Rust is a disease that attacks grass in hot, humid conditions. Affected lawns often have a reddish tinge to them. When you walk over them, your shoes may be covered with a red or orange coating.
You walk across your lawn and your shoes turn reddish-orange. Orange clouds rise up when you mow. Your grass has a reddish tinge. What's going on? You're probably looking at rust disease. Depending on your grass type and weather conditions, it can either be a minor nuisance or a turf-killer. Rust shows up when lawns are thirsty, cut too short, or haven't been fed in a while. Hot humid weather with frequent, shallow showers and long hours of morning dew is ideal for this disease. To control rust, water deeply and infrequently, mow at the right height, and feed it with a slow-release product, such as Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Fertilizer with 2% Iron.
Lawns slow down in hot summer weather. Stress from lack of water, heat, traffic, and other factors can weaken it. Take a few easy steps, and you can help control rust in your yard.
Rain becomes scarce in summer. To keep your lawn looking great and disease-free, water it with about an inch of water per week. Frequent, shallow watering leads to shallow grass roots, which can't take the heat.
A low-nitrogen, slow-release lawn food is ideal for your lawn in summer heat. Since lawns with low nitrogen are more susceptible to rust than well-fed lawns, a steady diet of nutrients over 6 or 8 weeks can help your lawn stay strong. Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Fertilizer products provide the right mix of nutrients for strong lawns.
Short grass can't handle summer heat. Raise your mower blade to its highest setting, because taller grass is better able to fight off disease and weeds. When you mow, make sure you take off no more than one third of the grass length. That way, your grass will stay thick and lush.
Rust is a disease that attacks grass in hot, humid conditions. Affected lawns often have a reddish tinge to them. When you walk over them, your shoes may be covered with a red or orange coating.
