How can I transplant Hollyhocks they took over my Rose garden. I would like to transplant them, has anyone ever tried this? I really like them so I want to save them,
They are the Black and rose color Hollyhock. Thanks
Transplanting Hollyhocks
This would probably be better on the Garden Forum or the Perennial Forum, but I've transplanted hollyhocks several times, so here goes. They have roots like a small tree, so dig wide and deep. Make sure you water them every day for a week, every other day for another week and then as needed. They use a lot of water the first couple of weeks, so I was watering some of them even when we had light rain. The neighbors all think I'm cracked anyway, so I decided that the hollyhocks meant more than my image!
I grew abt a dozen different colors this fall from seed and transplanted them successfully. Just watered them well and with the mild fall we had, they put on a lot of growth. Today was the first day we did not get above freezing so they may finally be done for this year. I tried to not disturb the roots.
Thank You so much for the information it sounds like it would be better to do it in the spring say March just before they start growing, Spokane WA zone 5
I need to move a bunch that have taken over a bed too, and wondering when to try it. Kinda wish I'd gone ahead and done it in early fall. It's going to be madness if I don't do something about them! It was odd, I wintersowed them in '07 and planted them that spring, they bloomed beautifully in '08, then nothing this year, but a ton of seedlings. I hope they'll get in a yearly routine.
They did not produce blooms this year b/c they are biennials. They produce the rosette the first year, then throw up the tall scape and bloom the second year. Therefore there would be zero blooms this year. Next summer you should get lots of blooms and every year thereafter since some seed that did not grow this summer will grow next summer, if you allowed them to self-sow. The other option is to plant two years in a row and ensure many blooms every summer.
Or to get some of the old perennial type.
I figured there would be seedlings the year they bloomed, but it was a dry year, so they may have just waited till the next spring to germinate.
Depending on their height when you want to transplant them, consider cutting them back by at least half to reduce transplant shock. I've moved 4 year old plants (old-fashioned perennial tall types) and had no losses.
Also (in spite of the literature that tells us they are all biennials) where happy, they will sprout new plants from the original rootstock as offsets.
Hello I have a lot of the black Holly hock I would share if I could send the pod because of my disabled hands, if you are interested in them send me a SASE and I can mail you some. Here is a picture of them however I only have the black at this time.
Well, the weather was decent today so I tried it- moved 6 or 8 Hollyhocks today. OMG, what tap roots some of them have! They're so tough, I don't think cold will hurt them, as long as they don't mind having those tap roots disturbed.