Some people spend a lot of time working in their garden. Besides finding it relaxing, they find great pride in having a beautiful and healthy, lawn and garden. However sometimes they may discover a white mold on grass, and wonder what it is? Well, this white mold on the grass is actually a fungal disease, known as powdery mildew. 

While it won’t kill them by itself, it will stress your plants a lot, to a point when they will get weaker and may die. So you must necessarily know about how to get rid of the powdery mildew, to avoid any risks to your beautiful green corner.

What is Powdery Mildew?

So what exactly is powdery mildew on grass? This is one of the most common diseases that can attack your plants.  And even when you put great care into your lawn and garden, there is still a high risk of the appearance of this white fungus on grass or other plants.  

As mentioned, it is a fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants. It can appear everywhere. However, warm climates with dry weather seem to be an ideal environment for this parasite. It is necessary to mention that, no plant is immune to this disease. Especially in the risk zones are plants like veggies (squash, watermelon, cucumber), grapes, and flowers such as lilacs and roses, etc.

What Causes Powdery Mildew?

The disease is caused by different species of fungi belonging to the order Erysiphales. As we said, it is common and can attack your garden regardless of the excellent care you provide. However, it is necessary to mention that certain conditions contribute to the development of powdery mildew on lawns and plants. Among them, you can find poor air circulation, insufficient light, over-fertilization, pollution, and high humidity.

What Are Key Symptoms?

Okay, now when we established what powdery mildew on grass is, let’s see how to identify it. The more symptoms you know, the easier it is to detect what is powdery mildew:

• Powdery mildew is pretty easy to detect since the plants look like someone dusted them with flour.
• First, you notice circular spots that appear on leaves. Sometimes you can notice them on stems and fruit (in the case of plants).
• After a while leaves and grass will become yellow and dry.
• The fungus will cause the grass to twist, brake and become disfigured in later stages of the disease.

How to Treat Powdery Mildew

When talking about treating powdery mildew, it is critical to say that the best is to take proper care of the lawn:

• Make sure to water your lawn adequately and regularly.
• If you are using fertilizer, make sure that you don’t overdo it. Reducing fertilizer will slow down the growth of succulent.
• Increase airflow and aeration. Poor airflow increases the risk of the development of powdery mildew. So does moisture. Make sure to aerate the soil to improve the drainage.
• Avoid planting grass in the shade. Also, think about providing more sunlight by trimming the trees or other plants that are maybe shading the turf.
•  If the disease nonetheless reappears, after everything you have done, apply fungicides as a part of powdery mildew treatment.  The best method for applying these products is by using a backpack sprayer. However, you should know that this is a temporary solution. If the growth conditions are inadequate, the disease will reappear. So, make sure to do whatever is possible to improve the air circulation and access to light for your lawn.

How to Prevent Powdery Mildew?

Prevention is always better than treatment, isn’t it? If there is not a lot of sunlight in your yard, try to find the type of grass more resistant to shade. Besides, make sure that there is adequate air circulation. Another thing you could do is if you are living in places with dry climate is, for example, look for grass for South Florida.

Can Powdery Mildew Go Away By Itself?

Not really. The problem is that these fungi that cause white dust on grass can survive even in the dormant winter glass. So basically once it appears, it won’t go away unless you treat it.

Conclusion

Indeed, you can be shocked by seeing the ugly dust on your previously healthy green lawn. However, it should freak you out! As we mentioned, powdery mildew on grass is pretty common, and it can cause a lot of stress on your plant, in the end killing it. The good news is that it is treatable. If you notice white tips on grass blades, make sure to react as quickly as possible, so it doesn’t spread! Have you already had any experiences with this disease?