Why Is My Grass Turning White? (4 Reasons with Best Solutions)

We always try to work hard to maintain our yards, but sometimes it can be disheartening to see discolored white patches of grass after so much hard work and maintenance.

Do you know why is your grass turning white?

Some factors are causing your grass to turn white such as some fungal diseases like powdery mildew, gray snow mold, some herbicides which contain Mesotrione, and improper lawn care, which means undercutting, overcutting or underwatering of the lawn can also make your grass turn white.

Mesotrione is a component that blocks that enzyme which is important in chlorophyll formation and makes the grass white and colorless. But there’s no need to fear since various cures can restore the green color of your grass. 

Why is my grass turning white?

Initially, we can see white powder-like spores on the leaf and gradually, a large part of our lawn turns powdery white. Some factors can turn the grass white. Here we will discuss the possible reasons responsible for turning grass white.

Some reasons are:

Powdery Mildew Disease

Powdery mildew disease is one of the most common reasons grass turns white. It is a fungal disease, and we can recognize it easily. It can happen if we try to grow grass in a poor location.

Initially, some white powder-like spores are seen around the grass blades and then gradually spread all over the yard, and it looks like someone has sprinkled baby powder or flour over the grass.

This disease generally appears in the most shaded lawn area with poor air circulation. This fungal infection mostly occurs on days when the humidity is high. It can appear in the spring and can exist throughout the summer.

If the amount of Nitrogen is high in the soil, then there is a high chance that this infection will spread because Nitrogen promotes the powdery milk activity.

Gray Snow Mold Infection

Gray snow mold is a fungal infection that can turn your grass white. This infection occurs during late winter and early spring and starts to occur under the snow cover.

A fungus which is called Typhula incarnata is responsible for this infection, and for this reason, this infection is also called typhus blight. During late winter and the beginning of spring, when snow begins to melt, this infection is found, making white and gray patches all over the grass.

This disease will occur if the snow cover lasts at least 60 days. If the amount of Nitrogen is high in the land, then the chance of infection is high because Nitrogen promotes its activity.

Inappropriate Lawn care

Inappropriate lawn care like undercutting, overcutting and underwatering can turn your lawn white and colorless.

Use of Herbicides

Some herbicides contain Mesotrione which blocks that enzyme that helps to produce chlorophyll and makes the grass pale, whitish and colorless. Some brands, such as Tenacity, Meristo, and Callisto, contain this Mesotrione compound. If the grass is affected by Mesotrione, it will lose its color after a week, but this problem is curable.

How to Revive/Fix White Grass? 

Here we will discuss some tips to help revive or fix the white grass. Some methods are:

• Increased air circulation: We have to ensure that there is increasing air circulation in heavily shaded areas because proper air circulation will help prevent fungal infections. We should trim trees or install fencing which can breathe. By following these steps, we can increase air circulation.
• Sufficient sunlight: We must ensure sufficient sunlight can reach the grass area. We should try to remove low-hanging branches, and if possible, we will remove the entire tree so that the infection can not spread to the other parts. If sufficient sunlight reaches the lawn area, these fungal infections will not occur.
• Stop applying Nitrogen fertilizer: Nitrogen promotes the activity of powdery mildew-type fungal infections. So, we must reduce the amount of Nitrogen-containing fertilizers to prevent these fungal infections. 
• Try to give water at the right time: We should not water the lane at night. We should apply water during the day so that grass can absorb the water and get dry before nightfall.
• Use of powdery milk-resistant grasses: We should use some powdery milk-resistant grasses such as shade-tolerant Kentucky bluegrasses, Perennial ryegrass, which has a fine texture, tall fescues, fine and improved fescues and bermudagrass etc. 
• Use of fungicides: We should use sufficient amounts of fungicides that can prevent such types of fungal infections. Using a combination of fungicides with different ingredients is important which will be more effective than a single ingredient. We must apply these fungicides in late November before the first snow cover in the fall to prevent infections.
• Let the Grass grow a bit taller: If stress is the problem of the lawn, then we should let the grass of the shady area grow a bit taller than the rest of the lawn. When the leaf blades are about 3 inches tall, we should try to mow them lightly.
• Carefully dispose of the clippings: If we mow the lawn with powdery mildew, we should be careful what to do with the clippings. If we carry the clippings in the compost bin, they can be spread throughout the yard. We have to put the clippings in the bag or try to get rid of the mold before mowing so that it can not spread to the other parts of the lawn.

How to Prevent Grass From Turning White?

Some fungal infections like Powdery mildew, gray snow mold and many other factors can cause the grass to turn white. But if we can take some precautions, we can prevent these infections. Here we will discuss some methods to prevent our grass from turning white. Some methods are:

• Improve growing condition: To prevent our grass from discoloring, we must improve the growing condition. We should not mow the blade too short of improving the growing condition.
• Increased sunlight and air circulation: We must ensure enough sunlight and airflow to reach the yard to prevent fungal infections and the grass from turning white. If any blockage of sunlight is present, then we have to prune away or trim that kind of blockage.
• Apply water in the daytime: We should apply water in the daytime so that the grass can absorb water and dry before nightfall. If we apply water at night, then the humidity level will increase. High humidity and water can form mold in the grass. So, we should apply water frequently and deeply.
• Try to use less nitrogen-containing fertilizer: Nitrogen increases the activity of fungal infections like powdery mildew and gray snow mold. So. We should use fewer nitrogen fertilizers to prevent the grass from discoloring.
• Try to use powdery mildew-resistant seeds: If the problem is consistent, we should use some powdery mildew-resistant seeds like bluegrass, chewing fescue and many more.

Why does my grass turn white after cutting?

Sometimes, overcutting can turn your grass looking white. If the grass is discoloring, then we should raise the cutting height. If we cut more than one-third of the blades of the grass, then it can cause this discoloration problem.

If we mow the grass with a blunt blade lawnmower, we can see that whitening of the grass blade is occurring. 

Why is my Grass White after winter?

When the temperature gets high after winter, we can notice that the grass is turning white. Snow mold is an infection that is caused by a fungus, and this fungus will cause infection to the grass and turn the grass white. For this reason, grass turns white after the winter.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Some fungal infections like powdery mildew, gray snow mold etc., some herbicides and overcutting or underwatering can turn your grass white. But this problem can be cured if we take some precautions.

If we use proper fertilizers, apply water during the day, and if sufficient sunlight and air reach the lawn, we can eliminate these problems.