Q&A for How to Grow Hollyhocks

No, they don't. Hollyhocks will bloom once per year in the summer for several weeks.

Hollyhocks need full sun to grow. About 6-8 hours of sun per day is best for this plant.

Hollyhocks are a short-lived perennial. They generally won't flower the first year after planting, and then usually live 2-3 years.

It depends on your region and climate. Typically, plan to sow seeds outside about 1 week before the last frost.

Trim yellowing or dead leaves off your hollyhocks. If you space your hollyhocks well, it helps decrease the incidence of rust.

Yes, hollyhocks are very prone to rust. Strip off any leaves showing rust and destroy them. It's best to plant them at the back of borders where unsightly leaves will be hidden. Cornmeal scattered around the base of the plant may help with this problem.

If kept dry and cold, hollyhock seeds can definitely last two or three years, and sometimes as many as six (with a much lower germination rate). If you see any weevils or mold, the seeds are not viable. Throw them in the trash in a sealed container to avoid contaminating your garden.

Plant the bare root hollyhock in early spring, preferably as soon as you receive it. Hold the plant in a wide hole with the taproot pointing downward, and gently spread out the other roots. Fill the hole with soil to just below the crown, where the roots and stem meet. Tamp the soil down with your hand, then water in thoroughly. (Note to other readers: most common hollyhock varieties are biennial, and not available as bare root plants.)

Once a hollyhock has grown its taproot, it is very difficult to transplant without harm. If the plant has been around long enough to seed, check the base of the plant for seedlings and transplant them instead. Either way, late fall is the best time to transplant, followed by early spring.

Go outside at night with a torch and find out what is eating your plants. If it's spider mites or aphids, make a solution of water, dishwashing liquid, oil and cayenne pepper, and spray it on the plants. If it's weevils or snails, remove every last bug and kill them in any way you're comfortable with.

You would need giant pots. The plant needs space and due to its height, it would knock the pot over.

They might be a biennial, blooming next year.

Sometimes the bud is too heavy for the plant, so it will fall off. Being in a windy area can contribute to this.

Only if it needs trimming.

The best solution is to fence your yard but you need the right kind of fence. I have found that fences that give the appearance of being both high and wide are best. This means knowing your local codes. Where I live the maximum solid privacy fence is 5'. The town will give you a variance to put open fencing above it and will also give a variance to build any trellis either at the top of your fence or inside it. Growing vines on top gives the impression of extra width.

Yes.

The average height of a hollyhock is 8 or 9 feet. The world record height for a hollyhock is 28 feet.

Heat averaging 70-110 degrees with low humidity.

Yes, those pods are the flowers prior to blooming.

I transfer to a bigger pot when my plant seems to be root bound. If all the water (when watering) comes out the drainage holes very quickly, the roots are in need of more soil and it is time to re-pot.