Mike, there has been some very quiet talk among the FL hybridizers that zone 6 may not be cold enough to kill all signs of rust. My understanding is that it takes prolonged freezing, not just a few nights.

Good luck! I have an ongoing battle with rust down here in FL.

Thanks, Beachlily-

Honestly, I was shocked b/c I have had all manner of leaf streaking and such, but after carefully comparing those irregularities with photos, I am assured that none of that was rust.

Then, suddenly, on Friday, I noticed that the leaves of one plant have small risen looking bumps on the underside, and, sure enough, rubbing it on my t-shirt provided a rust colored stain. I don't know where it came from. None of the daylilies in the bed with it (or any I've ever owned) have shown rust. Ever.

I used to spray roses, but finally got so sick and tired of it that I gave them all away. I certainly hope that I am not headed down a similar path with daylilies.

Hey Mike,
I'm just arcoss the SC line in the Augusta area. No, our typical winters will not kill rust. You have done well to cut back foliage and scoop up the mulch in that area. Some folks will dig up the plants and dip the foliage in a dilute bleach solution, then re-plant. Others use spray programs, but even with rotating fungicides to prevent resistant strains and being very diligent, eliminating rust is nearly impossible.
The time of year that you have seen it appear in your garden is typical - - after the summer heat breaks and after a good rain to two. Rust does not like a combination of very hot and very dry, but it loves moderately warm and humid. I have managed to keep it to a few plants so far this year and have learned which cultivars are most susceptible and begun eliminating them from my garden.
Good luck,
Larry

Yes, cutting back does help. Also, I've been eliminating the rust buckets even when it hurt to do it. I've had very good luck combining fungicide and liquid nickle. Early this month, I put it off and let the rust get bad, then it took 3 sprayings a week apart to get back to nice, clean leaves. That is a combination that the pro's use. They have been very supportive in answering questions and providing sources for me. I do appreciate them.

Hi Mike, Sorry to hear about your problem. I am in northwest FL and it sounds like we have similar winters. Unfortunately, it is not cold enough here to kill rust. Which cultivar is showing signs of rust? Some daylilies are very prone to rust...while others are not. I have been trying to buy daylilies that are described as rust resistant and throwing out the worst offenders. Have you seen the rust survey? I'll post a link. Good luck.
Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Daylily Rust Survey

Kathy: Thanks for posting that survey link. I have a question though....
The survey does not say where the participants resided who reported on problems with rust on those daylilies. Are all the participants from the south? Perhaps I missed that information when looking but it would be more interesting to see results not only by the cultivar but also by the states reporting rust with that particular daylily.

Julia

Beachlily, where did you get the liquid nickle and how do you use it. Thanks

Dot

Dot, I got the liquid nickle from Dan Trimmer. The container is gone because I shared the product with friends. A Google search yielded a website for this product--I've linked to it below.

I do have the fact sheet for the product. The product's name is NICKLE PLUS by NIPAN LLC, P.O. Box 5611, 2867 Carroll Ulmer Rd., Valdosta, GA 31603-5611. For daylilies, it says that nickel nutrition will improve plant resistance to rust. Apply at a rate of 1 Tablespoon per gallon) at weekly intervals for 3 weeks starting in early spring when plant begin active growth. After the initial 3 sprays, apply every 14-21 days until plants start blooming. Retreat in the fall when weather conditions favor rust development.

Dan Trimmer recommended it. He said to combine it with the variety of fungicides I use. He said that it would keep the garden clear of rust for over a month--I agree, but I found that garden stayed clean for about 6 weeks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nickle Plus

Hmmm... very interesting. Here is a link to an abstract written about Ni and daylilies.

Now that I read fairysoap's link, I do remember that Dan said the nickle was effective alone as well as when it was used with fungicide. I remember that the nickle wasn't expensive but I don't remember what I paid, but it was significantly less than the fungicide I use. Next time I see rust, I just might try spraying with the nickle alone to see what happens!

