You don’t need us to tell you that the Michigan winter can be long and harsh. Storms blow in from the lakes and from north of the border, temperatures plummet, winds bite, and snow can cover the ground for weeks at a time.
When winter comes, grass usually goes dormant, and that might make you think you can take the season off from lawn care, but that isn’t the case. For starters, grass sometimes continues to grow for a while into winter, and some types can grow all winter, especially during a milder one. So that means continuing to care for your grass the way you would the rest of the year, keeping in mind winter lawn care tips.
Even when grass is dormant, though, you can’t put your grass out of sight and out of mind. The bitter cold can have bad effects on your lawn, including snow damage on the lawn, and snow and ice can be even worse. It’s important to understand the risks so you can take steps to prepare your lawn for a successful growing season when spring returns, including how to prevent snow mold.
Contact AAA Lawn Care for expert advice on winter lawn care tips and how to prevent snow mold to protect your lawn throughout the harsh Michigan winter.
The Risks Snow Presents to a Lawn
There are three big threats to your grass from snow. Let’s look at each one of them.
Pressure Can Damage and Kill
The snow atop your lawn weighs a lot. Perhaps you’ve noticed that when you’re out shoveling the driveway!
All that pressure on the grass below isn’t good for it. While there’s not much you can do about it while it’s there, you can avoid making the trouble worse. The kids might complain that you’re ruining the fun, but it’s really best to stay off the lawn as much as possible when there’s snow on it to prevent snow damage on the lawn. The combination of the weight from snow and people can be enough to damage or kill the grass beneath, especially if the grass was weak or damaged to begin with, underscoring the importance of winter lawn care tips.
AAA Lawn Care can help strengthen your grass ahead of winter with strategies on how to prevent snow mold.
Snow Mold Is a Thing
A lot of people don’t even know that snow mold exists. It’s real nonetheless, and it can be a big problem. It’s a fungus that can grow on grass beneath the snow. Think about it– down there on the grass under the snow, it’s damp and dark, perfect conditions for mold to grow. If snow mold does grow, it can kill the grass, leaving you with an unpleasant surprise when the snow melts away.
A good fertilizing plan like the one AAA Lawn Care provides is a great way to prevent snow mold and other forms of lawn disease, offering winter lawn care tips to maintain your lawn’s health even in the coldest months.
Moisture Loss Is a Serious Risk
Even when grass is dormant, it still needs moisture. In extreme cold, conditions can be so dry that the grass doesn’t get the moisture it needs. Snow and ice make things worse because they can prevent moisture from reaching the soil and penetrating to the roots, potentially leading to snow damage on the lawn. The result, then, is dead grass.
AAA Lawn Care can make sure your grass gets what it needs before and during the winter months, offering winter lawn care tips and strategies on how to prevent snow mold.
Give Your Lawn AAA Protection and Nurture!
As the saying goes, the best offense is a good defense, and at AAA Lawn Care, we know that the best defense against cold, snow, and other threats such as weeds, insects, and lawn disease is a strong fertilization strategy. Getting your grass the nutrients it needs helps it become strong enough to withstand the brutal winter, and it primes it for renewed strong growth when spring finally comes back, incorporating essential winter lawn care tips and measures to prevent snow mold.