Hollyhocks: How to grow bare root Hollyhocks:
- Bare root hollyhocks are sold during their dormant stage. They usually come wrapped in plastic, surrounded by a soft cushion of peat moss, mulch or sawdust. Gently remove the bare roots from the packaging and shake off the packaging materials.
- Trim off any damaged areas of the roots.
- Fill a bucket with water, then allow the hollyhock roots to soak for a few hours, or even overnight. Soaking will help moisten the roots and prepare them to grab onto the soil and grow.
- The best time to plant bare root hollyhocks is in the early spring or late winter, preferably a week or two before the last frost. Choose a sunny location that is protected from strong winds.
- As the roots soak, start digging the planting hole. Using a small gardening shovel, dig a hole twice as deep and twice as wide as the roots. Do not bend the roots as they are planted. To give your hollyhock a better chance of rooting properly, and to make the planting process easier for you, you can create a mound inside the planting hole. You will want it to look like an upside down saucer, with a raised part in the middle and a moat all around it.
- Then, using the long handle of a gardening tool, poke a hole in the center of the mound, making the hole just wide enough for the taproot – the long spindly central root – to rest inside.
- Place the taproot in the hole in the middle of your mound. Gently spread the spindly parts of the root around the mound, dangling into the moat. Creating the mound makes it easier to fill in the hole since the root will rest atop the hill all by itself without you needing to support it with one hand and fill with the other.
- Backfill the hole with the dirt that you displaced. Firmly pat the dirt all around the roots to reduce air pockets and make sure that every portion of the root has soil within easy reach.
- After you finish filling in the dirt, you can create another mound, similar to the one you made inside the hole. Again, make an upside-down saucer shape with a moat around the outside of the central mound. This shape will help the soil hold water. Work soil around the roots, firm well and water thoroughly.
- Soil Requirements: Rich, moist, well-drained soil. Will Tolerate Acidic Soil, Clay Soil, Loamy Soil, Sandy Soil
- Use a watering can to give the newly potted hollyhock a little shower. Make sure you fill up the moat to allow the water to seep down into the soil.
- Place organic mulch around the mound to help the soil retain moisture.
- Pruning: Cut back for increased flowering later in the summer.
A great “barnyard” plant—Hollyhock and Hardy Garden Phlox are similarly heavy feeders in full sun—it should be planted in great drifts for stunning washes of color, as well as in the cutting garden.
Tubers from Breck’s
Chaters Double Red Hollyhock. 1 bare root, Breck’s.
Giant beauty towering, flowering plant is perfect for adding visual interest behind other, smaller perennials. Butterflies, hummingbirds and bees can’t resist. Delicately crinkled, scarlet, 3–5″ blooms. Drought tolerant and unappetizing to deer. Excellent as a cut flower. Performs best in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Alcea roseaBotanical NameAlcea rosea ‘Chater’s Double’.
Form: Perennial, Hardiness Zone3-8, Flowering Time: Summer to fall
Light Requirements: Full Sun
Flower Form: Fully double flowers 3 – 5″ borne singly on 4′-7′ tall stalks.
Foliage Type: 5-7 lobed, rounded, dull green leaves
Growth Rate Medium, Spread18 – 24 inches
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Peaches N Dreams Double Hollyhock. 2 bare roots, Breck’s.
Fluffy double blooms in a gorgeous colour. Produces plenty of lush, peach-pink blooms that grow freely up stalks that reach up to 7′ tall. Peaches ‘n Dreams brightens up borders, makes dynamic floral arrangements and perennializes like a dream. The plant is easy and quick to grow, drought tolerant and deer resistant. It naturalizes readily and returns yearly with increased vigour and bloom. |
black hollyhocks. 1 bare root, Breck’s.
Deep maroon blooms that look almost black grow singly—and quickly—on tall, stiff spikes. Large, rough, heart-shaped lower leaves become progressively smaller toward the top of the spire.
Alcae rosea ‘Nigra’Botanical NameAlcea rosea ‘Nigra’
FormBiennial or short-lived perennial
Hardiness Zone 3-9, Flowering Time: Mid-late summer
Light Requirements: Full Sun
Flower Form: Bell shaped flowers 2-3″ across, borne singly on tall stalks.
Foliage Type: 6-8″ course rounded leaves, decorative with scalloped edges.
Growth Rate: Fast, Height/Habit: 5 – 8 feet, Spread: 18 – 24 inches
Too wet or too dry causes weak plants.
Soil Requirements: Fertile soil, evenly moist but well drained. Will Tolerate Acidic Soil, Clay Soil, Dry Soil, Loamy Soil, Sandy Soil
Pruning: Trim back spent flower stalks in late fall or early spring before new growth starts.
Hollyhock Chater tubers received 5 6 2022
Hollyhock Peaches N Dreams tubers received 5 6 2022. Note left tuber received weak and limp.
