The season of falling temperatures and heavy snow is upon us, creating the ideal environment for winter lawn disease and damage to invade your yard. During the winter, your lawn is more prone to arid soil, stunted growth, discoloration and pests. However, knowing what conditions your yard may endure throughout the winter can help you spot and treat issues accordingly.
Prepare for all the season brings with these tips on how to control and prevent winter lawn damage.
Snow Mold
While most individuals aren't aware their lawns have snow mold until the snow melts away in the spring; it is preventable. One way you can do this is by cutting your lawn short before the ground freezes. This lawn fungus thrives in cold, damp conditions, so you should also remove leaves and other debris from your lawn to keep snow mold from spreading.
Plant Damage
Winter weather conditions are often unpredictable and can bring bitter temperatures and layers of ice with it - in addition to snowfall. If you live in an area that experiences such conditions, protect plants, trees and shrubbery by creating barriers around them. This is often done using burlap and plastic screens that reduce impact from snow, wind, and ice, plus the damage they could potentially cause. If plants do experience breakage from snow or ice storms, prune as needed to prevent any further damage. You should also remove tree limbs that fall on your lawn to keep grass from becoming matted. However, if the limb is too large to remove on your own, call for professional help.
Salt
For many, snow removal is inevitable. And often, rock salt is used to help break down ice and snow more efficiently. Even though salt facilitates snow removal, it can also cause damage to nearby plants and landscape that could absorb the chemicals. For preventive purposes, place reflector stakes around these areas to help you be more aware of where salt is being distributed, reducing the exposure of salt to plants.
