Gardeners are being urged to look out for a ‘rusty lawn’ disease which can weaken your grass in late summer and autumn – and during drought conditions such as the weather we’re experiencing this week.
Like many other living things in a garden, grass is susceptible to diseases and infections. One common infection is ‘rust disease’. It’s caused by various fungi which spread with airborne spores and can, as the name suggests, turn your grass orange.
Walking over a rusty lawn, you can even stain and ruin your clothes thanks to the orange spores rubbing off against your clothing.
The Royal Horticultural Society explains: “Rust is a common foliar disease of turf. It is caused by various fungi, usually Puccinia or Uromyces species. Infected areas may produce huge numbers of air-borne spores.
“When walking over an affected lawn, footwear or clothes may be stained orange as they become coated with vast numbers of spores.
“Severely affected leaves may turn brown and shrivel, but the rust does not usually kill the grass.”
This is backed up by Moorlands Lawn Care, which explains that rust can happen any time between May and November, but is most common in late summer and early autumn, which would be August and September.
It said: “In the UK, rust in your garden can normally be seen during late summer or early autumn, anywhere between May and November. But these fungal spores can be seen outside of these months when the temperature is too wet and warm.”
Unfortunately, there are no chemical treatments for grass rust which are legal in the UK. But rust is more likely to infect long grass that’s left unmown.
It can also be more likely to occur after drought conditions, such as the one we’re currently going through which has led to a hosepipe ban in various parts of the UK.
It continues: “Moreover, these pathogens are more likely to grow on the long grass that is left unmown. The cutting of infected leaves can alleviate the chances of spreading the spores. Additionally, the fungus rust mostly affects the stressed turf grass leaves, usually after drought conditions. Stress on the grass is mainly due to the decrease of nutrient levels, lack of moisture, and if grown in shade.
“The weakened grass is then more susceptible to serious diseases like red thread or fusarium that gravely impact the grass’s health.”
The best thing to do is feed your grass regularly during the growing season, says the RHS, and avoid fertilisers which are high in nitrogen, as these can create lush which is more prone to rust.
Mowing regularly, and pruning overhanging trees to boost circulation, can all help, the RHS adds.