Late winter is a time of anxious anticipation for Spring—a restless period where it may seem as though there’s nothing you can do to help out your lawn. However, there are specific lawn care procedures you should be doing to deal with melting snow, and to make your lawn much healthier when Spring eventually arrives.
- Spread out your snow: While it’s true that snow is actually good for your lawn (it insulates the grass, protecting it from extreme temperatures), you don’t want the snow to be unevenly distributed. The lower your snow bank, the faster the snow will melt when the temperatures turn warm, at which point the snow serves no insulating purpose at all. Ideally, you want the snow to be at an even height so that the entire lawn melts at a uniform pace.
- Eliminate dead grass: Snow may protect your grass from cold when the temperatures are below freezing, but it also blocks air and nutrients from reaching your grass. After the snow finally melts, make sure to clear all the dead grass.
- Prevent snow mold: If there’s snow on the ground after the weather begins to turn warm, you also run the risk of snow mold- a disease that crops up in early spring. In the event that your lawn becomes infected, make sure to rake the area that’s infected. In future years, remove all leaves prior to the arrival of your first storm.
- No walking around: Keep people from walking on your grass, even if there’s snow covering it. This time of year, grass is brittle and breaks easily. If your lawn has been trampled on all winter long, you may be faced with dead grass come springtime.
- No furniture allowed: Remove any and all lawn furniture while the weather is cold. With cold temperatures, lawn furnitures and figurines are liable to crack. While the temperatures are cold, you should move everything from your lawn chair, to your garden gnome indoors.
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