How to Cut Back Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks bring a wealth of color and stature to garden beds. Once their blooms in an ever-increasing range of pinks, reds, yellows and other shades are gone, hollyhock stalks no longer constitute the prettiest thing in the garden. Learn the correct timing and proper storage to turn your stalks into a source of new blooms. Experienced seed-savers counsel patience. Here are some tips to continue your successful growing.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Hollyhock plants
• Clippers
• Paper bags or envelopes to collect seeds

1. Make a decision: to reseed or not to reseed is the question! If you've had your fun and are thinking about planting something different, cut stalks down as soon as blooms fade. This will prevent natural reseeding. Once you've decided on your new plantings, pull out base-leaf clusters. Go to Step 2 to learn how to save the seeds for next year.
2. Save the seeds for next year. Leave stalks in place until seed-pods dry. Papery pods will release seeds. Water regularly if you want to help natural seeding along. Cut down stalks once seeds have self-sown.
3. Take action once seed-pods have dried but not yet opened. Open pods yourself and check that seeds have darkened (white seeds are too immature to harvest). If you have planted an assortment of colors, put the seeds from each plant in a different envelope and label (if you can recall which is which).
4. Store the seed envelopes in a cool, dry place until you can replant in the following spring. Water newly planted seeds.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a favorite color, rest assured that seeds harvested from that plant are quite likely to yield similar results in new plants. There's no guarantee, but chances are good. Have fun!

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