Warm temperatures, high humidity, and frequent heavy rains are creating ideal conditions for fungal diseases to thrive in Iowa’s lawns and gardens.
Residents have reported an increase in these diseases, with turfgrass rust being one of the most common.
Turfgrass rust causes lawns to appear yellow or orange when viewed from a distance. You may also notice the colored powder on your shoes or pant legs after being outdoors. This fungus thrives when air temperatures are moderate (68 to 85 degrees F) and leaves stay wet for extended periods.
Other prevalent fungal diseases include pythium blight, brown patch, and leaf spot and melting-out.
“If you do see some of your turf dying out, September is actually the perfect time to reseed those areas,” Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist, Aaron Steil said. “If you notice that some bare patches have formed because you had some of these diseases, that would be the time to over-seed and get new grass started.”
To manage or prevent these issues, it is recommended to water your lawn or garden early in the day, fertilize appropriately, and mow regularly.
For vegetable gardens, it is important to harvest and remove affected produce.
“Make sure you’re harvesting and getting rid of that stuff because that will help stimulate the plant to produce new fruit and keep producing,” Steil said.
While fungal diseases usually do not cause lasting damage to established plants, removing infected plants can help prevent future problems.
“You can plan for some of those things, good garden clean up, getting rid of that diseased material, and just trying to stay ahead of it as best you can,” Steil said. “If weather conditions improve, then the disease issues might improve as well.”
To read more about turfgrass diseases, prevention and management tips, or to view more photos, click here.
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