In last week’s article, we highlighted the different lawn diseases to watch out for this fall. This week, let’s take a deeper look at one of the lawn diseases on that list, Lawn Rust. This disease can be seen attacking lawns all over Ohio about this time of year. Don’t let your lawn become a victim- learn how to spot and stop this lawn disease!

What is Lawn Rust?

This is a disease that attacks the blades of the grass and causes orange-brown specks on your lawn. These specks are actually dust or spores that cause your grass to become thin and weak. The reddish-yellow “dust” can usually be easily rubbed off of the infected turf easily giving it the look of rust.

What areas does it target?

This disease usually affects lawn that are low on nitrogen; these lawns are also usually slow growing and under stress. It likes to appear around this time of year when the warm days are followed by cool nights with large amounts of dew.

What can you do?

Like with most lawn problems, the best way to solve it is to stop it before it starts. Prevention is key, so make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your lawn healthy and happy.

Follow these quick tips to give your lawn a good defense:

• Make sure you don’t mow your lawn too short.
• Keep your equipment clean, so it doesn’t spread any diseases.
• Water your lawn deeply and infrequently. It is also best to water early in the morning rather than late at night.
• Fertilizer is key to making sure your lawn doesn’t get too low on nitrogen which makes your lawn vulnerable to this disease.

Other ways to prevent this disease can be found by clicking here.

Water better and smarter!

Having a healthy lawn starts with a well-watered lawn, but don’t just water, water smart. Our Summer Drought Watering Guide can help you save water by watering your lawn more effectively.  Download it by clicking below: