How to grow hollyhock (mallow) in open ground: planting and caring for flowers


The stock rose, popularly called mallow, is used to decorate fences, flower beds, and flower beds. Resistance to cold and drought adds to its attractiveness. The height of the plant, depending on the variety, varies from 70 cm to 200 cm. It has one stem covered with flowers of different colors: white, yellow, pink, red, burgundy, lilac. The flowers may be simple, but the double varieties are particularly beautiful.

When to plant

This plant is grown both as an annual and perennial. Inflorescences bloom from bottom to top. Mallow has a long flowering period.

The flower reproduces well by seeds. They have a high germination rate. For seedlings, sowing occurs in February or March. This method is better suited for early varieties.

The root system is sensitive and does not like transplantation. The seeds of hollyhock roses are brown, 3-4 mm in diameter, and look like disks. They remain viable for up to two years. You need to sow mallow seeds in open ground in May-July or before winter in October.

There are hybrid varieties that do not produce mature seeds or do not transmit the characteristics of the mother plant. Such mallows are propagated by cuttings, which are rooted in greenhouses in spring or summer.

When to plant hollyhock roses when grown from seeds in 2022:

  • March – 7, 11, 18;
  • April - 7, 8, 12;
  • May – 8, 10, 17, 18;
  • June - 6, 11, 14, 15;
  • July – 3, 10, 12, 13, 15.

For transplanting seedlings and dividing cuttings, it is better to choose the following days:

  • April - 8, 12, 18;
  • May - 8, 10, 15, 17;
  • June - 5, 11,12, 13,16;
  • September - 1, 4, 6, 8, 13;
  • October - 2,3, 6, 10, 29.

So what's her name anyway?

The rose stock has many names: mallow, mallow, kalachik, marshmallow. It is believed that this plant was brought to us from Mediterranean countries or Egypt. To some, the flower of this plant reminded the Orthodox mallow, which is why it was called mallow. Today, as a result of breeding work carried out by researchers in different countries, many new double and semi-double varieties of various colors have been created.

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The most famous varieties of stock roses

The following varieties are the most popular for growing hollyhock roses from seeds.

Royal mallow

It grows up to half a meter in height, has double flowers with large petals. It is characterized by a long flowering period. This variety is best grown in seedlings.

Terry stock rose

Prefers sunny areas. Grows up to two and a half meters. The flowers are large, corrugated petals have a variety of colors.

Mallow Violet

The variety is characterized by purple coloring in dark tones, a long stem and side shoots. Flowering period is from July to September.

Lyubava

It is a low-growing variety - shoots grow up to 80 cm. Bright red flowers reach a size of 10 cm. It blooms only in the second year and prefers sowing in open ground.

Carnival

It has a shoot height of up to 150 cm and large, up to 14 cm, double flowers in yellow, pink, white and red shades. Tolerates drought well.

Majorette

This is a low plant, up to a meter in height, with large double flowers. Prefers sunny open areas.

Indian spring

This is an annual, the flowers are simple, of various shades. Plants look best in group plantings and are suitable for cutting. Mallow is undemanding to conditions, but grows better in fertile soils.

Chater Maroon

It is distinguished by a dark burgundy shade of double flowers. Grows well in open, dry areas with fertile soil. Blooms from July to September.

General information

Among the alts you can find real giants, whose size can exceed 2 m, but thanks to the work of breeders, short forms with a height of about 0.3 m have also been obtained.

The variety of colors and shapes of the corollas themselves is amazing. Terry varieties of roses are highly because their decorative qualities are incredibly high.

They love alcea for its unpretentiousness, high resistance to diseases and pests and spectacular flowering , which can last from the end of June to September.

Interesting! The size of the flower cup of the stock rose is very large. So, on some varieties, a fully opened flower can reach 20 cm, but usually they are still a little smaller.

The stem of the rose stem is straight, clearly oriented vertically, although sometimes the top of the flower can bend under the weight of the buds. The leaf blades are large, dense, with slight pubescence, and have a distinct heart shape.

The root system of the plant is quite developed and has a rod shape, so the flower usually has no problems extracting moisture from the soil.

