Hollyhock seed are they still viable???

[mobi]

Does anyone have any ideas of how long perennial hollyhock seed can stay viable ,under less than perfect storage conditions? I gathered some single petal hollyhock seed from my parents garden 8 years ago and put them into babyfood jars and closed the lids very tight .I didn,t add any type of desicant to the jars, they had been sitting in a cardboard box all this time which was stored mostly inside the house. I'm going to see if they sprout, I just wondered if anyone had any ideas or thoughts on the matter. Mobi

[dirtundernails]

It's been my experience that hollyhocks areextremly hardy. They refused to go away in my yard in South Dakota no matter how many times I killed them. They were coming from seed, for six years. I bet they're fine.

dun

[lovetogarden]

Can you let us know if they germinate? I would love to have the answer to that question.

[flowerpower]

Go ahead and plant them if they look ok. I bet you get germination. I had seeds from Lunaria (The Money Plant) for about 6 yrs in a baby food jar. They were fine.

Last year Catnip appeared in my garden. This year Chamomille turned up in an outdoor planter. It has not grown there in 3 yrs. I used the pot last year and none turned up then.

[mobi]

I will let all of you know if they come up,I know hollyhocks are tuff ,just not sure how tuff. thanks everyone mobi

[mobi]

I planted the seeds in some grow pots from gardens alive I read it can take about 14 days for them to germinate, I'll keep you all posted :)

[mobi]

:( well I didn't have any of the 8 year old holly hock seed germinate.sigh. Ialso started some new hollyhock seed the black single petal strain that I bought this year and only 16 of the 24 seeds have came up I guess that is near 75% germination .I guess i will plant some more seeds in those plugs.Mobi

[dirtundernails]

Bummer. I bet you will enjoy those old fashioned black hollyhocks.

dun

[zebraman]

Hey Mobi;Just remember Black Hollyhock is a Biennial and You will not get Flowers until next Year.Without this information your'e bound to be disappointed.Mulch when they die back and next Year they will be Fabulous.Also they only Look black on overcast days.
Also if you plant more seed every year afterwards you will always have Flowers.-

[Cricket]

For heavens sakes, just fling them out somewhere and they'll probably come up. I love hollyhocks in the garden and they cross and make all kinds of new combinations of colors. I labeled them last fall and collected by color and I planted some blacks and "deep purply red" in 4" pots to sell. The reds didn't germinate as well as the blacks. Out of half a flat of each, I got two reds and almost all the blacks with 2006 seeds.They do much better in the garden with regular watering than they would do if I tried to plant them around the property to keep the colors separated. I guess it's just an experiment. I have so many hollyhock volunteers in the garden. I let them go a year and then dig them up and sell them on the Farmer's Market in 6" pots, color unknown.

[donsgal]

For heavens sakes, just fling them out somewhere and they'll probably come up. I love hollyhocks in the garden and they cross and make all kinds of new combinations of colors. I labeled them last fall and collected by color and I planted some blacks and "deep purply red" in 4" pots to sell. The reds didn't germinate as well as the blacks. Out of half a flat of each, I got two reds and almost all the blacks with 2006 seeds.They do much better in the garden with regular watering than they would do if I tried to plant them around the property to keep the colors separated. I guess it's just an experiment. I have so many hollyhock volunteers in the garden. I let them go a year and then dig them up and sell them on the Farmer's Market in 6" pots, color unknown.

Oh I wondered about that color crossing business. When I started my hollyhock garden 10 years ago I had lots of peaches, lilac and white-with-pink-throat flowers. Through the years though, it's apparent that the RED, MAROON and "just plain pink" hollies have taken over and the other are "gone with the wind". (Not that I mind, because they are all beautiful to me). Seems like some colors are much hardier than others. My "just plain pink" are putting on seed pods as big as walnuts!

donsgal
mega hollyhock lover

[flowerpower]

I finally got a few to sprout. Just have to figure out where I am putting them now.