Hollyhock Black tubers received 5 6 2022 |
Flowering Fern, HARDY GLOXINIA. 15 plants, Breck’s
HARDY GLOXINIA: Fern like foliage with un-fern like blooms.
Known for textured, fern like foliage and striking, trumpet-shaped blooms, each plant features 3–5 stalks up to 18″ tall. This perennial multiplies freely and forms neat clumps—a lovely border addition. Adored by hummingbirds. Not a true fern, it needs a bit of sun to thrive in the ground or in pots.
Incarvillea delavayi do best in full sun in well-drained soil and appreciate an autumn mulch. Clumps can be divided in early spring taking care not to damage the main tap roots.
Looks best when grown in clumps of three or five plants for maximum effect. If you are planting dry roots or crowns rather than pot grown plants they need to be inserted 3-4in deep into the ground. Slugs can be a problem with the new growth in late spring but they readily grow through the problem. Does best in full sun in well-drained soil and appreciate an autumn mulch.
Botanical Name Incarvillea delavayi
Form: Perennial, Hardiness Zone: 3-9, Lift in Fall: 3-4
Flowering Time” Late spring
Light Requirements: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Flower Color: Beautiful pink flowers
Flower Form: Trumpet shaped individual blooms in terminal clusters 2 – 3″ long and wide. Up to 12 flowers per stalk.
Foliage Type: Deeply divided green, fern like foliage
Growth Rate: Medium, Height/Habit: 18 inches, Spread: 15 – 18 inches
Planting Instructions: 1″ deep and 15 – 18″ apart
Soil Requirements: Well drained. Will Tolerate Acidic Soil, Clay Soil, Dry Soil, Loamy Soil, Sandy Soil
Pruning: If regularly dead headed, it will bloom for many weeks. |
Hellebore Collection. 4 3-inch pots, Breck’s.
These 4″ flowers are nicuble Hellebore
Botanical Name:ely set off by attractive foliage that is evergreen in milder climates and semi-evergreen elsewhere.
This collection includes:
Winter Plum Hellebore
Great White Hellebore
Pink Frost Double Hellebore
Winter Plum Do Helleborus orientalis, Form: Perennial, Hardiness Zone 4-9
Flowering Time: From late winter until mid spring
Light Requirements: Partial Shade, Full Shade
Flower Form: 4″ flowers with 5 petals & 4″ double flowers with 3 to 4 layers of petals.
Foliage Type: Glossy medium to deep green, leathery leaves divided into 7-9 toothed leaflets. Evergreen in warmer climates. Growth Rate: Slow to medium
Height/Habit: 24 – 28 inches, Spread: 18 – 24 inches
Planting Instructions: Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Plant the roots with the sprout(-s) just below the soil without bending them on soil level. Firm soil around roots and water in well.
Soil Requirements: Well drained. Will Tolerate Acidic Soil, Clay Soil, Loamy Soil, Sandy Soil
Pruning: Trim back last year’s foliage in late winter to early spring for a clean look.
An annual application of manure or compost will help to boost the growth of your hellebores. Provide plenty of water during spring and fall when they are actively growing. You can ease up during the summer because heat causes hellebores to go dormant. Hellebores can be fussy about being dug up and moved, so it’s generally just best to leave them be.
- Light :Hellebores prefer partial to full shade. They can handle spring sun, but plant them in a spot that will become shadier as trees and other plants flush out.
- Soil: Hellebores grow best in soil that is rich with organic matter and well-draining. If your soil is acidic, consider adding lime, as hellebores prefer neutral or even alkaline conditions.
- Water: Although they like some moisture, hellebores should not be allowed sit in wet soil for prolonged periods of time or they will rot.
Temperature and Humidity. Hardiness will vary with species, but you can find a hellebore suitable for USDA zones 3 to 9—most are hardy as far north as zone 4
- Fertilizer: Add an organic-rich fertilizer—compost or well-decayed manure—into the soil when planting, then continue to fertilize in spring and early fall.
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Hellebore, 2 bareroots from Michigan Bulbs
Michigan Bulb, Helleborus Botanical Name:
Helleborus orientalis
Height: 15 – 18 inches
Ship As: NO. 1 BAREROOT
Spacing: 15 – 18 inches
Spread: 15 – 18 inches
Light Requirements: Partial Shade, Full Shade
Color: Mixed
Foliage Type: Palm-like evergreen foliage.
Bloom Time: Early spring
Flower Form: Cup-shaped, 5-petaled, borne in terminal clusters.
Planting Instructions: Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Work soil around the roots, firm well and water thoroughly.
Soil Requirements: Well-drained, moisture-retentive for best results.
Growth Rate: Moderate
Pruning: Prune back dead foliage before new growth appears.
