How to Deal with Powdery Mildew in Alberta

Posted on: Feb 06, 2019Ali

So far this summer, much of Alberta has seen cool and wet weather. This has helped our lawns stave off drought conditions typically seen in July and August, but it will likely also create an issue for those interested in lawn care. In other words, it will cause an increase in lawn diseases this fall.

Powdery mildew is one disease that we expect to see more of this fall. The picture above was taken at a customer’s lawn in Airdrie over the weekend, but it has been recorded by our technicians to be all over southern Alberta and even into Edmonton and surrounding areas. The good news about this disease is that it is not turf damaging. The mildew will eventually wash off. The bad news is that if you have powdery mildew, then you probably have conditions favorable to other more turf damaging diseases such as fairy ring, brown patch, and necrotic ring spot.

If you have powdery mildew we recommend core aeration to allow water to penetrate the root system, lawn raking to remove thatch and debris that can spread disease, and over-seeding in the fall. Also, remember never to water at night.

When it comes to lawn care, Dr. Green has the lawn maintenance tips that you need to keep your lawn looking beautiful. For more information and helpful lawn care tips, check out our other blog posts. Lawn care not your thing? That’s okay, because we’re the pros. Simply fill out our form for a free quote and we’d be happy to handle your lawn for you.