You have a harmless fungal growth commonly referred to as “powdery mildew”. Here in Manitoba it rarely becomes severe enough to damage the lawn. Powdery mildew is usually most prevalent during periods of high humidity and cool nights. It is also indicative of a lawn that has high nitrogen content. While a fungicide is available to treat severe cases, I have never seen a case severe enough to warrant a fungicide treatment. Given a few days, weather conditions usually change. The grass blades will continue to grow and the infected blades will simply get cut off by your lawn mower. Powdery mildew is also a common problem in many tree species.

The striping effect is achieved using a weighted roller mounted behind the mower. The roller simply flattens the grass. Each row the mower cuts is flattened in alternating directions. By flattening the grass, more of the green part of the blade is exposed. When looking at the lawn, the grass that has been flattened away from you appears as the greener stripes because you are seeing more of the blade side on. The grass that has been flattened away from you appears lighter because you are seeing more of the tips of the blades. The effect is far more dramatic from the air which is why golf courses on T.V. look so amazing when you see them from the helicopter fly over, or when you see sports fields from the Goodyear blimp. Where artificial turf is used, a metal broom is used to comb the turf in one direction or…

By now, your lawn growth will have started to slow. Slower growth means slower recovery and repair when damage occurs. It also means less resistance to stress from insects, diseases and heat. On the other side of this brochure, we’ve recommended a cutting height of 4 inches. Proper cutting is the single, most important key to maintaining a healthy lawn. Mowing right helps the lawn to thicken up, increase in density, thrive while other lawns are suffering, reduces the need for watering, and increases stress resistance. Mowing incorrectly, even once, stops all of this from happening. Poor mowing practices don’t simply stress the lawn, it actually damages it. There is a difference. On the front of our lawn sign that you’ve been keeping near your front steps, is a handy ruler for your convenience whenever you cut your lawn.