Causes of Winterkill in Your New Jersey Damage to Your Grass
It’s the best part of spring’s arrival in late March or April: the scent of grass returning as remaining snow piles melt away. But when all of those icebergs finally dissolve, it’s a grim sight when the grass beneath the melted snow is dead.
Winter lawn damage, known as winterkill, can affect anyone where it gets to freezing temperatures over the winter months.
In years past, Mother Nature reminded New Jersey that she can bring everything to a stop with a thick coat of ice and snow that lasted throughout the early spring. But even in milder years, like last one, our lawns can suffer from winter lawn damage regardless of our preparation and winterization of the yard. Issues like “snow mold” and “crown hydration” can strike even the best kept grass.
Snow Mold
Just like it sounds, snow mold is fungal. It infects the yard and causes a grayish, or if another type of snow mold, pinkish, crust on your newly revealed grass. It’s said that snow mold is likely if snow falls before the ground is completely frozen - something the homeowner has no control over. Prevention of this mold should occur in the late summer months, by providing care and maintenance (raking, removing leaves) can best prepare you. In some cases, however, the only reliable way to prevent snow mold is a fungicide that prevents it from growing. All Wet has made a science of late summer lawn prep for winter. Call us today to learn more.
Crown Hydration
Winterkill can also occur in “crown hydration” cases, where the lawn thaws for one or two warmer days in February or March, then refreezes, ice can form inside of the crown of the grass, causing a rupture inside the cell membranes of the grass. This can happen where there are depressions in your grass that allow water to soak the surface while the ground below is still too frozen to absorb water. Grass and plant life in these conditions become overhydrated and die.
Desiccation
Desiccation is another form of winterkill that takes place when the dry ground is subject to extended periods of cold winds. This condition can result in the exposed grass losing its moisture causing the death of the grass. Sports arenas and golf courses are extremely susceptible to this kind of winterkill and are often covered with fabric or sand to prevent this loss.
All Wet can help you take your lawn from patchy to plush when you call us about winterizing your winter lawn. Ask today about our preventative maintenance on your lawn to protect it during the chilliest nights of the year.
Give an early holiday present to your yard, call All Wet today at 973-862-4117.