You know spring is right around the corner when bits of your lawn start peeking through. It’s a very exciting time! That is, until you notice white and yellow spots on your lawn. While it may look dead, you’re in luck because it isn’t! Those white and yellow spots are from a fungus infecting your lawn. That fungus is commonly known as snow mold. If you notice snow mold on your lawn, here’s how to treat it.
Identify
When looking for snow mold you may first notice those white and yellow spots previously mentioned. But as you look closer, you’ll see matted grass and a web-like mold that is either white or gray in hue. You may also see a dry or slimy brown spot. This is a fungus known as snow mold.
Dry It Out
With the presence of fungus, it’s important to really dry out the area. Hopefully as the weather warms up, nature will take care of this step for you. But there are ways that you can help speed up this process as well as make sure it is done correctly.
During the winter season as you are clearing your driveway and sidewalks, it is easy to push snow to one area and let it pile up higher and higher. It may make shoveling easier, but it’s a problem for your lawn as the snow starts to melt. The rest of your lawn will be exposed while the grass under these piles stays trapped for several more days or even weeks! This makes those areas especially susceptible to snow mold. Help your lawn dry out evenly by avoiding large piles of snow and breaking up any existing snow piles.
Additionally, once you are sure the grass is dry it can be beneficial to perform an early lawn mowing. You want to avoid doing this if your lawn is soggy though because you can damage the grass.
Rake It Up
Another way to help dry out the infected areas is to gently rake the area. Use the rake to help break up the matted and tangled grass. The goal is to help get the blades of grass up! Ultimately, you want the blade of grass to grow enough that a lawn mower can take off the infected portion. As you gently rake, be sure not to tear out the grass. Remember, even though the blade is affect by snow mold the root should still be healthy!
Aeration
Aerating your lawn will not only help to promote new growth but it will also help with the drying out process. By adding mechanical aeration services to your spring lawn care, the holes will help to push the water down into the soil and away from your lawn. This of course means less moisture is stagnant near the blade of grass and snow mold is less likely to be an issue.
Aeration helps to ensure your lawn is getting enough oxygen and can better absorb nutrients. Whether you have an issue with snow mold or not, aeration is suggested each spring. Contact My All Green for your aeration needs.
Plan Ahead
As you look ahead to next winter you may be wondering if you can avoid snow mold in the future. There is now guaranteed way to keep snow mold away, but you can start by fertilizing your lawn in the fall before snow begins to fly, and keep mowing your lawn to an appropriate length. My All Green can take care of your fall fertilization with your satisfaction guaranteed!