Alcea rosea syn. Althaea rosea

#hollyhock #blooms ❤️ a new flower in my garden thanks to #gtagfriends

Gorgeousness!💘😍

Stunning

Looks like there's a lamp in it! Stunning

#hollyhock

#hollyhock #seedling 💕 #seeds gifted by @Katalin

#hollyhock #seedling 💕 #seeds gifted from @Katalin

#red #hollyhock #seedlings 💕

#hollyhock #seedlings #cataloguing #leafidreference #leafid #reference #grownfromseed from @Katalin 💕

#giftfromkatalin #hollyhock #red #cataloguing #seeds #jennseeds2018

Yay

Spring and fall are the best times to start biennial hollyhock (Alcea rosea) from seed. The entire process, from sowing to transplanting seedlings, takes about 9 weeks.

Because hollyhock seeds are large and have fairly tough seed coats, soaking them in warm water or hot water prior to sowing increases the percentage of seed that germinates. It also causes those that do sprout to do so more quickly. #soak

Prior to sowing, give hollyhock seeds a warm water treatment by soaking them in water that is approximately 113 degrees F (45 degrees C) for roughly 12 hours.

To start hollyhock seed indoors in the spring, begin in late winter, about nine weeks before the last predicted spring frost in your area. It's best to start the seed in individual pots, as hollyhocks (even seedlings) can develop long taproots that don't transplant well.

If possible, sow hollyhock seed in biodegradable containers, such as peat pots, newsprint pots or paper towel and toilet tissue rolls (cut into three-inch lengths). #sowindoors in peat pots March 1st

Sow the seed in seed-starting mix with a little sand mixed in. Cover it lightly with soil, as hollyhock seed needs light in order to germinate. Place the pots on a sunny windowsill, under grow lights or in a cold frame, and keep the soil slightly moist throughout the germination process.

It's best to plant hollyhock seedlings outdoors when they're small, before they develop long taproots that don't transplant well. As recommended previously, for good transplanting results, sow the seed in individual pots so that transplanting causes less distress to the roots.

Collecting and saving hollyhock flower seeds is a simple process. In fact, it's so easy that it's an ideal garden activity for children. Hollyhock seed pods are big and fuzzy, the seeds themselves thick and large—and very easy for little fingers to handle. #seedsaving