Winter Care: No special needs. May want to mulch the first winter to prevent heaving caused by alternate freezing and thawing weather. |
Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart (Pink). 2 bareroots from Michigan Bulb
Botanical Name: Dicentra spectabilis
Height: 30 – 36 inches, Spacing: 30 – 36 inches, Spread: 30 – 36 inches
Light Requirements: Partial Shade, Full Shade
Color: Pink, Foliage Type: Finely dissected, medium green leaves.
Bloom Time: Late Spring-Early Summer.
Flower Form: Heart-shaped (larger than Dicentra eximia) flowers grow on pendulous racemes to 9″ long.
Planting Instructions: Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Work soil around the roots, firm well and water thoroughly.
Soil Requirements: Well-drained, moist, fertile soil.
Growth Rate: Medium
Pruning: Remove spent flowers. If spent flowers are not removed, seeds will drop and germinate the following spring. Allow foliage to die back naturally.
Winter Care: Plant in a location protected from high winds and early frost.
Additional Information: Lovely, heart-shaped pendant flowers dangle from 2-3 foot stems. Ideal for planting with spring bulbs such as daffodils, as they will hide their dying foliage. Great combination with ferns and hostas in shade or woodland gardens. |
Red Cardinal Flower. 2 bareroots plus 1 replacement from Michigan Bulbs
Red Cardinal Flower
Waterlogged Gardens. Do you have one of those frustrating spaces where rainwater collects and drowns whatever you’re planting? Turn that space into a beautiful floral accent with a naturalized drift of Red Cardinal Flower. It’s an easy native plant that’ll adapt to many environments, but loves water so we especially suggest it for rain gardens and the edges of ponds and streams. In the right spot, it’ll grow like crazy and deliver brilliant, sharp red color. It blooms late in the season, which helps hungry hummingbirds and butterflies when most home garden flowers are fading.
Botanical Name: Lobelia cardinalis
Height: 36 – 48 inches, Spacing: 15 – 18 inches, Spread: 15 – 18 inches
Light Requirements: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Foliage Type: Dark green, lanceolate serrulate leaves 4″ long.
Bloom Time: Blooms mid summer through fall
Flower Form: Terminal spike – irregular. Bracted raceme. Upper lip is split into 2 lobes, & the lower into 3. The fused stamens form a red tube from which the anthers protrude.
Planting Instructions: Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots. Spread roots around and fill in with dirt so that the crown is at soil level. Firm soil and water thoroughly.
Soil Requirements: Well drained, humus enriched soil is best.
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast.
Pruning: Deadhead after blooming.
Winter Care: Mulch to overwinter.
Additional Information: Leaves and fruit considered poisonous.
Michigan Red Cardinal bareroots. Michigan Red Cardinal bareroots. Replacement requested for the right one. Both planted 3/20/2022. |
Lady Fern. 1 bareroot from Parkseed.
Botanical Name:
Athyrium filix-femina
Height: 18 – 36 inches, Spacing: 18 – 30 inches, Spread: 12 – 36 inches
Light Requirements: Partial Shade, Full Shade
Foliage Type: The narrow, deep green fronds criss-cross, coming to a narrow point, and have a terminal crest.
Bloom Time: Non-flowering Flower Form: Non-flowering
Planting Instructions: Soak roots before planting. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Work soil in and around roots, firm well and water thoroughly.
Soil Requirements: Well drained, moisture retentive, humus enriched soil. Should not be allowed to dry out.
Growth Rate: Moderate.
Pruning: A relatively low-maintenance plant that looks best with no pruning. Dead or damaged fronds may be removed if necessary.
Winter Care: Mulch the first winter to prevent frost heave of young plants.
Additional Information: Apply a light mulch to conserve moisture and protect surface roots. |
Native Yellow Bellflower. 3 bare roots from Parkseed.
Create a sun-dappled look in your woodland garden with naturalized drifts of sunny yellow blooms. These little nodding bell-shaped blooms are precious in a wildflower garden. For that beloved big old shade tree that grass doesn’t grow well under, Native Yellow Bellflower is the perfect alternative. As it is a native U.S. plant, originally from Missouri, it is quite adaptable too. It tolerates drought and dry soil particularly well, which is great for one of the toughest planting sites—dry shade. It likes well-drained soil, so rock gardens are also a good place for it. A sweet treat around hostas and trillium.
Botanical Name: Uvularia grandiflora
Height: 18 – 24 inches, Spacing: 12 – 18 inches, Spread: 12 – 18 inches
Light Requirements: Partial Shade, Full Shade
Foliage Type: Oblong-ovate to elliptic, smooth along their margins
Bloom Time: Blooms mid to late spring
Flower Form: 1″ nodding slender flowers
Planting Instructions: Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots. Spread them around the hole and fill in with dirt so that the crown is even with or slightly above soil level.
Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained soil
Growth Rate: Medium
Winter Care: Mulch as needed in colder climates |
1 Aunt Shirley and 6 they-pick Louisiana Irises.
How to grow Louisiana Irises
Our Spring 2022 Louisiana Irises are from Sonoran.
Beautiful coral pink blooms with soft yellow highlights. One of our favorites.
Average Height: 2-3 feet Recommended Water Depth: 0-6 inches
Plus 2 collections of LOUISIANA IRIS – ASSORTED MIX (3 Plants) per collection.
Iris hybrids. Average Height: 24-36 inches
Recommended Water Depth: 0-6 inches
Bog Louisiana Irises prefer to grow in either very wet soil or shallow water. Bog and Louisiana Irises are resilient Hardy Bog Plants that will keep blooming year after year. Spring blooming, leaves are evergreen in all but the coldest winter climates (USDA Zone 4-5)
Will grow and bloom in any exposure from 3 hours of full sun to all-day sun. Winter hardy down to USDA Zone 4 (unless otherwise noted.)
When planted now, Louisiana irises need to be handled carefully to avoid damaging the foliage and flower buds.
Louisiana irises should be grown with as much direct sun as possible. At least about six hours of direct sun is needed for good blooming.
When preparing a spot to plant Louisiana irises, incorporate a generous 3-inch layer of compost, rotted manure or peat moss and a general purpose fertilizer following label directions. The plants prefer a soil high in fertility and organic matter. They also generally prefer an acid soil, though here in New Orleans where our soils are slightly alkaline they do very well.
Aquatic culture is one of the easiest and most natural ways to grow these irises, and the foliage tends to stay more attractive in the summer. Simply place your potted iris into your decorative pond or aquatic garden so that the rim of the pot is a few inches below the water’s surface. Every one to two years, divide and repot them in heavy garden soil. You also can simply plant them into the soil at the edge of a pond, and they will grow along the edge and down into the shallow water.
Plant Louisiana irises in beds at the same level they were growing in the container. The rhizome should be at the soil surface. Care must be taken to protect the foliage and flower stalks when planting irises from a container at this time of year. They may be top heavy and unstable when first planted, but do not allow the foliage or bloom spikes to flop over or break. If necessary, place a stake next to the plant and loosely tie it up. Established plants generally do not need to be staked.
Providing adequate moisture is an important part of growing Louisiana irises. Keep newly planted irises well-watered, and continue to water during dry weather until late June. After that, as the irises go dormant, watering is less important unless you’re trying to keep the foliage in good shape. Resume watering as needed in late September as the plants come out of dormancy.
Fertilize your irises in October and February. Irises growing in containers in aquatic gardens should be fertilized by lifting the pot out of the water and placing aquatic fertilizer tablets below the soil surface.
Always keep irises growing in mulched beds. This is an essential part of good culture especially in the summer. A 2- to 3-inch layer of leaves, pine straw or other mulching materials helps prevent sunscald of the rhizomes as well as reducing weeds. So, as soon as all of the flowers have bloomed out, the flower spike should be removed to the point where it emerges from the foliage to prevent seed pod formation.
Louisiana Iris Black Gamecock. 3 bare roots. DutchBulbs. Best with about an inch of water each week. Blooms in June-July.
Louisiana Iris Ann Chowning. 3 bare roots. DutchBulbs. Best with about an inch of water each week. Blooms in June-July.
Mature Spread : 24 – 30 inches. Spacing: 24 – 30 inches. Planting Instructions : Plant with the eyes just below soil and 24-30″ apart..
Soil Moisture : Prefers moist soils, but will do also well in regular garden soil with average moisture.. Will Tolerate : Acidic Soil, Clay Soil, Loamy Soil, Wet Soil, Sandy Soil. Pruning Instructions : Let foliage die down naturally so nutrients can store up for next season’s blooms. Winter Care : Mulch +/- 2″. Planting Depth :Just below soil level. Watering Requirements :Prefers moist soil. Do not let soil dry out, so water enough that soil keeps moist. Fertilization Requirements :Once per year |
Siberian Iris Sugar Rush
Mature Spread : 18 – 24 inches
Spacing: 18 – 24 inches
Growing Tips
Planting Instructions : Loosen soil well before planting. Plant with the eyes just below the soil. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Space plants 18-24″ apart. Firm soil around roots and water well. Soil Moisture : Prefers moist soils, but will do also well in regular garden soil with average moisture. Will Tolerate : Acidic Soil, Clay Soil, Loamy Soil, Wet Soil, Sandy Soil. Pruning Instructions : Remove spent flowers for a clean look. Winter Care : Mulch +/- 2″. Planting Depth :Plant with the eyes just below soil level. Watering Requirements :Average water needs. Do not over water. Fertilization Requirements :Once per year |