If you’re noticing white material on the grass outside your home, it could be a kind of fungus.
You should look into this further, as it could cause more problems if you allow it to keep progressing. The longer you have white fungus on grass, the more difficult it will be to get rid of the problem.
What Is the White Fungus on Your Grass?
The white fungus that you see on your grass is most commonly referred to as “powdery mildew.”
This powdery mildew can have an effect on more than just the grass on your lawn. It can also spread to other nearby plants and infect them as well.
You will probably first notice the powdery mildew growing on your grass when it’s around a season that the weather changes quickly, such as in the spring or in the fall.
You shouldn’t be too worried about the appearance of powdery mildew, though. It will probably not be able to kill the grass that you have planted. However, if the powdery mildew gets bad enough, it will start to thin out your grass.
Once your grass is thinned out, it makes room for other weeds to start to grow in your lawn, which will make it so that you have to do more work to get them out.
Symptoms
You will be able to tell that your grass is affected by powdery mildew because you can see it very clearly on the tips of the grass.
You will notice that there is a white, powdery substance on the grass, which is what powdery mildew looks like.
It will start to grow on the tips of a few of your blades of grass, and will grow quickly from there. If left to grow unchecked, powdery mildew will cover the entire blade of grass.
When the spread of powdery mildew gets very bad, it could make large areas or even your entire garden look like it has been covered in flour.
When powdery mildew takes effect, it will thin out your grass. It will not be able to completely kill your entire lawn, but the longer you wait to do something about it, the thinner your grass will become. This opens up some space for weeds to take root, which usually would not be happening because the grass would crowd it out.
What Causes White Fungus on Grass?
The most common cause of white fungus or powdery mildew on grass is a change in weather. This could be either the weather going from hot to cold, or from cold to hot. Because of this, powdery mildew usually forms when the seasons are changing, such as in the spring or in the fall.
Powdery mildew has fungus spores that spread to other parts of the grass through the wind. They especially like areas that are shady, are cooler in temperature, and may not have much air circulation.
It forms due to moisture on the grass, which could be caused by rainfall or by dew that gathers on the grass overnight. It can only form and stay in areas of your yard that are protected from the sun, which would dry out the powdery mildew.
Is White Mold on Grass Dangerous?
Essentially, white mold or powdery mildew is not dangerous to humans. It will not harm your health in any way, and it is okay for you to be around grass that is infected with powdery mildew.
The only thing that powdery mildew really does is cause your yard to look bad or unhealthy.
Powdery mildew will not harm you, but it will cause some harm to your grass. Again, it will not completely kill off your grass. If you have powdery mildew, you should prepare yourself to have to replant some grass seed once you have cleared the mildew.
You will have to replant the grass because the powdery mildew will work to thin it out. You will also likely have to go through your garden and pull out the weeds that have grown in the place of the grass that was thinned out from the powdery mildew. If you are unable to plant new grass for whatever reason, or if you are going to find it difficult to plant new grass, then powdery mildew would be more of a “threat” to you.
But don’t worry too much about powdery mildew. It’s fairly easy to get rid of and rebuild your yard after it is gone.
How Do I Get Rid of White Mold on My Lawn?
If you have white mold on your lawn, you should make sure that you get rid of it as soon as you can.
It will keep spreading to the rest of your lawn, and could cause some damage that would be time-consuming for you to fix.
It will not go away on its own, even through changing seasons. In winter, it even goes dormant and will re-emerge when the weather warms up.
To get rid of the powdery mildew on your grass, there are a few different things that you can do.
The easiest method of getting rid of powdery mildew is probably using a fungicide. This is something that you can buy either in a powder or a spray. You just apply it to the areas of your yard where you see powdery mildew, and it should get rid of it quickly.
If you do not want to use fungicide on your yard, you could try to control it with a lawn mower. This works best if the powdery mildew hasn’t spread out to a lot of your yard.
Try to cut your grass a little shorter than you usually would. When the grass is shorter, it is able to dry faster after being watered, after rainfall, and after dew collects overnight. When the grass dries out, it is harder for powdery mildew to take root and spread. The powdery mildew can be kept under control and will disappear over time as you keep your grass short.
Here are some of my favorite lawn care products
Thanks a lot for making it to the end of this post! I hope you found it useful. Here are some lawn care products that I use and that I think you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, so if you do decide to use any of them, I’ll earn a commission.
In all honesty, these are some of the basic products that I use and recommend to everyone.
Broadcast Spreader
This Scotts Elite dual rotary spreader is not a professional grade model but it’s excellent for homeowners.
I really like the edge guard on it. It’s really easy to switch on and off so it’s great for going around my driveway and flower beds.
If you’re not looking to spend hundreds of dollars, I’d definitely recommend this model. It spreads out a wide path and is great quality for the cost.
Backpack Sprayer
This 4-Gallon sprayer is my absolute favorite. It sprays for a really long time. I’ve had this sprayer for quite a while and I’ve never had the battery run out.
The adjustable pressure switch is a really import feature to me.
You can order a lot of accessories for this model but I’ve never really found much of a need for it.
Head Aerator
Hand aerators are great for small spots if you’ve got construction debris or a spot that constantly dries out.
You can also fill these holes with organic matter that will hold a bit more moisture.
This one by Yard Butler is an absolute bargain. It pulls nice long cores. I also use it for taking soil samples around the yard!
