Harvesting Hollyhock Seeds

How do you harvest the seeds in a hollyhock plant?  Also, I have heard that hollyhocks only come back from the root but have read an article recently that the seeds can be dried and then planted in the spring or fall. 

Hollyhocks are classified as a biennial or short lived perennial.  The seeds sprout and only a short rosette of leaves appear the first season.  The second season the plant grows tall and flowers.  Sometimes the plant will survive but more often the seeds fall to the ground and the process starts over.  Some gardeners plant seeds or plants two years in a row to have flowers every season.  I find the plants make this happen on their own.  You can collect hollyhock seeds and do some planting of your own.  Wait for the seed pods to dry.  Break apart the pods, separate the seeds and plant in a well prepared garden area.  Water in the seeds and wait for nature to do the rest.  Or collect the seeds, store in a cool dark place for winter and plant in containers like other transplants next spring.  Move transplants outdoors after the danger of frost.

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