Under natural conditions, alcea is distributed in the Mediterranean region . It came to Europe from Palestine back in the 16th century.

Mallow came to our gardens from China, where it has been cultivated as a garden and medicinal plant for centuries .

Growing mallow from seeds: instructions

When sown in open ground, the seedlings will not bloom until the end of the season and you need to wait a year for results. Young plants tolerate frost well, and for patient gardeners this is a good way to propagate by seed. But it is possible to get flowering mallow already in the first year of cultivation. To do this, use the seedling method.

Planting seedlings

Sowing seeds should be done in February or March. It is preferable to choose peat tablets or cups. If planting occurs in containers, then the distance between plants should be more than 4 cm.

  1. Sprinkle the seeds with a thin layer of soil and moisten well. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, you can cover the containers with film or glass. Favorable temperature for germination is from 18 to 20°C. It is also suitable for growing seedlings.
  2. The film is removed after germination of the seedlings.

If there is insufficient lighting, the sprouts will not only stretch out, but the seedlings will also have a later flowering period. If there is not enough light on the windowsill, additional lighting must be provided. There is no need to feed the seedlings; timely watering is sufficient.

Young plants can be planted only after warm weather sets in. In different regions this period lasts from the end of May to the end of June. Instances are placed at a distance of 50 cm from each other. Mallows are secondary plants, so flowers planted next to them will get lost.

Planting in open ground

When grown in open ground, sow hollyhock seeds in May or early June. You can cover them with film until germination begins. The sowing depth is 2-3 cm. You can put several seeds in one hole, and after germination, thin out the excess. It takes up to 20 days for mallow to germinate in open soil. Such plants do not bloom in the first year, and if buds appear in the fall, it is better to cut them off.

When sowing before winter, seedlings appear early and need shelter, but this method also has the right to be implemented. If you need to transplant young plants to a permanent place, it is better to do this at the end of August or beginning of September, when the heat subsides. For the winter, such bushes are covered with sawdust, spruce branches, and dry leaves.

The soil for mallow is fertile, light, with a lot of humus. In heavy clay soils, water stagnates and the plant gets sick or dies.

Watering is done once a week, but the leaves should not be touched. Fertilizing is applied twice a season. Phosphorus-potassium or complex fertilizers for garden crops are suitable. If mallows have been growing on the site for many years, then add compost and humus once a year. If the shoots have reached a height of more than a meter, the plants need to be tied to stakes. For this reason, you should not plant them in windy places - in rainy weather the flowers become heavier and fall off.

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Rose stock diseases

In cold rainy weather, poor lighting, and excessive moisture, mallows suffer from powdery mildew, rust, stem cancer, mosaic disease, and are susceptible to root-knot nematodes. For prevention and treatment, plants are treated with Bordeaux mixture and other fungicides.

Diseased leaves are removed from the site and burned. To protect against pests, soap solution, mineral oil and chemicals are used. It is important to process the leaves on both sides.

The hollyhock loves a lot of sunlight, light, fertile soil and does not tolerate stagnant moisture. Each variety has its own growing characteristics. Annual representatives of the early flowering period are best grown in seedlings. It is easier to sow two-year-olds in open ground in the spring, and transplant them to a permanent place in early autumn. Hybrid varieties that do not produce full seeds are preferably grown by cuttings.

If you walk along a village street or gardening community in the summer, then from a distance you will see tall stems strewn with large multi-colored buds. This is the hollyhock (mallow) blooming - the heroine of our story today. We will talk about some of the features of this plant and the cultivation of mallow in this review.

Now let's clarify the terminology a little. “Mallow” is the common name of a family of which not all species are of such outstanding stature. For example, mallow is a weed that spreads along the surface of the ground, although some gardeners cultivate it in a cultivated form. Althaea officinalis is also a relative of our beauty. And that plant, which everyone basically calls “mallow,” has a biological name “stock rose,” or in Latin “Alcea rosea.” The hollyhock rose seems to have been created to create a decorative fence, which is why they are most often grown along the borders of plots.

Is it possible to use cut branches?

