Propagating hollyhocks is actually a breeze! You just need to know a few tricks about how the seeds germinate and the best way to get them in the ground. I’ve put together the most important tips to help you successfully grow these beauties in your own garden. Before you know it, your backyard paradise will be filled with these stunning, towering blooms.
Here are the best ways to multiply your hollyhocks:
- Let the plants do the work (self-seeding)
- Start seeds indoors early
- Collect and sow seeds yourself
How to make the most of self-seeding
If you leave the faded flowers on your hollyhocks instead of deadheading them, the plant will naturally produce seeds. Now, there is a small trade-off: letting the seeds ripen means the plant might not bloom as vigorously after its second year. On the flip side, you get to enjoy nature’s autopilot! Just wait for new little hollyhock starts to pop up near the mother plant. Once they’re established, you can easily transplant some of them to wherever you want them to grow.
Hollyhocks are happiest when they have:
- A bright, sunny spot
- Nutrient-rich soil
- Protection from strong winds
One thing to keep in mind with this method: hollyhocks come in a rainbow of colors. When you rely on self-seeding, you aren’t always getting “true” seeds. Since bees love to mix things up, you never quite know which traits or colors will be passed down from the mother plant. It’s a bit of a garden surprise—you won’t know for sure what color the new blooms will be until they open!
Can you start hollyhocks indoors?
Absolutely! You can collect the seeds and give them a head start indoors over the winter. First, make sure the seeds are completely dry. Then, plant them in a seed tray with a bit of soil and give them a good watering. In a warm house, these little guys grow fast and will develop long taproots pretty quickly.
Starting them indoors has a pretty cool perk. Usually, hollyhocks spend their first year just growing leaves and don’t bloom until year two. But if you start them inside during the winter, they might actually develop buds and bloom in their very first summer! Just a heads-up, though: indoor-started hollyhocks are often a bit more sensitive and might not be quite as winter-hardy as the ones grown directly outdoors.
Propagating by sowing seeds
For the best results, you can either buy seeds or collect the ripe ones from your plants after the flowering season. Make sure to dry them thoroughly and store them in a cool, dark place. Once the winter chill has passed, you can sow them directly in your garden in the spring. Just pick the perfect spot and tuck them about half an inch (one centimeter) deep into the soil.
