If you are a homeowner, then you know that having a healthy lawn is important. Part of maintaining a healthy lawn is preventing and treating rust, which can be damaging to your grass if left unchecked. Let’s dive into the details of lawn rust and how to prevent and treat it.
What is Lawn Rust?
Lawn rust is an orange to reddish-brown fungus found on grasses in the United States. It typically appears on cool-season varieties like Kentucky bluegrass or warm-season grasses like zoysiagrass. Rust forms during periods of high humidity when temperatures range between 60°F (15°C) and 80°F (27°C), which is why it's most common in late summer or early fall. The fungus spores are spread by wind and it can quickly spread throughout your lawn if not addressed promptly.
Preventing Rust on Your Lawn
The best way to prevent rust from appearing in your lawn is by practicing proper lawn maintenance techniques such as regular mowing, fertilizing, and watering. Fertilizing your lawn with nitrogen helps keep the grass healthy, while keeping it watered helps reduce stress to the plants and keeps them growing strong. It’s also important to aerate your soil periodically since compacted soils don’t allow for proper circulation of air and water throughout the root system, which can lead to weakened plants that are more prone to disease. Lastly, make sure you remove any debris such as leaves or twigs from your yard as they provide ideal conditions for fungal growth.
If you do find yourself with a rust problem in your yard, there are several things you can do to help control it before it takes over your entire yard:
• Increase airflow through the area – rake up leaves/trash/debris from around affected areas; trim back nearby foliage; turn off sprinklers temporarily;
• Reduce moisture levels – give your lawn only the water its needs for healthy growth, avoid overwatering
• Reseed damaged areas – if spots have been severely damaged by rust they will need reseeding once control has been achieved in order to ensure new growth isn't infected with fungus again; wait until symptoms have completely disappeared before re-seeding affected areas; use resistant varieties if possible.
Preventing rust on your lawn requires diligence but is certainly achievable with proper routine maintenance practices - mow regularly, aerate yearly, fertilize properly, and water deeply, and infrequently in late morning. Should signs of rust appear on your lawn despite good prevention practices then there are treatments available including fungicides either applied manually or via irrigation systems that can be used effectively against this type of fungal infection. If you find yourself with any other lawn issues, contact us today for some support!
