Grey snow mould (Typhula blight)

Symptoms

Circular bleached, straw-grey to silvery patches up to about 30 cm across that appear as snow melts in late winter and early spring. Leaves within the patch are matted and water-soaked, often with a greyish-white fungal felt; the diagnostic clue is tiny hard reddish-brown to dark resting bodies (sclerotia, pinhead-sized) embedded in the dead leaves and crowns. Damage is usually to the foliage only, so affected lawns commonly recover as growth resumes.