Julia, I would assume that most reports come from the south, since rust is much more prevalent here. Since our winters are not cold enough to kill it, the rust continues to break out repeatedly year after year. Therefore, we can easily identify the worst offenders and properly grade the others according to severity. On certain daylilies, the rust postules are evident all the time...no matter how often you spray or how often you cut back the leaves. Those are the ones I throw in the garbage. And they are easy to spot on the survey. It is only a guide, however, and certainly is not all inclusive. MAGIC CARPET RIDE for instance, stayed covered with rust when it was in my garden, but it isn't on the survey.
Kathy

Does anyone think we could provide names of those cultivars we have, or have had, that were rust magnets? I really don't want this to become a back stabbing, "told you so" type thread. Instead, I don't mind naming names myself and seeing named cultivars that others have removed. Probably asking too much!

beachlily, I think it's a great idea. I believe the more information we have...the better the decisions we make. If anyone feels uncomfortable posting their list in public, you could email it to me. I'd appreciate hearing about your experience.

I have removed the following daylilies due to repeated rust infections:

In 2008:
AWESOME BLOSSOM, CANADIAN BORDER PATROL, CHEROHALA, CLUSTER MUSTER, FANCIFUL CANDY, FRANK SMITH, GRAHAM MEMORIAL, MAKE BELIEVE MAGIC, NIGHT EMBERS, SEA SWEPT DREAMS, WISPY RAYS.

In previous years:
ABSOLUTE TREASURE, ALAKAZAM, CHANCE ENCOUNTER, CHERRYSTONE, DAVID KIRCHHOFF, DESTINED TO SEE, DIXIELAND MEMORIES, MAGIC CARPET RIDE, PEARLFISHER PINK, PRETTY GAUDY, SHIMMERING ELEGANCE, SPACECOAST SURPRISE PURPLE, SPACECOAST STARBURST, STORM OF THE CENTURY, STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER, VOLUSIAN SPIDER.

Kathy

On that rust survey, there have only been about 200 individuals that have filled out reports (me being one of them - but just recently). And, keep in mind that the only daylilies on there are ones that actually have had rust in some manner. All the daylilies without any rust, will not show up on that survey. Also, the cultivar has to have 3 or more reports to show up on the survey.

Julie - you do enter your state and zone when you fill out the survey, but it is not listed on the results page. :o(

Southern climate does favor rust development, so most of the reports on the Rust Survey will be from the south. However, there must be a minimum number of reports before the plant is included on the survey. Look for a trend instead of absolute values.

Rust is diminished or eliminated during the cold in winters, so fewer cases of rust will be observed in the north. Probably less susceptible plants can flourish in the north and never develop rust, even if it is present locally. So even if you are north of hardiness zone 7, it is still advantageous to have resistant plants. Just as the southern hybridizers send their plants north to test hardiness, northern hybridizers should send their plants south to test for rust susceptibility.

Since rust was introduced here in the US back in 2000, it has been recommended that a contact and systemic fungicide be used to control or eliminate rust. Each is effective for combating different stages of the rust's life cycle. If you don't have rust, then routine spraying with a contact fungicide will kill spores and prevent them from infecting your plants, or at least keep any infection to a minimum. If you have active rust, then you must add a systemic to act on the rust growing inside the leaves. Since the systemic works inside, most have limited effect on spores. Nickel and copper salts are effective contact fungicides but I would not want to spray my garden with them on a routine basis. They are also detrimental to the plants in higher concentrations. There are many contact fungicides just as effective with much less environmental impact.

Lastly, rust is not a disease. It is a parasite. It must have a living plant to survive. Boosting plant immune systems has no detrimental effect on rust, probably just the opposite. Rusts have been on this planet probably longer than man, so I doubt we will see them disappear any time soon. I think we must learn to minimize their impact with as little impact on the environment as possible. I think genetically resistant plants is a much better path than chemical eradication.

Ed

OK, I'll see how much information I can provide.