Cut lavender branches are never thrown away. Containing a rich complex of useful substances and valuable essential oil, they are used in cosmetology and medicine. Most often they are used:

  • For preparing healing teas and tinctures that help get rid of many diseases.
  • To obtain lavender oil, which improves skin tone, eliminates age-related hyperpigmentation and improves complexion. Lavender oil can be used both to treat and prevent acne.
  • For creating exquisite ikebanas and beautiful bouquets intended for decorating residential and office premises. Dried stems, strewn with many fragrant inflorescences, will fill the room in which such a bouquet stands with a specific spicy aroma. That is why lavender bouquets are often used to deodorize indoor air.
  • As a warming material designed to help rooting young plants survive winter frosts.

Types and varieties of mallow

Sudanese mallow. Sudanese mallow, which is also called hibiscus or Sudanese rose, is a biennial and grows as a shrub or tree plant, reaches a height of up to 3 meters, and is distinguished by large bright red flowers from 7 to 10 cm in diameter.

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Mallow is wrinkled. Rugosa mallow is also known as rose hollyhock. Flower growers love the varieties of this plant developed by breeders. Dwarf or tall hollyhock flowers fit harmoniously into flower beds, allowing you to realize any design ideas for the site.

Musk mallow. Musk mallow is a fairly compact plant. Its height usually does not exceed one meter in height. The charm of this species is given not only by the delicate, medium-sized flowers (diameter up to 5 cm) of whitish or pink shades, but also by the bright aroma.

Growing mallow from seeds in autumn

If the seeds are planted in spring or June directly into the soil, then in the first year only a small sprout will have time to hatch before winter. The plant will bloom in the second year. If you want to get flowers in the first year, then you should sow the seeds in the greenhouse in the middle of winter. In general, a crop grown in this way is stronger than one grown from seeds. Thus, annual varieties are usually sown in January, and perennial varieties are sown only in April. In the first case, the plant is planted in the ground in May, and in the second - only in the last summer month or at the beginning of autumn.

If the seeds have been stored for about a year or were purchased in advance, then before planting they should be soaked for several hours in warm water. This is necessary so that the hard shell becomes softer and thereby facilitates their germination. It should be said that mallow seeds stored for about three years germinate even better than those stored for 1 to 2 years. It is recommended to plant them in pots with peat. In order for the seeds to germinate better, it is advisable to maintain the temperature at +19...+23 degrees. Under such conditions, seedlings should appear within a couple of weeks.


If the mallow was sown in a container, then after the first three leaves appear, you will need to thin them out so that there is at least 20-30 mm between the sprouts. Removed sprouts can be preserved by picking them in peat pots. When the seedlings have time to grow and become stronger, they should be hardened off.

Mallow is planted in a permanent place with the onset of stable heat. This period occurs mainly at the end of May or the beginning of summer. Before planting, young plants are gradually hardened off in the fresh air. When growing perennial mallow, strengthened seedlings are often placed in a permanent place not at the beginning of the warm season, but towards the end of summer.

Planting mallow in autumn in open ground

Mallow is a beautiful plant that will become one of the best decorations for any garden plot. This undemanding plant does not require special care. It can be easily grown from seed, even without much gardening experience.

Experienced summer residents successfully grow mallow by sowing seeds in the fall. In this case, we place the flower seeds in shallow holes (about 3 cm). We leave the interval between them depending on the perennial variety. It can be 40-60 cm. Cover the seeds with loose soil or peat. For the winter, we cover the crops with a thick layer of fallen leaves.

The hollyhock belongs to the Malvaceae family, which is why people sometimes call it “mallow”, and also “kalachik” and “mallow”. There are annual, biennial and perennial varieties of this herbaceous plant. Mallow is well known to representatives of the older generation, because it has been decorating front gardens and gardens for many decades.

Growing a stock rose from seeds is quite simple, so you can choose the variety you like and soon enjoy the charming flowers.

The benefits of autumn pruning

After a long summer flowering, rose bushes lose a lot of strength, so proper preparation for winter necessarily includes further feeding and pruning. This will help protect the grown shoots from freezing, give the root system the opportunity to develop, and also preserve strength for next year.

Pruning also solves many important problems:

  • Removing old shoots provokes active growth and bud formation.
  • Sanitary pruning helps preserve the decorative appearance of the bush.
  • All buds that do not have time to bloom are cut off to preserve strength for the winter.
  • Removing flowers and leaves helps prevent the development of fungal diseases.

After proper pruning of roses for the winter, only a few lignified strong shoots and dormant buds should remain on them. In general, five fresh branches are enough for a two to three year old plant. It is also important after carrying out the manipulations to remove all cut parts of the plants to prevent further decay and the persistence of possible pests on them.

Popular varieties for growing from seeds


Summer residents love the stock rose for its ease of care, bright and large flowers, and ability to bloom lushly throughout the summer. Varieties of annual mallow grow compact in size, so they do not need support.

Their foliage is more lush, the plants suffer less from rust and look great in flowerpots. Having planted such a stock rose in a container, you can move it to another corner of the garden at any time, changing the overall design of the area.

Biennial varieties form only a rosette of leaves in the first summer. Flowering occurs in the second year. So that it does not disappoint, it is necessary to prepare the rose stock for wintering.

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This plant is valued for its large size and is often planted along an unsightly fence or walls of country houses to decorate them.

We present to you popular varieties of annual and biennial stock roses: Charovnitsa. An annual mallow up to 80 cm high with double flowers 10 cm in diameter. A flowering specimen is very similar to a blossoming peony bush with large clusters of inflorescences. The petals are colored yellow. A wonderful background plant. Suitable for cutting. Royal white. A compact annual, the maximum height of which is about 50 cm. Terry delicate flowers in full bloom have a diameter of 9 cm. Plants with different petal colors have also been bred: yellow, purple and lilac. The variety is distinguished by lush flowering and a delightful aroma. Summer carnival. A popular plant up to 1.5 m high with large double flowers with a diameter of 14 cm. The raceme inflorescences almost completely cover the powerful stems. Used for decorating fences, buildings, in mixborders, for cutting. When sown through seedlings, it blooms in the first year. Black vortex. These are popular garden giants, the plant height of which is 160 cm. The rose stock delights with its flowering from the beginning of summer until frost. The double flowers are large - 13 cm in diameter, black in color. Used for group plantings, decorative hedges, suitable for cutting. Can overwinter in the ground under light cover. Antwerp. The hollyhock grows in the form of a bush with straight, unbranched stems up to 1.5 m high. The flowers have a diameter of 10 cm, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. Petals can be of various colors. The plant is well suited for the background in group plantings and is often planted along a hedge. For a bouquet, flower stalks are cut at the bud stage. Fairytale necklace. Tall giant. The height of the bush reaches 2 m. The flowers are bright, with a contrasting edging, which is why they got their name. The diameter of the blossoming buds is 6-8 cm, they are collected in long brushes. The hollyhock blooms profusely all summer, extending into September. The plant is grown for cutting and decorating the site. Zebrina. The stems of the mallow are erect, growing up to 1-1.2 m. The flowers, 4 cm in diameter, are collected in lush racemes and have a bright, striped color (violet strokes stand out against a purple background). The plant is used in mixborders and for decorating fences and walls. Beautiful girl. Decorative stock rose up to 2 m high. Blooms profusely with densely double flowers 10-12 cm in diameter. The buds have a rich red color, are collected in brushes, the leaves are pubescent. The plant is often used in landscape design and used for cutting. Fiesta time. A tall plant with spectacular double flowers with a diameter of 10-12 cm. Requires planting in a sunny place, in such conditions it pleases with abundant and long-lasting flowering. The color of the petals is two-tone, smoothly transitioning from a bright cherry shade to pink. Can be used for cutting.

Majorette. Miniature mallow with early flowering. In the second year it blooms more profusely. The height of the plant is only 60-80 cm. The flowers are semi-double, of a wide variety of colors. Requires shelter for the winter.

Try planting one of the listed varieties on your site, if you have not already done so. Perhaps it will become your favorite for many years.

