These Malva Zebrina Hollyhocks were grown from 20+ year old harvested seed from the gardens at the house we raised our kids in. I kept on passing them up to try for germination. This year they got their chance. When they didn’t look like they were doing anything, I wasn’t surprised. It was a long shot.
I reused the soil when I planted the 2025 harvested daylily seeds and didn’t give any thought to the possibility that they would germinate along with the daylily seeds. Imagine my surprise!
I planted them in the garden as tiny seedlings, and they are doing very well!
Today the seedling box with my grand experiment got emptied out. The one where I planted one seed per tiny pot in 6 pk trays. Little squirrel did try to start the emptying job ahead of me, but those efforts were unsuccessful, thank goodness.
Out of the 48 daylily seeds I planted in those little pots, one did germinate and went to seedling. I thought it might be the cross, but a few days ago the other seeds of that same cross that I planted my normal way – multiple seeds per larger pot – started to germinate. They were planted a month later and went outside later as well. So, the little 6 pk seedling trays are definitely out, and I chalk it up to experience and move on.
Under the cloche (wire protective basket) in the picture below are the contents of the grand experiment – the one daylily seedling and then a couple of what I think are the Malva Zebrina Hollyhocks I have mentioned in previous posts. Maybe the “gift” of those teeny tiny pots is the germination of those 20+ year old hollyhock seeds? Kind of. I do have another of those hollyhock seedlings in a larger pot too, planted at the same time.
Anyway … My heart is so happy to see that daylily seedling in the ground with the two hollyhocks. They look teeny tiny right now, but I know only too well their potential. My guess is that next year that big pot full of shamrocks will not have a home in that location 😉
Susan's Daily Garden 