Why does my lawn look moldy?

What is all that white moldy looking stuff on my lawn?

Snow mold is present on most lawns in Antioch, Gurnee, Lindenhurst, Lake Villa and Northeastern Illinois this early spring. Snow mold is a fungus that grows on leaf tissue under wet snow cover during the winter months. It is dependent on cool temperatures, moisture and dark cover. We just experienced about 35 days of continuous snow cover from early January through this past week allowing the fungus to grow to moderate levels. The quick warm up we are experiencing has melted the snow cover fast. As the snow melts, sunlight warms the newly exposed ground elevating temperatures outside of the acceptable range of growth for the fungus. Raking or mowing the fungus while still active could actually spread the spores and cause more damage next year under similar conditions. The best thing to do is to let the turf and fungus dry out while the sunlight and temperatures rise. Most lawns will recover as new turf growth emerges but if damage is severe an aeration or power seeding may become necessary. For further questions regarding snow mold or spring lawn care tips please contact the professionals at Lawn Doctor of Antioch-Gurnee-Waukegan-Lake Forest.

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