Description of the plant

Mallow or hollyhock is a biennial, less often an annual plant. Its botanical characteristics are as follows:

  1. The stem is erect, lying. At the beginning of growth it has some pubescence, later, during flowering, it becomes naked. The small height of the plant is 30 cm, and the largest is 1.5 m.
  2. The leaves are large, with a carved edge. The flowers are arranged symmetrically on a long stalk.
  3. The flowers are large, reaching from 15 to 20 cm in diameter. The end of the stem is an inflorescence, where several flowers are located in the axils of the leaves. The flowers have a simple structure, in the form of one row of petals, or a complex structure (double), when the petals are densely packed, which is why they resemble a rose.
  4. Flowering is abundant, begins in July and lasts until the end of September.
  5. After flowering, large flat bulbs or seed boxes appear.
  6. The seeds are medium size, bean-shaped.
  7. The powerful root system, which cannot be pulled out by hand, also attracts attention. It has one central root, especially thick, and many lateral ones. This structure is necessary to support a fairly large plant.

It is a common occurrence for mallow to bloom in the second year, but among the variety of varieties there are some that bloom in the first year. It is worth paying special attention to the color of the flowers. It would seem that there is no shade in which the hollyhock rose would not bloom. Starting from white to almost black. The most fashionable shades are purple, lilac, violet, yellow, and pure white.

A flower from the Malvaceae family is particularly resistant to cold and drought. Winters well at low temperatures, without requiring shelter. Easy to care for. It takes root on any soil, both in areas with abundant light and in the shade.

Features of growing stock roses from seedlings


To get strong mallow seedlings, you need to choose the right soil and container for planting, prepare the seeds, and provide the seedlings with the necessary care. After planting in the ground, the plant will get stronger and will require a minimum of attention in the future.

Selection of soil and container


The hollyhock likes structured, fertile soil. You can create a suitable soil yourself. To do this you should take:

  • 2 tsp compost;
  • 1 tsp turf soil;
  • 1 tsp river sand.

Before planting, the soil mixture is fertilized with a complex mineral fertilizer containing macro- and microelements. Then the soil must be poured with boiling water with the addition of several crystals of potassium permanganate, this is necessary for disinfection. Once the soil has cooled, it is ready for sowing.

During the process of growth, the mallow forms a tap root, which is easily damaged during the transplanting process. Therefore, it is recommended to immediately sow in separate containers.

It is best to plant rose stem seeds in peat pots, but plastic glasses or pots with a volume of 250-300 ml will also work. The container is filled with earth, not reaching the edge a few cm. Then the soil is slightly moistened before sowing.

On a note! Peat pots are good because the seedlings do not require additional fertilization and planting in the ground will not damage the root system.

Seed preparation and sowing

The best germination rate is for mallow seeds that are 1.5-2 years old. By this time, their shell will become quite hard. To help the seeds germinate, soak for 12 hours in warm water. This will help awaken the seed and soften the shell. The seeds can be soaked overnight and sowed in the morning.

It is better to place 2 seeds in each pot, in case one of them does not hatch. In the event that two seedlings appear, one of them is thrown away or transplanted into a separate pot. Sowing should be done to a depth of 2 cm. After this, the containers are covered with film and kept at room temperature until germination.

Seedling care


Sprouts appear above the soil surface after 2 weeks. During this time, the shelter must be removed briefly every day for ventilation. Stock rose seedlings do not have any special care requirements. The main thing is that the plants have enough light.

In February and March, daylight hours are too short. Therefore, at first it is recommended to install lighting for seedlings. This could be a fluorescent lamp or an LED lamp. The best option would be to use a special phytolamp.

Mallow seedlings do well at room temperature. Watering is carried out as needed; there are no special requirements for the frequency of moistening and the amount of water.

The crop does not require fertilization. Transplantation into open ground is carried out without destroying the earthen coma due to the fact that mallow does not tolerate the slightest damage to the spindle-shaped root, because it is this root that bears the main function of feeding the plant.

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A week before planting in the ground, the seedlings begin to be briefly taken out into the fresh air, this will facilitate the plant’s subsequent adaptation.

On a note! In a 5-centimeter rose seedling, the root can reach a length of 30 cm.

How to care?

