Too late to cut hollyhocks down to control rust?

Hi Group:

I have had rust on my hollyhocks since I brought them to this new house. They have not bloomed in 2 years - this is my 3rd season here. I have pruned leaves every year. I never cut them down completely. This year I thought I was controlling the spread somewhat with the milk in water remedy found here in DG. Still, it's spreading upwards. My oldest plant is now about waist high. Although I bought fungicide and sprayed a whole 16 oz. bottle on them tonight, I'm afraid it won't help. There are buds on the plants (I only have 6 or 7 plants now), but I'm thinking about cutting them down and seeing if they'll start over.

Will that be the end of them for the year? I hate rust. :/

Thanks for your thoughts.

A.

Amanda, I have had hollyhocks for years and years--at least 10. Then, I started getting rust on them. There seems to be no cure that I know of for rust on hollyhocks. For the last three years, I have been digging them up and disposing of them--not in the compost pile. The HH come up from previous seed, but they always have rust. I 'think' you have to keep getting rid of them until they don't come up from seed anymore. Then, get new seed or new plants and just start over.
I hope I am wrong and someone will tell both of us a good remedy.

Thanks for your thoughts. I think somehow it's the soil. I planted Malva sylvestris seeds in the spring and I noticed today that they are developing rust on the lower leaves - just like the HH did. I HATE to think of cutting them out of my garden. :/

Seems like there's no other remedy. I purchased some spray against my better judgment which recommends use from the time they are seedling stage. One of my plants was broken off at the base during a Tstorm a couple of weeks ago. New green leaves have started there. I wonder if I go ahead and cut them down . .. .. I don't think it would hurt to try. What a drag.

Ugh.

I really don't know where the rust comes from. That would be a good research project. Right now, I am plagued with chiggers and have spent the afternoon searching for organic ways to get rid of them. I have found nothing yet, btw.
When I have researched rust in the past, I believe I read it spreads through the air. I have rust on the HH all over my yard. It's sad. I was not able to find any solution other than getting rid of them. I have tried to replace the HH with other flowers until hopefully, the rust will eventually go away. Heck, it may last longer than I will! :( I try to just keep digging them out and tossing them.

It's supposedly about hygiene.

Leaves with rust on them are to be discarded as you are doing. I have read to water a mix of milk and water (for real), and also purchased a fungicide eventually. Rust spreads also when it rains as the spores (?) splash onto other plants/leaves.

I don't think I can bring myself to pull up the roots (!!!). I will probably go ahead and start over after they get finished blooming the first time.

I have also read that improved soil conditions are important. Of course healthy plants stand a better chance against disease. This yard also has been plagued with powdery mildew mid-summer which I despise. :/

Let me know if you find the cure!!!!

Thanks :)

A.

p.s. I wonder if diatomaceous earth will do anything to chiggers.

For rust, in addition to proper hygiene at the end of the season, it's also helpful if you apply fungicides before you start to see rust symptoms. Once the symptoms start to show up it's too late to do much, but if you treat before the rust shows up sometimes you can prevent (or at least minimize) it. Unfortunately once it's in the soil in a particular location in your garden, any plants that are susceptible are going to tend to get it so it's going to be a battle every year. You can also look for rust-resistant varieties and that will help some, although none of them are rust-proof (note that seedlings that come up from what was originally a rust-resistant hollyhock may not come true so they may not be as resistant as the parent plant was)

I don't really even have a place to move them to. I've had them for so long I . . .o well. it's only some fiberous mass.

ecrane, you mean one never gets rid of rust once you have it? Man, I am going to have rust on everything.

I think that's true. But only certain plants are susceptible, HH and malva particularly.

What about Digitalis? Man, I am not going to have anything to grow!

Awww - c'mon! Nothing else in my yard is affected. It's amazing. It's so nasty, and I don't know what to do. :/

Here's my original list of haves (and wants) from the spring.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=8479671

ONLY alcea and malva are affected.

Maybe I'll get up the nerve to chop them over the weekend. The old giant roots have such beautiful green leaves coming up. Guess if I start spraying NOW like all the products say . . . Like people spray their vegetables all season? What a drag.

A.

I did pull out all of my HH. I cut them to the ground and though it were possible to let new leaf growth occur, I did not want to spend the summer fighting that battle. :/

Guess it's important to know when to let go.

A.