An artistic conundrum or a botanical disaster?

My blue flax has an orange mold problem (very possibly 'rust'), and besides for the contrasting color dilemma, it is wreaking havoc on one of my favorite plants.  I tried some nasty stuff in a can that the previous owner left in the shed but that didn't do a thing.  But pinterest assures me that a little baking soda in water will do the trick.  I've used it on my bathroom ceiling with good results, it is cheap and harmless, so why not?  I've been applying the 1/2 tsp/cup of water twice daily and the mold seems to be in retreat (the afflicted leaves are also dying off) but is it that the mold has run its course or that the magic concoction is working?  There are a few more newly affected stems, but not near so bad as it was at the start, of course the weather isn't half so moist either.  The scientist in me demands honesty, and honestly, I can't tell you if it's working or not, at least plants don't have the placebo effect to further complicate matters!  At least it makes me feel like I'm doing something…there must be some catchy name for that too or maybe I'm the one suffering from the placebo effect?  This is getting way more complicated than it should be!  I'd better go pull weeds or make bread or something otherwise violent and thoughtless…or spray some more mold...