Common Mallow

The common mallow is hardy in the DACH lowlands and gets through winter without protection thanks to its taproot and leaf buds at ground level; only in very harsh, wind-exposed locations does a cover of leaves do no harm. After flowering, cut the dead stems back close to the ground, but leave the shoots at ground level standing. Since this short-lived plant reliably self-seeds, fallen seeds provide new plants.

The easiest and most reliable way to propagate the common mallow is by sowing, which is its most natural method. You can start the seeds indoors on a windowsill from March or sow directly outdoors from the end of April; sowing directly in the bed in autumn is also possible. Cover the seeds only thinly with soil (light germination is not necessary, but it does not like being buried deep), keep the substrate evenly moist, and after about two weeks the first seedlings appear. Some seed lots germinate unevenly and benefit from a cold stimulus; autumn sowing outdoors takes care of that all by itself. As a biennial to short-lived perennial, the mallow readily self-seeds in suitable locations; just leave a few ripe seed heads standing at the end of the season. Important: the mallow quickly forms a deep taproot. Plant seedlings started indoors in their final place as early as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it is to transplant, and older specimens hardly tolerate transplanting at all. Cuttings are possible as an additional method, but much less reliable: in June cut non-flowering shoots about 10 to 15 cm long, remove the lower leaves and put the cuttings in moist substrate, bright but without direct midday sun. You are better off skipping division, because owing to the taproot the mallow forms no divisible root ball and survives the digging up of older plants badly.