Getting hollyhocks through the winter is not that difficult. In fact, it's completely uncomplicated. You should only pay attention to a few things when planting hollyhocks in tubs.
The good news first: Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are frost hardy. In our latitudes, mature plants almost always survive the winter unscathed. Even young hollyhocks have excellent chances of survival without further action.
With potted plants, however, there is a risk that the hollyhocks will die of thirst during the winter. In addition, strong winds can affect the high shoot-up plants. But if you act in time, you don't have to worry about this either.
❀ Overwinter adult hollyhocks in the bed
If your adult hollyhocks are in the bed, you don't have to worry about the winter and you don't have to take any special measures to protect the plants. The hollyhocks will most likely not take any frost damage.
If you want to prune the plants, the dead of winter is not the best time to do so. It is better to cut back in autumn after flowering or in spring from March. A pruning is not absolutely necessary, but it can ensure a slightly better growth of the hollyhocks next year.
❀ Overwinter young plants
If you don't pick up the fallen inflorescences of your hollyhocks in late summer and autumn, the plants will multiply independently through the seeds that are scattered. The young plants usually survive the winter just as well as the larger specimens. If you want to be on the safe side, cover the small hollyhocks with brushwood or fir branches in late autumn.
Hollyhocks, which you prefer indoors or in a greenhouse from February, are released outdoors in the second half of May. After the ice saints in mid-May, there is (mostly) no longer any risk of frost in Germany.
❀ Overwintering hollyhocks in tubs
If your hollyhocks are not in beds but in buckets, you must ensure that the plants do not die of thirst in winter. That can easily happen when the tubsprotected under a canopy and neither snow nor rain reaches the plants. Use the frost-free days in winter to ensure the water needs of the plants by watering.
But don't overdo it: Waterlogging is just as unhe althy for hollyhocks as prolonged drought.
❀ Don't forget the windscreen!
Also ensure adequate wind protection. Hollyhocks reach a total height of up to two meters. Some varieties even reach three meters in height. There is a high risk that the plants will snap off in strong winds or fall over with the bucket. Protect your hollyhocks by tying them down or placing them on a wind-protected side of the house near the wall.
If you follow all of our tips, nothing will stand in the way of your hollyhocks blooming next year.