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How to help your lawn recover from winter injury

2/12/2018

 
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Winter is a beautiful season and it provides ample opportunity for you to enjoy it to the fullest. But while the snow might look stunning on your lawn, it creates havoc on your garden. As soon as the snow melts, you will realize that your carefully maintained lawn is not as manicured and fresh as it was before. Your turf faces the most damaging problems likes snow mold, voles, crown hydration, winter desiccation, and more. It is essential to create an efficient and successful recovery plan to help your lawn get back in shape.
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Even the bigger trees and shrubs can get damaged by the freezing cold weather and the accumulated snow. The lack of aeration and warmth leads to a variety of diseases and damaging problems. One of the things you can do to limit the damage is to prepare your lawn before the snow falls. Rake your leaves, improve your drainage, and clear out any excess wild plants or shrubs. This will help you be prepared for the weather and recover faster after the snow has melted.
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Here are some things you can do to help your lawn recover from the damaging winter snow:

Crown hydration is one problem that is extremely hard to avoid. The sudden arrival of freezing cold weather immediately after a warm weather spell causes turf grass to absorb excess water. This causes the grass to freeze and the ultimate death of the crown. There is nothing you can do to save your grass from the harsh weather. Check your turf for brown patches and whether there is any green tissue at the roots. If there are green tissues at the bottom, there is a chance your grass might recover. If not, that part of your lawn is dead. When the snow melts, remove the dead grass and possible some inches of the soil to get a fresh batch. Use your broadcast spreader and sow new seeds.  Make sure to water your seeds regularly.
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Some parts of your lawn will experience lingering snow that takes more time to melt. Such areas might face the problem of snow mold. If you see a pink or grey crusty layer on your turf, your grass has been infected by the snow mold. As the snow melts and the weather warm up, these snow molds generally die. But if it does not, your turf is severely infected and needs an expert recovery plan. You need to firmly rake your affected grass, improve your drainage, and aerate that part of the lawn. If the raking still does not work, then you will have to remove the affected grass, add a light layer of topsoil, and sow new seeds.
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Tree branches and shrubs often get broken and damaged during ice storms or due to a heavier accumulation of snow. The damaged branches are more prone to diseases, insect infestation, and such. As soon as the snow melts and the severe winter weather recedes, look for branches that have been broken or damaged. You can prune them yourselves or use a professional if the damage is more critical. One of the things we often do is shake the branches to remove the accumulated snow. This should be strictly avoided as the shaking can damage the limbs and cause them to break. Use your hands or any other equipment to remove the snow.
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 De-icing salts are super effective and efficient in removing the extra snow accumulated on streets, driveways, walkways, and more. But what people do not realize is just how damaging it is for your grass and plants. The de-icing salt draws all the moisture from your grass or plant cells, leading to desiccation.  If you are using these salts to remove the snow from your lawn, there is a major possibility that your lawn grass will wilt and die. One of the things that you can do to recover from the damage is deep watering. A deep watering will help you flush out all the excess salt from the soil and dilute the effect it has on your plants. Water your turf at least once daily to remove any lasting impacts of the salt from your soil. If your grass has already turned brown and has no green tissues left, it is best to remove them and get new seeds sown in.
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Most wildlife face trouble getting to their food source and that is why they create underground tunnels or even use your trees and plants to survive. Rodents and other insects will accumulate around your tree’s root in search of food and warmth. Make sure to remove the excess snow from your tree’s roots first. Take an intricate inventory of all the problems and get some professional help if the damages are too severe.

How is your lawn looking these days?

13 Comments
Gingi Freeman link
2/12/2018 07:38:11 pm

Great tips! We are in the process of hardscaping and putting in drought tolerant landscaping, so my yard is just inches and inches of mulch right now! haha - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com

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Tandy I Lavender and Lime link
2/12/2018 11:08:40 pm

Who knew snow could cause so much damage? great tips for t those people who experience the beauty of snow on a regular basis.

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ellen beck
2/13/2018 01:17:57 am

My lawn is currently snow covered. It migh melt a bit this coming week. I am always shaking heavy snow off the bridal wreath bushes it really lays them down!

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Christine @ Run Plant Based link
2/13/2018 08:42:23 am

Great tips, thanks! Looks like it will be all about drought scaping in California this year as we're not getting much of a winter.

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Peggy Nunn
2/24/2018 09:04:42 am

I am so glad we do not have to worry about most of those things. In the South, we only have about 3 or 4 months of dormant grass. It is greening up now down here.

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Misty
2/24/2018 11:10:07 pm

We get a lot of snow mold here on the North sides of the buildings. One way I try to avoid it is when scooping snow, I try to throw it as far as I can so there isn't an ice dam build up right off the sidewalk.

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Maryann D.
2/26/2018 05:46:16 am

Lawns are a lot of work after the winter for sure. This is certainly needed advice.

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Trimmers Landscaping link
3/11/2018 05:01:40 pm

Great ideas mentioned in this post! Spring is upon us. Thanks for posting.

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Trimmers Landingscaping link
3/11/2018 05:03:25 pm

Great ideas in here!

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Trimmers Landscaping link
3/11/2018 05:05:14 pm

Another thing, people want to make sure that they hire someone capable to ensure no lawn diseases are formed during the coming years! My neighbor had this, and he had a lawn disease and had to rip up his whole lawn and reseed!

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Scotty
4/2/2018 11:53:40 am

You are best to use alterative ice melters to salt. I use one that is pet friendly, & will actually help to grow come spring. Win-win

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Alexandria Martinez link
4/10/2018 08:41:33 pm

My fiance and I are looking into getting free turf removal. We want to make sure that we are keeping our yard in good condition. We will be sure to look into de-icing salt to keep our lawn in top condition after winter.

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Jane Melbourne link
4/21/2018 09:06:36 am

Very informative post. Thanks a lot.

Reply



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    Hi, I'm Laura and hail from Western New York. I consider myself a lifelong learner who loves gardening with a 360 degree view. Thanks for stopping by!
    Laura Sproull

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