# How to Fertilize Hollyhocks
Hollyhocks produce a tall spire lined with bell-shaped flowers in range of colors from pastel pinks and yellows to deep reds and purples. Flowers open beginning at the bottom, working their way to the top of the 5- to 6-foot stalks, creating a striking display of color in mid to late summer. These old-fashioned beauties are biennials, producing a rosette of foliage the first year and blooms the second. Keeping them healthy involves regular watering and occasional fertilizing.
Things You'll Need
- Rose fertilizer
Instructions
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Fertilize hollyhocks in the early spring when new growth appears. Ron Smith, horticulturist at North Dakota State University, recommends using fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus and potassium, such as rose fertilizer.
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Fertilize again when young buds begin to form on the stalk. This channels energy into blooming, enhancing both size and color of the blooms.
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Fertilize the new plants in mid to late summer to encourage healthy foliage. These plants produce the tall spires covered with blooms in the second season. Keeping them healthy now, increases the vigor of the plants, making them capable of supporting abundant blooms.
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