More Hollyhocks

[Patrushka]

Thanks Annie. I didn't think people fed them but I really wasn't sure because I have never grown them myself. The first year I tried they didn't come back in the spring. At least this year they came back. I wintersowed more this year. Maybe the third time is a charm and these will come back and bloom.

[kHT]

Pat, I hit them in spring with one dose of fertilizer (20-20-20) when I see them popping up from their winter nap. Other than that I may water once a week if we don't get rain. The Whites & Red by the mailbox are close to the roses so they also
may have gotten alpha pellets and they this year are huge. I'm thinking that might work for them all. I have a clump just west of the old greenhouse that are thicker than the others and it stays warmer due to being heated all winter in this area.
Hope this helps.

[Gardentoad]

I have some hollyhocks that a friend gave me the seeds in fall 2005 that took 3 years to bloom.I scattered them outside and they came up first in spring 2006. They are just the old fashioned single bloom ones.
When they came up but didn't bloom in 2007, which was their second year I was really disappointed but this year I got the blooms for the first time. She said that was normal.

[Patrushka]

Thank you Karma and Gardentoad. I'll try a bit of fertilizer or alfalfa pellets on the new batch in the spring and I'll just be patient with these. I was afraid that if they didn't bloom this year that was it and they would not return next year. It's reassuring to hear that yours bloomed the third year GT.

[Ginger]

Pat,
See what happens next year. Maybe they are just slow My old fashioned did really well for 4 years, but they did not come back this year and I am not sure why.

Ginger

[Patrushka]

Thanks Ginger. I'll just be patient and see what happens next year.

[Ed_B]

I love the hollyhocks Pat
one of the prettiest blooms on the plant world

[tsneal]

Beautiful..love them!