Monthly rust records for 2008 in my garden show the following cultivars had moderate (m) or heavy (h) rust: Ageless Beauty (m), Bubbling Edge (h), Candied Popcorn Perfection (h), Cracks in Concrete (h), Edith Sliger (m), Empire Strikes Back (h), Flamingo Parade (m), Goldie Fritz (h), Green Mystique (h), Invitation to Immortality (h), Lemonberry Truffle (m), Lord of the Storm (m), Mary Alice Stokes (m), Mysterious Eyes (m), New Hampshire Heaven (m), Passion District (h), Pink Duality (m), Ransom Note (m), Spacecoast Surprise Purple (h), String Theory (m), Triangular Tricksy (m), Southern Coral (m). I have removed Bubbling Edge, Candied Popcorn Perfection, Edith Sliger, Empire Strikes Back, Goldie Fritz, Green Mystique, Lord of the Storm, Mary Alice Stokes, Mysterious Eyes, Passion District, Ransom Note, String Theory, Triangular Tricksy and Southern Coral. Other cultivars respond to treatments and have been left in place.

Its interesting that some cultivars I had that were rust buckets, went to a new home where they didn't get rust. The new home is a touch colder than I am so the climate may have made a difference.

In past years I have removed the following because of rust:
Absolute Treasure, Awesome Blossom, Border Music, Canadian Border Patrol, Layers of Gold, Magic Carpet Ride, Purple Pyrotectonics, Rose Fireglow, Rue Madeline, Riveria Rapture, Spacecoast Starburst, Spacecoast Picotee Prince, Storm of the Century, Super Mama, Volusian Spider.

Hope this helps someone!

Hey,
Wow, thanks for all the feedback. I just logged on for the first time today to see so many responses.

The survey is interesting. The plant I have rust on is Hearts and Lace, and it was the healthiest looking plant I had before I noticed the rust. I am going to be keeping a very close eye on the others in the same bed to see if they'll remain green or develop rust themselves.

Mike in SC

Rust came into my garden for the first time three years ago on either Admiral's Braid or Enchanting Esmerelda. It spread quickly to Arrayed in Splendor and Sunshine Gold. Other cultivars got a few speckles. I learned as much as I could about daylily rust that winter and was on a spraying program the next year. Didn't see any rust until late that summer when it once again struck Admiral's Braid and Sunshine Gold. Neither Enchanting Esmerelda nor Arrayed In Splendor showed rust that year, so Admiral's Braid and Sunshine Yellow left my garden. Interestingly, some seedlings with parents among those mentioned are where rust struck this spring. I threw out the worst offenders before they bloomed and the rust in the seedling bed calmed right down after one spraying. However, a couple of weeks ago it appeared on a seedling with Arrayed in Splendor as one parent. The seedling has responded well to spraying, but if the rust keeps coming back on it, it will have to go even though it is one of the prettiest seedlings I have! Even though it has not shown any sign of rust the last two years, Arrayed In Splendor is leaving my garden.
Larry

beachlily, I wasn't surprised by your experience with GREEN MYSTIQUE. I've had trouble with it, also. I have said repeatedly that it has not increased at all since I planted it. But when you consider how many times I've sprayed it and cut it back, it's no wonder! I will probably put it out of its' misery soon. I used it heavily this spring in my hybridizing and I've already had to remove most of the seedlings. They showed signs of rust when they were less than 6 inches tall. Which brings me to my next question...

Does anyone know of a DL similar to GREEN MYSTIQUE that is rust resistant? I'd like something with good branching and bud count, round form, cream or yellow, with a nice edge.

Kathy

Kathy,
You might try JT DAVIS or AUNT NELLIE. A good older one is RUFFLED DUDE.
Ed

Kathy, same exact experience. It is that Admiral's Braid blood! Good riddance! I'm surprised Green Mystique didn't do well in your area. I blamed her poor performance down here on my warm climate.

We leave this morning to visit the northland. Going to St. Louis to see husband's family. His brother tried to convince me to pack only shorts/teeshirts saying it was like summer. Sure, dude! Not to someone who is used to 85 in the daytime and 78 at night! We packed a variety! Hope it goes in the car!

Ed, thanks for the suggestions. I will look for all 3.

beachlily, enjoy your trip!

Kathy