Re: deadheading/ now Catching seeds

Donna-

I hope you don't mind but I would like to share my experience with Hollyhocks 
but remember I'm in zone 9.

I've read alittle bit about them and I'm not sure if they will live thru your 
summer.  I feel like the best chance you will have to keep them alive is to 
put them in your shadiest/coolest spot (in the pots) until fall.  In the fall 
you can probably put them in the ground.  You might have some die back with 
frost/freeze but I feel that if you mulch them well (I use hay) they should 
fair the winter fine and bloom beautiful for you next year, early summer, as 
hollyhocks are biennials (sp).

I have planted seeds before in July/Aug where summer growth kept them shaded. 
 When fall came and the summer plants were settling down for their winter nap 
the hollyhock seedlings came alive--about 18" high or so.  Since they had 
plenty of time to establish their roots they had very little winter kill and 
were one of the 1st plants to come alive in Spring.  They began blooming in 
May and grew taller than my cedar fence with no staking.

Pam (another member of this list) informed me that we can do Delphiniums and 
Foxgloves the same way only waiting until fall to plant our seeds.  I am 
surely going to try this this year.

My Larkspur seeds usually germinate in early fall and stay rather small in 
the garden until Spring.  Since they remain lower to the ground 
frost/freeze's do not effect them.  I have actually experienced that if we 
have a colder winter they will grow much better in the Spring.  This past 
winter was somewhat mild for me and my larkspurs did not put on their usual 
Spring time show...only growing about 12" high.

So--not to discourage your Spring hollyhock seedlings but to encourage you to 
try both methods I wanted to share my experience. 

Happy Gardening

Kemberly McLain
Katy, Texas Zone 9

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