DISEASE OR BUGS ON MY SUNFLOWERS??????

Anyone seen this or know WHAT in the world is going on?? I sprayed with incecticide once, dont MAKE me DO IT AGAIN, cause I will!!!

And a few leaves look like this. It is starting low, and moving higher.

Best;
blue

What does the underside of the leaf look like?

CEE,
About the same, just the other side. Could not see any crawly kinda things.

Best;
blue

PS Will try to get some pics for ya

I think it is fungal (possibly Alternaria) and spraying with insecticide won't help. Unfortunately, there is no fungicide registered for it. There are cultural ways to try to avoid it next year....

Scroll down to Alternaria.
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/rowcrops/eb25w-6d.htm

I know you didn't want that answer, but sometimes, dear blue, there are no quick fixes. Sorry....
You should have an Extension office around there. Perhaps they can help...

CJ

CEE, How about UNregistered ways?? You know what a REBEL I am, lol.
Seems to be moving UP the stalk. Any chance just removing the infected leaves will do anything??

Best;
bluelytes

Ah, thank you ceejaytown. I've got some Helianthus here that look like blues leaves. I figured it was a fungal infection but didn't know which one. It's been a particularly rainy spring and summer so far which I have no doubt contributed to this. I'll cut down and burn the Helianthus stalks the end of summer. That should help out a lot next year. I do have some Xanthium here and your link stated they were an alternate host. I actually ripped out a few today but I suppose I better go get all of them in the next few weeks. They're going to set seed soon anyway.

Blue - Yes, I know you're a rebel. I'll ask for any suggestions tomorrow (where I work without pay)....they'll know or nobody will,,,,

Equi - Glad it helped you.

CEEJ,
TYVM!! I'll never say a bad word about texass again!! :)

Best;
bluelytes

texass, eh? You are one wild woman, Blue!
I asked about your sunflowers, and you can spray with Maneb. Try to follow the label directions, OK? There might be a heat thing - I don't know. I wouldn't spray the flower head - birds eat the seed and I don't know what Maneb does to them...

CEEJ,
TYSM!!! Umm, WHERE do I get this "maneb". These are very young, only about 3' tall, or little less.

Best;
bluelytes

At a plant nursery would be my guess. It is an old fungicide. You might find it at a Lowe's or Home Depot. I haven't used it, so I don't know for sure. Or you could use a copper fungicide (Kocide or bordeaux) but he was afraid it might burn the leaves of a sunflower. And you would have to be careful about the heat and staining any concrete, etc... Thought Maneb was the best. I've seen it in the past. Just don't remember where.

CEEJ,
Thanx!! I called a local place, bark and garden center, they did not have it, did not know WHO had it. they had something that sstarted with an "M", was like 8.00 (plus the 8.00 gas round trip, lol), and it was concentrate, made like 25gal, but it was not close to the "maneb". Be easier and cheaper just to pull them up. :( Thank you SOOO MUCH for alll your kind assistance. I will keep calling I guess. :)

Best;
bluelytes