Garden

[Campion]

Hollyhocks aren't that fussy (they are kind of a weed in a way--related to mallows and okra, cotton and hibiscus.) They like compost and a slow-release, high-phosphorus fertilizer such as a 16-20-0 blend.

IN GENERAL (as has been pointed out here) flowering plants like phosphorus and too much nitrogen leads to great leafy things but no blooms.

We used to have a mantra; nitrogen for leaves, potash for roots, phosphorus for blooms.

By the way, a very pretty combination of flowers is tall hollyhocks and monarda (bee balm) in front. The bee balm are red (frequently) and you can mix with pale pink hollyhocks or those black ones that I just love. Or the white with red centers.

I'm not a great gardener (the last two places I've lived have had bad soil and a bad exposure and layout) but I'd love to plant these next year on the side of the house with sun.

[bells4me]

I have Hollyhocks everywhere. The seeds must blow because my neighbor planted some seeds along a fence we share four years ago. They are over 4' tall now & I have plants popping up everywhere. We don't mulch them or do anything & they come back every year.

[terrier3]

On 9/1/2014 loveour4leggedfriends said:

Thank you everyone for all your suggestions. OK, I will give them a chance and not rip them out, but I really wanted something that blooms every year and did not realize they bloom every other year. Do I cut the leaves down before the winter? And from what I gather, they only bloom one year am I correct and reseed so that I should get more flowers.

Just buy some extra plants next spring. Plant them in with your 2nd year plants. Then you should always have some flowering.

[lulu2]

We have Hollyhocks that date back to at least the 60's. They reseed all over the yard. Hurricane Sandy must have transported some new varieties because the last 2 summers we had different colors as well as the double variety. I have never fertilized any of them. Sometimes I think it is better to let Mother Nature tend to the garden. We cut them down after they flower then just let them be. (no mulch)