Your grass has a reddish-orange tinge. What’s going on? You’re probably looking at rust disease.
You walk across your lawn and your shoes turn reddish-orange. Orange clouds rise up when you mow. Rust can actually adhere to your foot wear and track into the home.
Rust infections occur during low light intensity when leaf surfaces are moist and temperatures are moderate – in other words overcast, humid, rainy days in summer. Optimal conditions for the growth and spread of rust is 20-30 degrees C and turf that is growing slowly due to drought stress, cutting the lawn too short or it hasn’t been fed (fertilized) in a while.
To help turf grow out of the rust symptoms, raise the mowing height, mow frequently, fertilize and if possible irrigate to wash rust off grass blades.
Rust does not usually kill the grass it is considered a nuisance only.
