I swear if it's not one thing it's another. Do these things mean death to my hollyhocks? I'm hoping they're just some kind of harmless gall or something. (These hollyhocks were planted this spring so I'm hoping for blooms next season.)
Little yellow bumps on hollyhock leaves
Back side of leaf (this is where the bumps appear to be attached).
Might be rust but it also looks like it could be scale
So what can be done???
run your fingers over the bumps...if it rust you'll have smuges of rust on your fingers...if theres no smudges...use your thumb and see if you can scrap one off. I use systemic on insects .For rust I just pick off the old leaves and destory them and hope the new foliage won't be affected. Rust and HH go hand in hand. I'm sure there maybe a product out there for it but I'm not a huge fan of chemicals. Maybe we can google a home remedy for it.
Peggy
I didn't notice any residue. I cut one leaf off to take with my to my favorite nursery this evening, but I guess they must have changed their hours for fall because they were closed at 6:30. I'll try again tomorrow. These bumps are all over almost every leaf. My poor hollyhocks . . . I've been neglectful the last few weeks and now my hollyhocks & cinquefoil or paying for it. I feel guilty!
Ok, it's DEFINITELY rust. http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/hollyhockrust/hollyhockrust.htm
Whaaah! I guess I'll be cutting these back to the ground tomorrow, and hope they survive. What a nasty year for funguses (fungae?) My tomatoes, bee balm, veronica, now the hollyhocks! Ugh.
If you want to see them flower just remove the leaves. They'll look very naked but then you can cut the flower stalk off. It happens to the best of us. I got too tired of fighting it and just don't grow them anymore even though they were a childhood favorite and I do love them. It hurts. My Monarda always get mildew. Some things in life are certain for some of us, sadly. Rust and mildew do return, sorry.
we've had an exceptionaly wet year so I'm dealing with lots of fungus..even mildew on my african violets underlight in the house....and spidermites. So far all my HH seedlings are rust free....knock on wood.
I have heard that milk is a good fungicide - just spray it on. Samantha
And cinnamon. Although I've only heard of it used prevent fungus.