From our perspective as hollyhock plants, we want nothing more than to produce our tall, magnificent spires of flowers. It is our purpose and our joy. When we fail to bloom, it is not out of stubbornness, but because our fundamental needs are not being met. Here are the most common reasons from our point of view.
You must understand my life cycle. I can be a biennial or a short-lived perennial. If you grew me from seed this spring, I am dedicating all my energy this first year to building a strong root system and a healthy rosette of leaves. I am simply not mature enough to bloom. Please be patient; I am investing in my future. I will reward your patience with blooms in my second year. Furthermore, even as an established plant, I bloom on a specific schedule, typically from mid to late summer. Do not expect flowers from me in the spring.
To create the immense amount of energy required for flowering, I need ample fuel. My fuel is sunlight. If you have planted me in a spot with too much shade, I must struggle just to produce leaves. I need a minimum of six hours of direct, full sun each day to gather enough energy to produce flower stalks. Similarly, the soil I am in must be fertile and well-draining. If the soil is poor and hungry, I am starving and cannot muster the resources to bloom. However, too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer will push me to produce excessive leafy growth at the expense of flowers. I need a balanced diet.
Stress is a major inhibitor of my blooming process. The most common stressor is inadequate water. My roots are not deep, and during dry spells or in fast-draining soil, I become dehydrated. When I am desperately trying to conserve water, flowering is a luxury I cannot afford. Conversely, if my roots are sitting in constantly soggy, waterlogged soil, they will rot, and a sick plant cannot bloom. I am also often besieged by pests like hollyhock rust, a fungal disease that covers my leaves in orange spots. Fighting this infection drains my energy reserves, leaving nothing for flowers.
Your well-intentioned gardening actions can sometimes hinder me. If you cut me back too early or too aggressively, you may be removing the developing flower stalks before they even have a chance to form. My flower stalks emerge from the center of my leafy rosette. Please allow me to grow naturally until my flowering show is completely finished for the season.
Finally, remember that many of us are biennials. This means our natural life span is two years. In the first year, we grow vegetatively. In the second year, we flower, set seed, and then die. If a previously prolific hollyhock suddenly does not bloom and then dies, it has likely simply completed its natural life cycle. To ensure continuous blooms, allow me to self-seed or collect and sow my seeds yourself.
