Hello, it is I, the Hollyhock. From my vibrant, towering spires that grace your cottage gardens, I see you have noticed the unsightly orange pustules marring my leaves. This is my struggle with a common foe: Puccinia malvacearum, or hollyhock rust. It weakens me, saps my energy, and makes it hard for me to photosynthesize and produce the seeds for my next generation. But do not despair; we can fight this together. Here is my guide, from my roots to your hands.
When you see the tell-tale signs—yellowish spots on my upper leaf surfaces and raised, rusty-brown pustules underneath—immediate action is needed to ease my suffering and stop the spread.
First, please remove all my severely infected leaves. Be gentle but firm. Pinch them off at the petiole (the little stem connecting the leaf to my main stalk) and immediately place them in a sealed bag. Do not compost them, as the fungal spores will simply overwait and attack again. This simple act of removal drastically reduces the spore load in the garden, giving me a chance to breathe.
Next, consider applying a treatment. From my perspective, I prefer organic options that are kinder to my soil and the beneficial insects that visit me. A weekly spray of a horticultural oil or neem oil can suffocate the existing spores. For more severe cases, a fungicide containing chlorothalonil or myclobutanil can be used as a last resort. Please always follow the label instructions precisely to avoid burning my foliage or harming yourself.
Treating the symptoms is one thing, but changing the conditions that allowed the rust to thrive is how you truly protect me and my future seedlings. My greatest needs are space and dry leaves.
Please, give me room to grow. When you plant my seeds or position my starts, space us at least 18-24 inches apart. Crowding us creates a humid, stagnant environment where moisture lingers on our leaves—a perfect home for fungal spores to germinate. Good air circulation is my best defense; it whisks moisture away and keeps my foliage dry.
When you water me, aim your hose or watering can at my base, at the soil level. Avoid splashing water onto my leaves. Wet foliage, especially overnight, is an open invitation for rust and other diseases. Watering in the morning allows the sun to quickly dry any accidental splashes.
As my growing season ends, the fungus seeks a place to overwinter. It hides in the debris of my fallen leaves and stems left on the soil surface. To break this cycle, please practice thorough garden hygiene.
After my first frost kills my above-ground growth, cut my stems down to just a few inches above the soil. Gather every last piece of my foliage and stem, and dispose of it all in the trash—not the compost pile. This removes the primary source of next year's initial infection. A clean layer of fresh mulch in spring can also help bury any lingering spores.
Finally, consider selecting and planting rust-resistant varieties of me for future seasons. While no cultivar is completely immune, some are more tolerant. By choosing these stronger lines, you are giving the next generation of hollyhocks in your garden a much better chance to thrive, untouched by the rust that so plagued their ancestors.
