardy varieties.
Some varieties do not tolerate frost. These delicate hollyhocks can hibernate very well in a frost-free greenhouse or in the cellar. The temperature should be between 8 ° C and 12 ° C. About every two weeks pour these plants so that their root ball does not dry out.
Life extension by timely pruning
You can easily extend the life of your Hollyhocks by pruning them in good time. Prevent the seeds from maturing, then the hollyhock drifts again the next year and flowers again. So cut off the withered inflorescences before seed maturity, ideally even before the seeds have formed.
The essentials in brief:
Tips
If your hollyhock is to bloom for several years, then cut off the withered inflorescences before the seeds form in them.