If the hollyhock is planted in an open, windy area, it is better to immediately provide and install stakes to which tall peduncles will be tied, thereby reducing the risk of their breakage. If the soil is fertile, then there is no need to carry out any special fertilizing. If the soil is poor, you can feed the rosehock two weeks after transplantation (with complex mineral fertilizer), and then mulch the surface around the plant. Experts recommend annual addition of humus or compost to the soil at the rate of 3 kg per square meter.

When to plant in open ground


Places with high groundwater levels and lowlands where moisture accumulates are not suitable for planting mallow. Since these are quite tall plants, it is better to plant them near a fence or near the walls of a house. With this planting, the stock roses will receive protection from the wind and support. The site should be sunny; in the shade the plant blooms reluctantly.

  • In most regions, stock roses are planted in a flower bed in May.
  • In Siberia and the Urals, it is better to postpone the event until the second ten days of June.

The main thing is that by the time the seedlings are planted, the threat of frost has completely disappeared. Terry varieties are characterized by less resistance to frost and other unfavorable conditions. Places for planting them should be chosen especially carefully, otherwise lush flowering will not happen.

Tips for gardeners

When growing various subspecies of annual, double or royal roses in the garden, you should pay attention to the advice of more experienced gardeners. Useful recommendations will help you achieve earlier and more abundant flowering of mallow, keep seedlings and bushes healthy, and give the plant a more decorative appearance.

  • It is advisable to use tall varieties for vertical decoration of garden gazebos, hedges, fences, and mixborders. If you plant a stem rose in the foreground or in the center of the flowerbed, it will hide the rest of the flowers from view.
  • Annual varieties of mallow should be sown in peat pots, greenhouses or greenhouses. After the seedlings have emerged and strengthened, they can already be transplanted into flower beds. Biennial and perennial hybrids should be sown immediately in open ground.
  • If you plant the bushes in the shade, they will grow, but the color of the flowers will be pale, and they themselves will become shredded and unattractive.
  • By planting several varieties with different colors next to each other in a garden bed, you can get new specimens with an unusual color, since the rose stem is capable of cross-pollination.
  • The first feeding should be done after planting the seedlings in the garden bed, the second - in mid-August. The plant responds best to universal complex or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
  • For further propagation of mallow, you can collect its seeds yourself. The fruits are picked after they turn yellow. The boxes should be collected from mid-summer until frost. Germination lasts 3 years.
  • To prevent the perennial from freezing in winter, the broken stems at the base are mulched with humus and sawdust, and young plantings are covered with spruce branches.

Further flower care


The hollyhock grows well with minimal care. To make her feel comfortable, you will need to do the following from time to time:

Tall varieties need to be tied to a support. Plants planted along the fence can be tied directly to it. A long peg is driven into the flowerbed next to the bush.

It is necessary to water the mallow, avoiding waterlogging of the soil. In warm weather this is done once a week, in hot weather - more often. In rainy weather, watering is stopped altogether. If there is excess moisture, mallow can become susceptible to fungal diseases and rot.

The crop is fed throughout the growing season, applying complex fertilizer once a month.

To prevent diseases in the spring, mallow is sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture. For the same purpose, you can use a solution of laundry soap. If an outbreak of fungal diseases does occur, it is necessary to tear off the diseased leaves and treat the plants with a fungicide. In case of massive damage, it is recommended to destroy the plantings and plant mallow in this place no earlier than after 3 years.

The rose holly is often attacked by slugs. You can get rid of shellfish by placing low cans of beer at different ends of the area. Slugs love an intoxicating drink and will definitely crawl towards the traps.

Not all varieties of mallow have high winter hardiness. Most of them require shelter for the winter.

At the end of September, the plants are pruned at a height of 30-40 cm. Before frost arrives, the stumps are covered with dry leaves, mown grass or agrofibre. You can add dry peat under the root. Even a light cover is enough for the holly rose. The main thing is that its roots are protected from freezing. After proper wintering, the mallow will be ready to bloom in June.

Why you need to prune lavender

Being a perennial plant, lavender needs regular pruning.
The stems of its overgrown bushes thicken and become hard over time, and flowering ceases to be abundant. The decorative value of untrimmed bushes, which have lost their attractive compact shape, is significantly reduced. To minimize the stress caused by pruning, lavender bushes are pruned partially in the spring and partially in the fall. Spring pruning , which consists of removing damaged, dry and frozen shoots, is mainly of a sanitary nature.

