With thanks to our resident gardener Stephen Lee
Hollyhock
The July borders in our gardens in this month are bursting at the seams with glorious flamboyant plants. Identifying just one plant is difficult as you want to talk about them all! However, A plant with majestic spires and a wide array of colours and forms are the Hollyhocks.
These plants grown from seed and will flower within eighteen months from seed. The seed can be bought but there are just so many that flower in people gardens that seed is readily available. Only collect the seed capsules once the capsule has turned brown. Inside you will find a whole load of flat seeds. Please note that collecting your own seed does not guarantee the colour. Bought seed usually does. Store these seeds in a dry frost-free place.
Once spring arrives (March) sow the seed in pots and within weeks these will germinate. Prick them out and further down the line pot up into larger containers. This plant can be planted out early summer to grow on for a display of flowers the following year.
There are two types of hollyhocks, Single flowered and double flowered. The double flowered types are usually shorter than the single varieties. Growing to five feet, whereas the single flowered types can way exceed six or more feet. The singles have two types too one being a plain colour and the Halo strain with the center of the flower a dark ring of colour to the rest of the flower. They usually start flowering in July and can continue well into October in some years and staking maybe required.
Plant Hollyhocks in a sunny position in good well drained soil. However, these can often be seen growing in rough areas perfectly well.
Hollyhocks generally suffer from a fungal disease called rust. This primarily effects the leaves. Although you can spray from his fungal problem, I have often found that not treating doesn’t affect the flowering or growth. So I recommend just removing the leaves and burning or recycling them.
Below is a gallery of pictures relating to July
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