Not everyone has the room for a large garden of flowers, but potted gardening, or container gardening, is becoming more popular.
Not all plants will thrive when put into pots, and you should do some research on specific plants before placing them in a pot.
This brings me to hollyhocks; can hollyhocks be grown in pots?
Yes, but they shouldn’t. Hollyhocks grow tall and develop massive root systems that aren’t well suited for pots, however there are dwarf versions of hollyhocks that can be grown in containers.
Why They Shouldn’t Be Grown In Pots
Hollyhocks are a gorgeous flower and they can grow over six and a half feet tall.
To support all that height, they grow massive taproots that go straight down into the soil. However, they also grow multiple horizontal or lateral roots that help stabilize the plant.
There are not many pots that will be wide enough to allow the roots of the hollyhocks the amount of space they need.
Think about this – planting hollyhocks in a pot will require more work than if you plant them in the ground. They need plenty of water and prefer well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter.
By planting hollyhocks in a garden you will give them nutrition and will be able to water them without putting in extra effort.
Other Options
If you love hollyhocks, and you are don’t have any option but to use a pot, there are some other options for you.
Starting Hollyhocks in Pots
Start growing hollyhocks from seeds in pots.
When they get too big:
- you can plant them out
- give them to a friend
- donate them to retirement homes
- or sell them!
Hollyhocks have plenty of seeds, so they are easy to harvest.
Simply remove the seeds from the seed pod, clean the seed pod and allow it to air dry, and then store it in an airtight container until you want to plant it.
Choosing a Different Strand of Hollyhock
There’s more than one kind of hollyhock!
If you’re going to have hollyhocks in a pot, you’ll need a dwarf type like Queeny Purple.
This type will grow only about half as tall as the full size, at about 3 feet. The roots are still going to grow a good amount though, so you’ll still need a fairly large pot.
The pot/container should be about 24 inches wide and about 16 inches deep.
Pick a Different Flower
If you love the look of Hollyhocks but would like something a little more low maintenance, then Petunias could be a more suitable choice.
They grow really well in pots and containers, and they do not need to be very big pots.
Petunias also have the same delicate petals that Hollyhocks have if that is the look you are trying to achieve.
How You Can Grow Them In Pots
Still hell-bent on growing hollyhocks in a pot?
I thought so, so you’re at the right place.
Maybe you lived somewhere where the temperature dropped below 70 °F and needed to be able to bring the hollyhocks inside. Or maybe, you live in an apartment building and your only option for gardening is on a balcony.
Even though we do not recommend potting hollhocks, in theory, you can pot them if you set up all of this properly first.
Picking The Right Pot
The most important part is the pot.
It needs to be deep and wide… a whiskey barrel is around the size that you will need for hollyhocks.
Regardless of what pot you choose, it needs to be well-draining.
Hollyhocks do not like sitting in water, soggy roots mean the roots will likely reach the bottom of the pot and be saturated if there are no outlets for water.
Using The Right Soil
It’s gonna be really important to select the right soil to put in your container.
Soil Type:
- Lightweight: You want the soil to be lightweight as the roots will want to spread out. Compacted soil will hinder root growth.
- Well-Draining: The soil that you put your hollyhocks in needs to be well-draining. Your hollyhocks roots will drown in wet soil, and the plant will die if they hold too much water.
- Moisture Retention: Besides the need for lots of drainage, hollyhocks are thirsty plants, and they require a lot of water. There should be moisture retaining additives in your soil for your hollyhocks.
The ideal soil mixture ratio for hollyhocks is 1:1:1, peat, perlite, and loam.
This will give you a lightweight soil that provides a lot of drainage, but the perlite holds onto the water without leaving the soil soaking wet.
You will need to give this soil mixture a lot of attention. As you have a lot of drainage in the soil and container, you will need to water hollyhocks in a container more often about 2-3 times a week until the top 6 to 8 inches of soil are damp.
Supporting The Plant
Hollyhocks are going to need support.
Hollyhocks roots hold them into the soil, but they won’t be able to hold themselves and stay upright without other plants to help support them while tall.
If you are growing your hollyhocks from seed, once each of your plants is about 6 inches tall, give them each a 4-foot planting stake or support.
Your Choice – There are all types of support from ring supports to single stem supports. You can use any type of support, as long as you use a support!
Final Thoughts
There it is.
Hollyhocks are not a plant to use with a container.
Hollyhocks need to have the support of other plants or fences to be able to stand upright as they grow over 6 feet tall.
They also have large root systems that take up more space than the average pot can fit.
That does not mean that you can’t grow hollyhocks in pots, especially if your only option for beautiful flowers is a pot.
If you have a large enough pot, the right mix of soil, and the support for the hollyhocks to grow, yes, you can grow hollyhocks in pots.