Snow Mold

snow mold, plant disease that attacks cereals, forage grasses, and turf grasses in northern areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. It is caused by soilborne fungi and is associated with melting snow or prolonged cold drizzly weather. Snow mold is most damaging on golf courses and other turf areas.

Pink snow mold, sometimes called fusarium patch, is caused by Microdocium nivale (formerly Fusarium nivale). The disease appears as irregularly circular tan to reddish brown patches up to 30 cm (1 foot) in diameter that may merge to cover large areas. When wet, leaves are covered with dense whitish to pink threads (mycelium) of the fungus.

Gray snow mold, or typhula blight, is caused by Typhula incarnata, T. ishikariensis and T. idahoensis. It produces roughly circular bleached-tan areas up to about 60 cm in diameter. When moist, these patches are covered with a fluffy bluish gray to almost black mycelium. Minute round brown dots (sclerotia) form on diseased plant parts.

Snow mold can be controlled by having good surface drainage, avoiding late fall fertilization and thatch buildup (mats of dead grass at the soil line), and keeping grass cut in the fall. Where the condition is serious, a fungicide spray can be applied late during a wet autumn and repeated during midwinter thaws.