Trouble with hollyhocks

[Durgan]

I have in the past got the seeds from various gardens on my travels, and placed them in small pots and they all germinated without fail. The only one that I now have in the garden is a yellow type, which is certainly a perennial with a long tap root, Alcea rugosa (Russian Hollyhock). Rust is still present, severity is weather dependent, but it still thrives. All the others, about 8 types, have disappeared.

They are truly a beautiful flowering plant, and the variety is almost endless. I have given up growing hollyhocks due to the omnipresent rust, caused by the fungus, Puccinia malvacearum. The most common disease of hollyhocks.

[LuvsToPlant]

Originally Posted by Durgan

I have in the past got the seeds from various gardens on my travels, and placed them in small pots and they all germinated without fail. The only one that I now have in the garden is a yellow type, which is certainly a perennial with a long tap root, Alcea rugosa (Russian Hollyhock). Rust is still present, severity is weather dependent, but it still thrives. All the others, about 8 types, have disappeared.

They are truly a beautiful flowering plant, and the variety is almost endless. I have given up growing hollyhocks due to the omnipresent rust, caused by the fungus, Puccinia malvacearum. The most common disease of hollyhocks.

Did your 8 types of Hollyhock disapear from the ...rust ...problem?
...or maybe you didn't help reseed in the fall when the pods are mature.
They will dissapear ...being a biennial....after 2-3 years.

Here is a good link to how to prevent rust
The key...is not to allow it to happen when gardening with the host plants.
Being careful for air circulation ....and not allowing the leaves to remain wet
for long periods of time will prevent the fungi from developing
Once you have it....your stuck with it for awhile until you completely get rid of the problem....can take a couple years or more and longer if the host plants still are in the habitat.

Link...http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA...holyrust.shtml

Good luck!...I enjoy mine ...pics later

[Durgan]

The eight that disappeared was probably due to not reseeding (Biennials). The rust is prevalent in this area, I always look at hollyhocks grown around the area and often see the rust. But I have seen beautiful rust free plants across the country, particularly in the Province of PEI.

Actually the rust doesn't destroy the plant, just the vegetation, which makes them unsightly. I tried most of the nostrums and simply gave up, due to failures.

[LuvsToPlant]

Originally Posted by Durgan

The eight that disappeared was probably due to not reseeding (Biennials). I tried most of the nostrums and simply gave up, due to failures.

...just remember the preventive measures.