It’s go time for snow mold prevention

Winter is almost upon us in the northern United States or at higher elevations, and it’s time to make what is likely the most important application or applications of the year. Here’s some last-minute advice.

• Check calibration and spray coverage – A full season of applications may wear out or plug nozzles, and the impact won’t be visible until next season
• Protect compromised turf – Snow mold is especially damaging on stressed turf
• Newly established turf, shaded areas, compacted clean-up and traffic areas, under-fertilized turf, and otherwise compromised areas may be more susceptible to snow molds
• Late season hollow-tine aerification, breaking up cores, and/or topdressing can be stressful on turf. If these practices are getting too late in the season to heal before the snow mold application, consider delaying aerification until next spring or switching to solid tines to minimize stress
• Hold off on the final application – Avoid final application until top growth ceases to minimize fungicide loss in clippings
• Consider a primer application – While snow mold symptoms typically appear in spring following snow melt, sclerotia begin to germinate in the fall at air temperatures of 50-65°F. As with other diseases, minimizing inoculum with early applications is critical for long-term success. A DMI or QoI fungicide applied two or more weeks prior to the final application will maximize control in high pressure areas. Envu’s Densicor^® (DMI) or Castlon™ (QoI) are highly effective for this application
• Use multiple active ingredients – Three or more active ingredients in a fungicide application consistently provide better snow mold control than applications with only one or two active ingredients
• Consider reapplying after heavy rain – If two or more inches of rain falls between the final fungicide application and snow cover, consider making an additional application on high value areas to maximize disease control and ensure a successful start to the 2025 season
• 2024 Envu solutions – Use combinations of Interface^® Stressgard^® and Mirage^® Stressgard as the base mix and adding additional products in the primer application and in the final tankmix in harsher conditions:

• Don’t forget the Proxy^®! Research and many years of golf course use show Proxy applied in the snow mold application will dramatically improve Poa seedhead control next spring
• Need more info? – follow all label directions and contact your Envu Area Sales Manager if you need assistance