Eww eww EWW!!! Hollyhock Weevils!

[wifezilla]

They are in all my seed pods! From what I have read Sevin Dust is my only help. Anyone have any experience with these creepy things???

 

[lesa]

Eeeek! Can you take a picture? I have never seen anything on my hollyhocks, except mold! Here in upstate NY with all the rain, it was a horrible year for hollyhocks...

 

[wifezilla]

My camera can't focus that close, but imagine breaking open a seed pod and seeing 6 of these...

 

[vfem]

ewwwwwwwwwww

 

[prism]

I decided to save some hollyhock seeds this year. A spider came running out of about every 3rd/4th pod as I was breaking it off the plant. Never saw any weevils though. I don't know of a natural control for weevils. Sorry. You are in my thoughts and I will keep my eyes open for a solution.

 

[sparkles2307]

So, how do I know when my hollyhocks are ready for me to pick off the seed pods and how do I save the seeds? I have 2 huge pink ones that look like peonies the flowers are so big and I want to plant them all along my house...

ETA: Sorry for the hyjack!

 

[prism]

So, how do I know when my hollyhocks are ready for me to pick off the seed pods and how do I save the seeds? I have 2 huge pink ones that look like peonies the flowers are so big and I want to plant them all along my house...

ETA: Sorry for the hyjack!

sparkles, I just wrote an article on general seed saving but used my hollyhocks as an example of seeds that dry in a pod on the plant. You want to let the pod dry really well. The picture in the article will show you how they should look.

http://www.xomba.com/save_seeds_save_money_save_life

I have read that hollyhocks should be "chilled" before germinating but have not seen recommendations for length of time. Assuming hollyhocks are one of the plants that will self-seed which means the seeds would be exposed to the elements all winter, keeping them in the fridge to chill for the winter is a good bet. However, I also read a results report of 9 year old seeds that were kept at room temperature and had a 37% germination rate. I thought that was a good percentage for the age of the seed but maybe it would have been higher if the seeds had been pre-chilled also.

I would love to see your hollyhocks! Can you get a picture? Are they the double variety? I planted a peach double that is very pretty and different than the singles in size. They are smaller plants and flowers.

 

[prism]

They are in all my seed pods! From what I have read Sevin Dust is my only help. Anyone have any experience with these creepy things???

Are you going to save the seeds? I just read that putting them in the freezer for a couple of weeks will kill the weevils and eggs.

 

[wifezilla]

I have another stand that appears to be weevil-free. I have plenty from that part of the yard so I wont save any from the infested part.

 

[sparkles2307]

So, how do I know when my hollyhocks are ready for me to pick off the seed pods and how do I save the seeds? I have 2 huge pink ones that look like peonies the flowers are so big and I want to plant them all along my house...

ETA: Sorry for the hyjack!

sparkles, I just wrote an article on general seed saving but used my hollyhocks as an example of seeds that dry in a pod on the plant. You want to let the pod dry really well. The picture in the article will show you how they should look.

http://www.xomba.com/save_seeds_save_money_save_life

I have read that hollyhocks should be "chilled" before germinating but have not seen recommendations for length of time. Assuming hollyhocks are one of the plants that will self-seed which means the seeds would be exposed to the elements all winter, keeping them in the fridge to chill for the winter is a good bet. However, I also read a results report of 9 year old seeds that were kept at room temperature and had a 37% germination rate. I thought that was a good percentage for the age of the seed but maybe it would have been higher if the seeds had been pre-chilled also.

I would love to see your hollyhocks! Can you get a picture? Are they the double variety? I planted a peach double that is very pretty and different than the singles in size. They are smaller plants and flowers.

Thanks for the tips! I will try to get a pic, the blossoms are falling off so I will get one tonight. Its "Peaches N Dreams" from Michigan bulb...but didnt come out peach it came out barbie pink and double-triple ruffled and just grand About 7 ft tall I would say with solid blooms on the top 4 ft of the stalk. I never had hollyhocks before and am in LOOOOOVE now