Your lawn is infected with a disease called “rust”. Rust is a very rare lawn disease that usually develops very slowly, over several weeks. There is no way to predict if your lawn will gets rust. It strikes lawns that are excessively dry and nitrogen deficient. The orange powder is actually microscopic spores that spread quite easily from foot traffic, mowing, and even by the wind. The disease is very contagious. The good news is that the damage in NOT permanent and your lawn will recover within just a few weeks.
How To Treat Rust:
- Water the lawn daily with up to half an inch each day for one week, then every other day until the disease dissipates.
- Begin fertilizing with a high nitrogen fertilizer to correct the nitrogen deficiency.
- Keep traffic away from the infected area.
- When mowing, cut the infected areas last. Bag and dispose of the clippings.
- Wash your shoes and the mower deck with the garden hose after cutting.