If my 1 year old lawn has rust fungus, should we aerate and overseed?

Question

We moved into our house in southern Wisconsin in August 2011. We’ve had a drought this summer (along with the rest of the country), and so we have not had to mow much. We’ve been trying to keep the lawn watered, but didn’t really know what to do in the drought time, since it was a new lawn, so there was intermittent watering.

We do have a lawn service applying fertilizer and weed control to our lawn. They recommended double aeration & over-seeding, which we planned to do ourselves.

In early September 2012 we noticed the rust fungus. We would like to aerate and overseed, but we don’t know if we should now with the fungus present?

Also, if we do over seed, what type of top dressing should we use to keep the seed in place?

How should we (or should we) treat the rust fungus?

Answer 1

Approved fungicide products for lawn rust include DMI and strobilurin. These formulas should always be applied at the rates recommended by the manufacturer.

Once you have a handle on the problem, increase the lawns vigor and resistance by an early fall application of nitrogen. Water the lawn early in the day so the blades of grass can dry off quickly. Aeration (https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/aerating-your-lawn.htm) also helps. If all else fails, plant a variety known for its resistance, such as Kentucky bluegrass or ryegrass.

This article has more info: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/lawn-grass-rust-fungus.htm