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Hollyhock and rust
RubyLeaf
Posts: 260
This year my Hollyhocks got a bad case of rust. Stems, foliage and flowers were affected. The best it could manage was the flower bud opening a little before the rust killed it.
I wanted to know if I should dig them up and get rid of them?
Last edited: 05 December 2016 23:15:47
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Do garden centres sell garlic spray with bicarb in? Or am I supposed to mix it?
What if the majority of the plant was infected? They're both still in the ground atm.
My experience is that if hollyhocks are infected with rust, there is nothing you can do to save them. I had to give up growing them completely as no matter whether I grew from seed or bought plants, they always became infected in no time. No difference in pots or ground.
My Hollyhocks got infected in their 2nd year. But I really love the double variety and if I have to replace them every year I don't think thats so bad. The question I want an answer for is the ones in the ground that were infected. Will they have the disease next year?
Almost certainly, Rubyleaf. Once a virus infects a plant, it will probably go down to the roots. You could wait and see if the new leaves next year show any signs but the danger is that if they are still infected, it will likely spread to any new plants you grow. To be safe, I would dig them up and dispose of them in your domestic waste - definitely don't put any part of them in a compost heap.
rust never goes away, grow the hollyhocks behind something that hides the leaves.
It's fungal, not a virus, fungal spores get everywhere. I've had hollyhocks get rust on the first true leaves from seed, in fresh compost, not near anything apparently suffering rust. Fungal spores are airborne.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks nut, I always thought it was viral rather than fungal! Just looked up the offending fungus on the RHS site and see it affects several other plants in the family. They say get rid of all other susceptible plants if hollyhocks are your main 'thing':
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=564
I might try them again one year but, like black spot infected roses, I hate the sight of diseased plants and don't have enough border space to hide the worst affected parts so will probably resign them to the list of ne'er do wells!
I've given them up really but I keep trying from time to time, they such fine plants (from a distance).
I pass some on a frequent journey, never been closer than 20 foot or so, nowhere to stop if I wanted to. They look great.
In the sticks near Peterborough