It's Snow Mold Season

Now that the lawn is out from underneath a blanket of snow, we can see some of the effects of a long winter with almost constant snow cover.

Poor air circulation at the soil level because of snow cover can contribute to the symptoms of snow mold. It can appear as roughly circular, straw-colored, matted patches in the lawn. These patches may continue to enlarge if the grass remains cool and wet due to spring rains. In severe cases, these patches converge and may not be recognizable as individual circles.

Raking the affected areas gently can help to dry them out and prevent further fungal growth. In some severe cases, affected areas will need to be overseeded if they fail to recover.

You can minimize snow mold damage in the future by:

• Mow your lawn at a height of about 2” or 2 ½” at the end of the mowing season
• Keep the thatch layer to 1/2 inch or less (aeration can help to reduce the thatch layer in you lawn)
• Raking up fallen leaves in the fall
• A fungicide may be needed and can be applied by our expert lawn care technicians

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