Help! Winter killed my grass!

It’s finally starting to warm up! Grass is getting greener and flowers are blooming, but if you start to notice that your lawn isn’t quite as vibrant as years past, it could be the victim of winterkill. Unfortunately, you probably won’t see the effects until April, when grass comes out of dormancy and starts to green up. Winterkill is the umbrella term for all the effects winter can have on your lawn. While they cannot be avoided entirely, our lawn care experts can offer some solutions to get your gorgeous lawn back! How do you know if your lawn suffered winterkill? And if it has, what can you do this spring to bring it back to its former glory? 

 

Also known as snow mold, this condition presents itself as spots of gray or pink on your lawn. Too much snow can be a bad thing for your lawn. Grass that spends a month or more covered in snow becomes susceptible to snow mold, the most common types are gray and pink snow molds. 

 

If your lawn just looks excessively dry, it could be suffering from winter desiccation. Any lawn owner knows that soil must remain humid in order for it to grow healthy and strong. However, winter winds and cold weather can damage your grass and soil by excessively drying them out. And If your lawn happens to be on a salt truck route, the effects can be even more damaging because of the layer of salt covering your plants and grass.

 

Ice damage is one of the major enemies of lawns in the winter. This occurs when periods of snowfall are followed by warm temperatures, followed by more freezing temps. (Sounds like a typical TN winter!) Look for dips in your lawn that are consistent with dead patches. This is why it’s so important to have proper drainage on your lawn.

 

For all of these winter effects, prevention is the key. Be sure to treat your lawn year round with natural products that encourage healthy roots, such as Holganix, which is the brand used by Pure Green. A strong root system is the best defense against disease, winter desiccation, and ice damage. A good soaking in the fall months (before the first freezing) will give your lawn and plants water through the dry cold winter. Don’t be afraid to water on warm days in January, February and March, as well.

 

What can you do RIGHT NOW? If you notice dead patches or mold spots, lightly rake or fluff the grass allowing air and sunlight to reach the soil. Pure Green’s experts also recommend treating with compost tea (found in Holganix). The compost tea is teaming with good bacteria and catalysts that will enable plants and grass roots to better absorb the nutrients they need to grow.

 

At Pure Green, our experts are working throughout all four seasons to prevent winterkill! Treat your lawn year round and outsmart the never-predictable Tennessee weather!