Rust Fungi..!! First Time Having it. Need Some Help. Pics Included!!

[MMRCGrower]

So I've been growing for many years, and have dealt with just about everything, from pest, to mildew/molds, lockouts, root rot.... you name it. But I've never came up against the issue of Rust Fungus.

I just recently got it and its spreading like wild fire. I know that cold, wet conditions are ideal for Rust Fungus, so we plan to raise the temps, and apply some different Fungicides (since our current one obviously isnt working). The RH is already supper low in the room, so moisture isnt the issue, but the cold is. We dont have heaters in the room, only an AC.

Usually in winter we disconnect the vent fans from the lights, and let the lights keep the room at a suitable temperature, but recently its been pretty damn cold and the lights aren't doing the trick.

So besides my temperatures and RH, what else can I do to get rid of and better contain this rust fungus?? I've heard Baking Soda, Sulfur Powders, and Fungicide Sprays work, but I wanted to get some info from someone who has actually dealt with this before.

Any info, comments, or feedback of any kind would be great.

Here's a pic of one leaf. Some of em are worse then this and some aren't as bad.

MMRCGrower Reviewed by MMRCGrower on 12-05-2010. Rust Fungi..!! First Time Having it. Need Some Help. Pics Included!! So I've been growing for many years, and have dealt with just about everything, from pest, to mildew/molds, lockouts, root rot.... you name it. But I've never came up against the issue of Rust Fungus. I just recently got it and its spreading like wild fire. I know that cold, wet conditions are ideal for Rust Fungus, so we plan to raise the temps, and apply some different Fungicides (since our current one obviously isnt working). The RH is already supper low in the room, so moisture isnt the Rating: 5

[WashougalWonder]

looks more like a P deficiency to me.

Night time temps? Does this effect all leaves or just the bottoms?

How do you know it is rust fungus? I need to learn about that I guess before I go spouting off too much.....

[MMRCGrower]

looks more like a P deficiency to me.

Night time temps? Does this effect all leaves or just the bottoms?

How do you know it is rust fungus? I need to learn about that I guess before I go spouting off too much.....

Haha.... I knew someone was going to say I had a nute deficiency. Its all good, and you cant really tell unless you go through the process of elimination.

So how I was able to tell is by this:

I've been using the exact same nutrients for over 2 years now. Almost everything is identical to what I've been doing for a while. All systems were recently cleaned out and fresh nutes were added.

The only thing that has changed, is the location. We moved into a bigger area (Small warehouse). The temperatures are VERY low in there at times. Cold, wet conditions are ideal for Rust Fungus. Its not wet in there, but it does get cold.

The number one thing that made me realize that this is Rust Fungus is that I brought in about 20 fresh plants from another grow site. These plants were very healthy when I first brought them in. We put them in a separate system, from the plants that already had this Rust Fungus on them. Within a few days, the new plants started showing signs of this Rust. Then a few more days pass by and there covered in it.

So that told me, that this is some how being transferred through the air. The only thing that would do something like this to my plants, that can be transferred through the air, are fungus' and mold's. They produce Spores and get blown around your grow room by the fans. Once these spores land on a plant, then the rust fungus starts to develope.

Right now.... my mind is set on a sulfur burner, but I have heard that if you've sprayed your plants with any kind of oil, like Neem Oil in the past 30 days, that entering Sulfur into your garden can burn your leaves. Still looking into it though.

[LetsSeeYa]

I just got this product for mites, but they have a fungus stuff too. I only got a free sample, but it came the next day so if it works, you know they can get it to you fast.



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I got this and the mite stuff, but will see what the strip and then bomb will do


Good luck man:rasta:

[MMRCGrower]

I just got this product for mites, but they have a fungus stuff too. I only got a free sample, but it came the next day so if it works, you know they can get it to you fast.



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PHONE 877-626-5505
Website Sierra Natural Science Inc Home

I got this and the mite stuff, but will see what the strip and then bomb will do


Good luck man:rasta:

Thanks a lot. We just emailed them for a sample of their Fungicide. Hopefully it will get here soon and works.

[WashougalWonder]

Ok, thanks for elaborating. Only change was to a different place so the spores got picked up there. Is it too late to do a bleach wash of the entire place with a pressure washer or something?

I would also consider one of those propane space heaters......not only will it warm, but increase carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide....a safety issue for peoples if kept closed in. I dont' know about the sulphur burners but I do know the propane heater will not injure plants that have had neem....of course it is not directed right at the plants, just in the intake air space....sorta preheating.

Will follow this, interesting to say the least.

[WashougalWonder]

Is it possible to filter the intake air with a high micron filter?

[MMRCGrower]

Ok, thanks for elaborating. Only change was to a different place so the spores got picked up there. Is it too late to do a bleach wash of the entire place with a pressure washer or something?

I would also consider one of those propane space heaters......not only will it warm, but increase carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide....a safety issue for peoples if kept closed in. I dont' know about the sulphur burners but I do know the propane heater will not injure plants that have had neem....of course it is not directed right at the plants, just in the intake air space....sorta preheating.

Will follow this, interesting to say the least.

Cant pressure wash, there's no drain. The room is clean. Fresh paint on the walls, ceiling and floor.

We just put up another 1,000 watt light and now the room temp is perfect. It wasnt off too much to begin with. Only about 5 degrees. Here in southern California, we just have a couple weeks that were really cold, but its starting to heat up now.

As for the carbon monoxide.... I think I'll pass on that one. I dont feel like dying any time soon. Haha... Plus I dont think its very useful to plants either. Carbon Dioxide, we do use. Our room is enriched to about 1,600 ppm of CO2.

[MMRCGrower]

Is it possible to filter the intake air with a high micron filter?

Yup. There's a filter on it. We have a closed system though. So the intake only opens up 3 times per day, for 15 minutes each time.

This Rust fungus didnt come from outside though. Its just a fungus that develops when the conditions are just right. I guess the combination of me spraying the plants, mixed with the 2 weeks of really cold weather, was all it took to get this fungus growing.

I was using a 3 in 1 spray. Fungicide, Pesticide, and Miticide. The main ingredient was just Neem Oil. Neem kills fungus by smothering it until it dies, but I guess Rust Fungus doesnt neem very much oxygen to live. So Neem should work, but just didnt do the trick here. So I just bought GreenCure Fungicide. Sprayed the plants a couple days ago. So we'll see what happens. Im going to spray them again in a few more days, then we're going to throw a sulfur burner in there overnight. Then hopefully we can move forward. This Rust crap stuns the growth of the plants. So we havent gotten any new growth for a few weeks now. We let it get out of hand, because we didnt know what the hell it was at first. Had to go through the process of elimination. Then with each thing you check, you usually have to give it a couple days to see what reaction you get from the plants. So now, almost 3 weeks later, we think we're going to have it under control. Hopefully.

We'll post some pictures soon. Just at this point, taking pictures of them like this, is not something we like to do.

[MMRCGrower]

I was still hoping that someone could give me some tips. Got Rust Fungus. I just read that I cant run a Sulfur Burner in there for more weeks, because I sprayed them with Neem about 2 weeks ago.

Any input would help, but this isnt a nute problem. Here's some more pics.