They are in the same location as last year and were 4 feet tall
They are biennials! This means that they will grow, vegetatively, the first year and flower the next! Now, the reason that they may be short could be due to lack of potassium in the area, but this can be confirmed with a soil test.
Here is an article that will help you to do that:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm
Here is an article that will help you to care for the plant:
I have bareroot hollyhocks & don't know if they will over-winter outside.
You need to wait till spring after the last frost to plant those outside. A harsh winter could do them in if you plant now.
This article includes tips on how to hold them till planting:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/propagation/propgen/bare-root-planting.htm
I'ts December 24th here in southern California, Huntington Beach to be exact. My hollyhocks are still tall and blooming. I don't know I should cut them down or let them keep going. HELP!
If they are still growing and blooming, let them. They are short-lived perennials so you may as well enjoy them as long as you can. Are you deadheading the spent blooms. If so, leave a few unpruned so they will go to seed. Here is an article about that.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hollyhock/do-hollyhocks-need-deadheading.htm
Can you tell me why my hollyhocks are 6 ft high and 4 ft wide getting little tiny purple flowers and seed pods but I'm not actually getting any hollyhock flowers? I have some that are actually getting hollyhock flowers but the other ones are just getting pods and little tiny flowers. I have never had this happen before
It's probably a hiccup in the genetic code. I would remove the plant. You don't know what the seeds may produce!
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/what-is-plant-mutation.htm
Very narrow border, gets shade first thing, then later gets the sun. Hollyhocks up against the fence.
Did the leaves have orange spots before they turned brown? Rust is a common problem. Here are their care needs:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hollyhock/hollyhock-rust-in-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hollyhock/treating-hollyhock-leaf-spot.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hollyhock/controlling-hollyhock-weevils.htm
I do with them for the winter? Do I leave them in the container or go ahead and plant them in the ground this fall. We sometimes have very cold winters here.
They should be fine if you want to plant them in the ground. That will give them a jump start in spring. Mulch well around the plants after the first frost. If you want to leave them in the container, overwinter in the garage or somewhere it stays above freezing. Then only water about once a month so they don't rot. Then move outside after danger of frost has passed.
Hollyhocks are short lived perennials but usually reseed. Here is more:
om seed for years, but I bought a plant this year & planted it next to foxgloves. Foxgloves are perfect. These copper holes are ki lling me 🤪. Please help 🙏 “Blacknight” Spotlight Series.
This looks quite a bit like snail or slug damage. These will feed at night, mostly, but there are ways to control them. Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/organic-snail-control.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/slug-snail-eggs.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/killing-slugs-with-beer.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/kill-garden-slugs.htm