Keep hollyhocks in the bucket: sow and cultivate in the pot

Balcony gardeners cultivate hollyhocks in the tub in order to enjoy the romantic magic of flowers far away from the bed and cottage garden. For ambitious plant lovers, it is a matter of honor to grow the opulent summer flowers by hand. Important framework conditions must be observed so that the cultivation of hollyhocks in pots becomes a successful horticultural project. Relevant criteria are the best time, perfect tools and accessories, ideal germination temperature, optimal location and careful care. These instructions explain in a practical way how to sow and grow Alcea rosea behind glass in an exemplary manner.

Keep hollyhocks in the bucket

Best time

The ideal time window for sowing opens in late summer and stays open until February. With this choice of dates, it is guaranteed that majestic hollyhocks in magnificent flower garments will be in the bucket right on time for the start of the next season. As a biennial perennial, the picturesque mallow plants only form a rosette of leaves as a floral foundation in the first year. In the second year, a sturdy stalk with the longed-for flower pods rises from it. Later growing in the pot from March / April can therefore delay the first flowering period to the next year's season.

tip: Sowing Alcea rosea seeds in spring pots noticeably reduces the failure rate. A hollyhock that has been brought forward is moved into the bucket along with the protective spring pot so that the sensitive taproot is not affected.

Tools and accessories

Certified seeds from specialist retailers leave no doubt about the subsequent flower result. Alternatively, just ask your gardener friend about ripe capsule fruits that are formed from the withered flowers of a hollyhock. Each capsule contains numerous seeds with a handy size of up to 8 millimeters. Of course, it remains a secret until the beginning of the flowering period in which color and flower shape your preferred Alcea rosea will be presented. However, there is no guesswork about the right tools and accessories for skilful cultivation:

• Cultivation soil (ideally Coconut fiber substrate or peat-free seed soil)
• small pots with a diameter of at least 9 cm and a bottom opening
• Pottery shards, grit or expanded clay balls
• Covering material (clear film and household rubbers or glass plates)
• Watering can with shower attachment
• Mini pricking set (pricking stick, shovel and rake in small format)
• self-adhesive labels, pen

Meticulous cleanliness is the decisive factor for a splendid result. Please clean all tools carefully with hot water and soap. If you use potting soil with humic components, we recommend disinfecting it in the oven. Pour the substrate into a fire-proof bowl, spray it with water and loosely put a lid on. At 80 to 120 degrees top and bottom heat, all pathogens that could be hidden in the earth are destroyed within 30 minutes. Coconut fiber substrate comes naturally germ-free therefore, so that this step is not necessary.

Sowing instructions

Put the seeds and work materials on a table within easy reach. An old blanket acts as a dirt trap. Gloves are not mandatory because hollyhocks and their seeds are not poisonous. At the beginning, please put a drainage in each pot as protection against waterlogging. Even a pottery shard over the floor opening is enough to allow excess water to run off. Alternatively, spread a thin layer of fine-grain chippings or expanded clay balls. How to proceed:

• Fill two thirds to three quarters of each pot with potting soil
• Moisten the substrate thoroughly with a fine shower of soft, well-stale water
• Use a prick stick to press a 1 cm deep seed hole in the middle of the substrate
• ideally, create two seed holes 5 cm apart in each pot
• Place the seeds in a seed trough, cover with moist soil and press down
• Pull the cling film or foil bag over the edge of the pot and fix it with household rubber
• Attach a label with the name of the plant and the date of sowing to each pot

The seeds of Alcea rosea are Dark germso a 1 to 1.5 cm thick substrate layer is important for smooth germination. Lightly pressing the earth ensures a good connection to the soil. The transparent cover also plays a key role. A local, humid and warm microclimate is formed, which helps the germination of hollyhock seeds on the jumps. We recommend a foil bag as the ideal hood for growing fast-growing hollyhocks in the bucket. In contrast to cling film or a sheet of glass, a plastic bag can grow with you, at least in the initial phase. Foil or glass plate must give way early to avoid contact with the germinal platelets.

Location and germination temperature

A bright, not full sun location offers seeds and seedlings ideal framework conditions. Although Alcea rosea is one of the sun worshipers, direct sunlight causes young plants to perish as long as a complete root system has not yet developed. Comfortable temperatures of 20 ° C to 22 ° C guarantee rapid germination within 14 to 21 days. If the thermometer falls below 18 ° C, you will look in vain for the germ layers.

Care for hollyhocks in the tub

Ventilate the cover on each nursery pot daily to prevent mold from forming. On this occasion, check the moisture content in the substrate. To do this, press a finger a few millimeters into the earth. If you do not feel any moisture, spray the substrate with soft, room warm water. Young hollyhocks are not given fertilizers at this stage of growth. The leaner the earth, the more your pupils strive for a strong root system. If at least three pairs of leaves have formed over the cotyledons, a first dose of diluted liquid fertilizer will stimulate growth. From this point on, please provide each hollyhock with a supportive stick.

Note: If you prefer hollyhocks behind glass, a period of acclimatization will begin at the beginning of May. Therefore, place the potted plants outside in a partially shaded, warm location during the day. Allow the flowers in the evening by mid / end of May to avoid the risk of late ground frosts.

Potting

The longer a young hollyhock can stay in the nursery pot, the easier it is to switch to the tub. If a seedling has completely rooted its pot and the first root strands are even peeking out of the opening in the bottom, then the last step of cultivation is on the program. Please choose a bucket with a diameter of 40 centimeters and a bottom opening as a water drain. A peat-free, nutrient-rich and well-drained potted plant soil paves the way for vital, flower-rich growth. How to do it right:

• create a 5-10 cm high drainage in the bucket
• Fill in substrate up to a pouring edge of 5 cm
• Dig a planting trough by hand or with a shovel
• Insert the support rod into the ground next to the hollow
• Pot off the hollyhock that you have grown and plant in the middle
• Pour thoroughly until the first drops run out of the bottom opening

It is important to note that the previous planting depth of your young hollyhock remains unchanged. Therefore, please pay special attention to the taproots when repotting and repotting. Root strands should not be kinked or damaged in any other way. The nutrient stocks in the substrate cover the requirements for about four weeks. Hollyhocks then benefit from a rich liquid fertilizer in the bucket, which you add to the irrigation water at intervals of 10 to 14 days.