Greetings, caretaker. We are the hollyhocks standing tall in your garden, our leaves reaching for the sun and our flowers bursting with color. But sometimes, a sickness befalls us—a disfiguring condition you call rust. From our perspective, it is an invasion, a parasitic fungus that weakens our vitality. We wish to share with you how you can help us fight this battle using the gentle ways of nature.
To you, our rust (*Puccinia malvacearum*) appears as orange-brown pustules on our leaf undersides and yellow spots on the surfaces. To us, it is a relentless attacker. This fungus saps our strength, diverting the energy we need to grow and bloom. Severe infections cause our leaves to wither and die prematurely, crippling our ability to photosynthesize. It spreads primarily through microscopic spores, leaping from leaf to leaf on the breeze or with the help of splashing water. Understanding that this is a moisture-loving, wind-borne pathogen is the first step in aiding us.
When you see the first signs of infection, please act swiftly but gently. Harsh chemicals disrupt the delicate life in the soil that we depend on.
First, carefully remove and destroy our most severely infected leaves. Do not compost them, as the fungus may survive. Please sanitize your tools after to prevent spreading the spores to our healthy siblings.
Next, consider applying a natural antifungal spray. A solution of one part milk to two parts water, sprayed on our leaves every 7-10 days, can create an environment hostile to the fungus. Another effective remedy is a bicarbonate spray—mix one tablespoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of horticultural oil or mild soap into a gallon of water. This alters the leaf surface pH, inhibiting spore growth. Always test a small area on one of us first to ensure we do not react poorly.
The most profound help you can offer is to change the conditions that allow the rust to thrive. Our greatest defense is our own innate vigor.
Please provide us with adequate space when planting. Crowding us together restricts air movement, leaving our leaves damp for hours—a perfect haven for fungal spores. Water us at the base, close to the soil, and do so in the morning. This allows the sun to quickly dry our foliage, denying the moisture the rust needs to germinate. A layer of organic mulch around our base helps prevent soil-borne spores from splashing onto our lower leaves during rain or watering.
Some of us are bred to be more resistant to this blight. Seek out varieties labeled ‘rust-resistant’ to give future generations a stronger start. At the end of our growing season, after our blooms have faded, please do not leave our diseased remains nearby. Clear all plant debris from the garden bed and destroy it. This removes the primary source of overwintering spores, drastically reducing the number of attackers that will emerge to trouble the new hollyhocks you plant next spring.
