I Planted Grass and Now There Is White Mold

White Mold

• White mold is easy to miss when it first begins growing. Known as powdery mildew, it starts out as a few scattered white patches on the top sides of blades of grass. Over time, the white patches spread until they cover grass leaves. This causes portions of your lawn to look like it has been dusted with a thick coating of flour. From a distance, the infected patch looks white. As the infection progresses, tiny black spots can appear amid all the white. Powdery mildew can spread to other parts of your lawn.

Issues

• White mold on you grass makes your lawn look unhealthy. The powdery mildew doesn't just hide your grass's green color; over time, it can damage it. The fungus steals nutrients from your grass. As it spreads to cover more of the surface of grass leaves, the grass can't photosynthesize as well at it could before being infected. Grass turns yellow as it fails to nourish itself. In severe infections, the grass could die. More commonly, the infected portions of the grass thin out and are at risk for other opportunistic fungal infections.

Removal

• To get rid of white mold on your lawn, start with cultural controls. Water your lawn deeply, rather than frequently. Cut back any overhanging branches from trees or bushes that block sunlight from reaching the infected areas. If the infestation does not clear up, create a fungicidal solution by coming one part milk with nine parts water. Apply it to the white mold every week until it disappears. If the infection doesn't fade, or if the grass turns brown and dies, tear it out and replace it with new sod.

Prevention

• To prevent white mold from infecting your grass, avoid planting grass varieties that are at risk for infection. Kentucky bluegrass is susceptible to infection. Keep your grass cut short and remove thatch after mowing instead of letting it build. Rake away fallen leaves and other debris on your lawn. Water your grass deeply rather than often and do so during the day so the grass blades dry faster. These precautions will make your grass less attractive to powdery mildew and other fungal infections.