Talkback: Hollyhock rust - Talkback

05/07/2008 at 09:38

My first year also growing a hollyhock, again planted last year and did nothing, and I have had rust and scrapped the plant. May try again next year as I think they look so lovely.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/07/2008 at 12:53

I planted hollyhocks last year, nothing happened! However, this year 1 is more than 6' tall with lovely red flowers, (just opening) the shoot off it will be opening soon. HOWEVER, I didn't realise there was such a thing as hollyhock rust and boy! do I have some! You suggest removing leaves, is this all I can do, or should I spray with something - eg Fairy Liquid? Please give me some hints please. I also have a Mallow, but quite a few yards away. Will this one be OK?

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06/07/2008 at 15:37

Please can you tell me can i grow Helleborus from seed. Love the programme. thank you.

Gardeners' World Web User

07/07/2008 at 13:07

My hollyhocks have suffered so much with rust all I had left last year were a spikes of flowers with no leaves, so this year I've started again from scratch from seed. I have 8 heathy little plants in 3" pots in the greenhouse, I did notice yesterday 3 more had come through in the seed tray I used which I had put outside the greenhouse. Do they germinate at different times for any reason and do you think its worth hanging on to the tray a while longer? in case any more will come.I've never grown them from seed before I've always bought plants ready for flowering that year, so how long do I leave them in their own pots before planting them into the garden? and now they're between 2-3" across do I leave them in the greenhouse or not?

Gardeners' World Web User

07/07/2008 at 13:08

My hollyhocks have suffered so much with rust all I had left last year were a spikes of flowers with no leaves, so this year I've started again from scratch from seed. I have 8 healthy little plants in 3" pots in the greenhouse, I did notice yesterday 3 more had come through in the seed tray I used which I had put outside the greenhouse. Do they germinate at different times for any reason and do you think its worth hanging on to the tray a while longer? in case any more will come.I've never grown them from seed before I've always bought plants ready for flowering that year, so how long do I leave them in their own pots before planting them into the garden? and now they're between 2-3" across do I leave them in the greenhouse or not?

Gardeners' World Web User

08/07/2008 at 00:28

I've just put in a punnet of seedlings in my Templestowe garden and I'm hoping they don't succumb to rust, although I reckon I'm hoping in vain..some of the punnets of plants on sale seemed to have rust spots on the leaves already!!

Gardeners' World Web User

12/07/2008 at 12:15

I Have a similar rust spots on my chrysanthemum .I have treated with a fungicide spray it has not been affective should i cut it down or start again with a new plant.

Gardeners' World Web User

22/07/2008 at 18:37

can someone tell me if holly hocks are poisonous

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29/07/2008 at 08:10

I planted 5 hollyhock in a shaded corner by my composter. 4 of them died from rust but the other has grown 6 feet. The one I have left I was taking off the rust affected leaves and disposing of them as they came and I have beautiful blooms. Yet a chap down the road who has planted his hollyhock in full sun against a laurel hedge has no rust, magnificent blooms to all his plants and it just looks glorious. This area is clay soil. Next year mine will be planted in full sun away from the composter and maybe that will be the answer. I am determined to have some of these beautiful flowers in my garden.

Gardeners' World Web User

31/07/2008 at 11:51

I planted two hollyhocks about 3 years ago in a container but every year they have done nothing but grow to about 4inches tall. A friend told me that they don't like too rich a compost and that they prefer poorer soil. I've moved them and this year they are 6feet tall with lots of flowers coming. The problem is they are covered with this rust that everyone's talking about. If I remove the leaves (those that are left) I'll be left with no leaves at all. What should I do? Leave the leaves or take them all off. Nearly half have died off already. Thanks for any advice x

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02/08/2008 at 13:37

Please can you tell me how to look ater my hollyhocks ,they are covered in rust and most of the leaves are dying off. Thanks

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02/08/2008 at 17:23

I have slowly dispensed of hollyhocks from my garden because of the problem with rust. One has reappeared growing through a flagstone, quite short and has no rust? Explain if you will.

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07/08/2008 at 11:35

My hollyhock has some closed buds and all of the leaves have died off due to rust. This is a new bed with rich soil, this must be the problem. The best hollyhocks I have seen locally have been self sown ones, growing through cracks in driveways - this must be the answer!

Gardeners' World Web User

07/08/2008 at 23:25

I have been growing hollyhocks in my garden for several yeas and every year I have the problem of rust. I had never heard of "rust" until I read this blog, I just thought it was a normal thing that happened to hollyhocks.I should say though that my plant are always about 8 feet tall and have lots of blooms. Now I know about "rust" what can I do to prevent having it again next year? No-one has left any answers yet? I would really appreciate any help! I would also like to say that due to "Gardener's World" I only started gardening aabout 5 years ago and my garden is all I think about now-a days, I hadn't realised what I'd been missing all those years! Thank you for everything! xx

Gardeners' World Web User

18/08/2008 at 14:24

I've planted out my hollyhock plants which I've been growing in the greenhouse this weekend, they're looking very healthy they're in the front garden away from the ones I had in the back last year that had rust,next to each plant I've placed a half grapefruit skin which I've been trying around the garden next to other plant with slug problems, this seems to be the answer to slug problems at the moment for me so hopefully they won't get eaten and next year they will flower and not get rust.

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31/08/2008 at 07:48

The best hollyhocks I ever succeeded in growing - after many years of rust ridden plants - was whilst having building work done, and the whole garden was covered in a fine film of concrete and hardcore dust, but for the first year ever, NO RUST on the hollyhocks - spectacular.

Gardeners' World Web User

29/09/2008 at 18:12

I think the key difficulty in growing hollyhocks (apart from the rust problem!) is that the seeds are vulnerable to frost. I have a suspicion that that's why one sees hollyhocks growing in the most unfavourable of places, such as cracks in paving, because the seeds have tucked themselves into a frost-free sheltered environment and thrive! Basically, hollyhocks like the bad life. Neglect them and they flourish. Love and nurture them and they die.

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16/10/2009 at 05:32

I often put cold used teabags into my house plant soil as extra fertiliser.But after putting in a REDBUSH teabag,one plant shoot has appeared!! Its red,20cms high,thin,with tiny obvious budding leaf start! Is this plant safe to grow here??

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19/10/2009 at 09:31

Hollyhock rut is extremely difficult to control , basically you'd be plastering the plants with rust fungicide at ridiculous intervals and pretty well throughout spring and summer, so it is something many of us regard as 'normal' too! But dry conditions and good air circulation do all help immensely so flagstones, gravel and perhaps even concreting activity could all help!

Gardeners' World Web User

23/09/2010 at 12:56

do i have to put my baby hollyhocks in the green house for the winter they are in 3" pots also have loads of little lupins can any one help please