What is this white powder on my Buffalo lawn?

[TradieMatt]

Hi

Can anyone please help me identify what the issue is with my Buffalo lawn. There are white spots and from a distance the lawn appears as if its covered in powder. Is this a fungis? 

what can i do to treat this?

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @TradieMatt. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about lawn care.

That could be powdery mildew, a fungal disease brought on by humid conditions. When do you water your lawn, and how often? It's typically encouraged when you water in the evening, and the grass doesn't have time to dry out. It's best to water in the morning and do deep waterings a couple of times a week instead of shorter waterings daily. The grass needs time to dry out in between them fully. You might like to aerate your lawn to increase air circulation and consider cutting back any trees that could be over-shadowing the lawn. It's also important to regularly fertilise the lawn so it's nice and healthy and able to overcome these issues.

There's no specific product I can recommend that is registered for control of powdery mildew in lawns, but appropriate care and watering regimes should resolve the issue. Let me mention one of our knowledgeable horticulturalists, @Noelle, to get her thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[Noelle]

Hi @TradieMatt 

Definitely looks like a mildew problem, and the advice Mitchell has given you regarding when and how to water as well as aeration is spot-on!

You could use Yates Mancozeb Plus as directed on the label to assist in controlling the outbreak if you wish. Ensuring the grass is not watered late in the day is the best piece of advice you could be offered.