Autumn pruning is performed:

  • In order to help the heat-loving crop survive the winter without much loss. In regions with little snowy winters, long shoots must be shortened, since with a sharp drop in temperature there is a high probability of them freezing. In addition, frozen branches become extremely fragile, unable to withstand the effects of strong cold winds. Broken branches can subsequently be attacked by insect pests or become a breeding ground for bacterial or viral infections.
  • In order for the lavender bushes to continue to remain compact for a long time. However, not all gardeners resort to severe pruning of the green part of the shoots. Some of them prefer to maintain the maximum possible length of branches, leaving the shape of the crown unchanged. They proceed from the belief that practically untouched bushes are completely buried under the snow and, being warm, do not freeze at all.

Growing stock roses in open ground


Before planting mallow seeds in the ground, the area needs to be prepared. Dig up the soil and remove all weeds. If the soil is clayey, add river sand, humus and humus. Add rotted manure, clay and peat to sandy soil.

Rose stock grows best in loose, fertile soil. It is planted immediately in a permanent place, so take the choice of site seriously, especially when planting perennial varieties.

To improve seed germination, soak them in water for 12 hours. The seed coat will soften and seedlings will appear faster.

Tall varieties are planted at a distance of 55-60 cm from each other; for a compact holly rose, the interval can be reduced. The holes should be 3 cm deep. Seeds are laid out in them, sprinkled with soil and moistened.

During the initial stages of mallow growth, the soil must be kept moderately moist. To keep moisture in the ground, it is recommended to cover the crops with lutrasil. The emergence of seedlings should be expected in about 20 days. Then you can remove the cover.

On a note! To sow hollyhock directly into the ground, choose a spring or autumn planting time. In the spring, the seeds are sown at the end of May, and in the fall - in September before the arrival of frost. When planting in autumn, the flower bed is mulched with peat or straw for the winter.

Propagation and collection of seeds


Mallow is propagated in two ways: cuttings and seeds.

Cuttings help to guarantee the preservation of the qualities of the mother plant, which is impossible with the seed method of propagating hybrids. In this case, the doubleness of flowers is especially often lost.

  • Cuttings are obtained by cutting the stem into pieces 10-12 cm long. The work must be done with a sterile instrument, and the sections themselves are treated with an antifungal drug.
  • The cuttings are rooted in a greenhouse, ventilating the plantings daily. The soil is moistened with small portions of water, avoiding waterlogging. The appearance of new shoots will indicate successful rooting.

Seeds are harvested when at least part of the seed pods turns brown.

  • The peduncle is cut off and placed indoors for storage so that the remaining boxes also ripen.
  • You can collect seed material gradually, cutting off only darkened and yellow boxes from the stems. Collect seeds from the strongest and healthiest plants.


After full ripening, the boxes begin to open. The collected seeds are dried (but not in the sun) and stored at room temperature in paper envelopes or fabric bags. When properly stored, mallow seed material remains viable for up to 3 years.

On a note! If several varieties of hollyhocks grow on a site at once, they can easily cross-pollinate with each other. To ensure that the varietal properties are preserved, propagate mallow from cuttings.

Application in landscape design


The hollyhock rose is a real find for creating a rustic garden. Given the wide color variety of the crop, you can create original multi-level flower beds from just hollyhocks or combine them with other plants.

Tall hollyhock roses are indispensable when you need to hide an old fence or unsightly walls of buildings.

These flowers are often used to delimit a large area with low-growing plantings. Group plantings of hollyhocks create a lush and bright clearing that can become the accent of a garden plot. The unpretentiousness of these plants makes them welcome guests at any dacha.

  • To emphasize the splendor of the stock rose, it is often planted together with golden balls, phlox, delphinium, and monarda.
  • Mallow flowers of a delicate shade go well with wild herbs.
  • When planting a stock rose in the background, smaller cosmos and lupine are planted in front of it. The foreground can be filled with bells, calendula, and aquilegia.
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