Hollyhocks and mulch

[yotetrapper]

Well, this question really doesnt pertain to only hollyhocks, but any plants that reseed themselves. It it my understanding the hollyhocks are biannuals, and reproduce by reseeding, is that correct?? In other words, after a hollyhock blooms, it dies, right??

So, if you grow hollyhocks, how does that work with mulch?? Wouldnt the mulch prevent the seeds from growing? So can you not use mulch with reseeding plants, or what??

Thanks!!

 

[patandchickens]

I have a bunch of things that will happily self-seed through 1-2" of shredded bark mulch (which is all I usually like to use -- more than that and I feel it absorbs too much rain when we only get a little rain, and my main purpose in mulching is so I don't have to water). Johnny jump-ups, perennial blue flax, veronica, gaura, stuff like that.

I haven't had much self-seed through thicker amounts of shredded bark (like 4"+), although I also don't do that too much. And of course if you use plastic mulch then forget it

Things can actually self-seed into shredded bark on top of landscape fabric or cardboard, btw -- they just grow their roots down *through* the landscape fabric or the rotting cardboard.

Dunno if this really answers your question, and unfortunatley I don't grow hollyhocks so I can't speak to that part of it in particular.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[simple life]

I use the shredded bark mulch and like Pat I don't lay it on too thick, just enought to cover the soil.
I have beatiful tall lush hollyhocks that are growing and blooming like crazy right now.
They came up through whatever was left of last years mulch left over winter.
So hopefully that helps answer your question somewhat.

 

[Tutter]

Pat, that gives me nightmares of the year that we had many bags of seed potatoes; heirlooms.

We were a little late getting to them, and they were early sprouting; bad combination.

They had long shoots going all through the mesh bag. We sat there with little manicuring scissors, for hours, and cut all the netting carefully away, as it looked like they would be cut through as they grew.

I would consider it a loss at this point in my life, no matter what kind of potato it was.

Ugh!

 

[mirime]

I'm so envious, Natalie. Hollyhocks are actually my fav flower but I cannot seem to grown them

 

[yotetrapper]

Thanks!! I have 3 hollyhocks I planted this year in my regular perennial bed, which has thick wood chip mulch. Sounds like I'd better move them.

I've always wanted to plant something tall along my chicken run. One year, not thinking, I planted 200 glads along the run. The fencing I use has 2" x 3" holes. Needless to say that didnt work LOL, they ate them down to nothing! So I abandonned my planting idea. This year, I found the solution by accident. I put in a bunch of little chicks into my pen, and they were escaping through the 2x3" holes, so I was forced to fence in the bottom of the run with 1" chicken wire. Now nobody can poke their heads out, so I can plant!! Guess I'll move my three hollyhocks over there now. How fast do holly hocks multiply? Wondering how many I need to buy. Can the ones that come up on their own be moved once they do??

 

[simple life]

The ones I have now just get bigger and bushier every year, they haven't spread to new plants. I have had others that have spread but they don't get out of control. I have moved them and they do well. Sometimes when you move any plant they don't look so hot for a while but they usually come back nice and healthy looking.
Since hollyhocks are bi-ennial you might want to plant some every year for a couple of years to ensure that you always have some bloom every summer.
Having said that, I have a hollyhock in my front yard that is gorgeous, I bought it last year and it bloomed all summer.
This year it came back in full force. I talked to someone at the nursery and he told me that they are producing a perrenial strain and that may be what I got.
I love hollyhocks.They are an oldfashioned plant that is tall and blooms profusely, my kind of plant,

mirime, I wonder if its just your location. Have your tried planting them around different parts of the yard?
Have you bought an established plant? Maybe that would help if you have only been planting seeds.
I have done both. Sometimes they do well in one area and terrible in another. I planted seeds one time and I had all these lovely hollyhocks all summer and then I never saw them again.
Gardening can be hit or miss with some things. I would try them again, get some plants and put them in different areas. The one that is doing the best right now is in full sun in a border around the front of the house.

 

[mirime]

Hey Natalie - thanks for the encouragement. I will try again! I put them in what I had thought was the sunniest spot in our yard, but they ended up all rusty. I live in Ohio, with lots of clay, so I'll have to research more about the type of soil, etc and give it another go.

We also have a huge black walnut in our backyard, which, depending on my mood, gets on the cut-down immediately list, and I wonder if the root poison it spews also affected the hollyhocks.

Because we're building a fence around our backyard (our yard isn't large by BYC or EG standards, but it is for us! about 72 x 130 ft) - we're ripping board to width and length and it's taking some time and energy - I have left some gardening to the wayside until that project is done.

Gosh I'm chatty today! :rose