Rust is a complex fungus and there are about 13 species which attack lawn grasses. Most rust fungi go through several stages of development and some of those stages require hosts other than turf.
The rust disease becomes active earlier in the year but does not become evident until late summer. Early symptoms of infection appear as yellow spotting of the grass blades. As these spots enlarge,they develop rusty colored pustules.
A severely infected lawn will have a yellow-orange cast to it when seen from a distance. If you walk through such a lawn, your shoes will be covered with a reddish-brown powder. This powder is comprised of millions of spores which are the reproductive bodies of the disease.
Controlling rust is easier than many other turf diseases. A well fed lawn is usually able too outgrow rust disease. A normal fertilizer treatment during late summer will usually minimize the severity of rust. Additionally, early morning syringing of the lawn will rinse the disease spores off of the grass blades and into the soil. Syringing is nothing more than hosing the lawn down lightly. When rust is especially severe, fungicides may be used as a method of control One or two treatments will usually suffice.
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