You spend a lot of time worrying about lawn care maintenance throughout the spring and summer. But what about the winter? There are issues that can spring up in the winter that could destroy your lawn. You need to be proactive to take care of these issues and help repair them as quickly as possible. Here are 3 common issues that people struggle with and how to care for them.
Voles
Voles are small rodents. They are similar to mice, but they have short tails, short legs, and stubby bodies. Moles live under the snow and feed on your grass. They will make tunnels through your grass as they feed. The tunnels can kill your grass. For this reason, you should try to get rid of the vole population as quickly as possible. Use vole repellants, try bait stations, and cover the bark of your fruit and crab apple trees. If your grass dies, you can use topsoil and try spot seeding to get it to grow back.
Snow Mold
Snow mold is likely to occur when it snows before the ground has a chance to freeze. After the snow melts, you should rake up any leaves and dead grass to survey the condition of your lawn. Look for circular, matted patches. If they look grayish, your grass should be able to spring back with proper fertilizer and watering. If the mold looks pinkish, you should purchase a fungicide to kill it and protect your grass.
Road Salts
The road salts used to break up ice on your street can kill your grass if you don’t have salt-tolerant grass. Check the grass closer to sidewalks and roads. If it’s dead, road salts are most likely the culprit. The salts will draw moisture away from the roots, so your grass doesn’t get the nourishment it needs. To fix the problem, you can use gypsum and plenty of water to try to revive the grass. If this doesn’t work, you’ll need to reseed this area. Try a salt-tolerant grass instead.
You can check your lawn throughout the winter to look for signs of these common problems. Work to prevent them during the winter whenever possible. Otherwise, it’s important to start on your lawn care maintenance as soon as the snow melts. Springtime will be a great time to reseed any dead areas of your grass and fight the mold growing on your grass. If you need help remedying these issues, make sure to contact a professional who can help you provide your grass with the things it needs to thrive this year.