Ahhh! What is left of my lawn? As spring rain and sun wash away 2015’s record setting snow accumulations, homeowners are reminded that they have a lawn underneath. The initial excitement of this discovery is short-lived. Many lawn enthusiasts are overcome with anxiety surrounding the health of their home’s greenest asset.
Fear not. Mike McDonald, Horticulturalist at Lawn Doctor of Greater Boston explains “consistent snow cover is less detrimental to your lawn constant freezing and thawing. In fact, damage from wind and cold is reduced by this seasonal blanket.”
While that is good news, additional steps should be taken to get your lawn into mid-season form notes McDonald. Once the snow has melted and your lawn is dry try gently raking it. When puzzled neighbors remind you what season it is, you can inform them that raking the lawn at the beginning of spring will stimulate the dormant grass blades and allow for air, sunlight, and nutrient flow. It is also important to remove any dead or decaying debris from your lawn which can inhibit recovery and new growth.
While raking you may notice you have certain ‘problem areas.’ The heavy masses of snow are likely to have caused “Snow Mold”. These are parts of your lawn that may be dead or experiencing mold problems. McDonald clarifies, “We will probably see the most Snow Mold that we’ve ever seen.” However, don’t assume grass is dead if it looks a bit mangy after this tough season.”
Grass does not change color when it dies. Brown grass is simply hibernating. The ugly appearance does not represent the overall plant and root health.
To check the vitality of any patch of grass simply tug on it. If it stays firm in the ground, it is alive and has a healthy root system. If it comes out of the ground easily, you may want to reseed that area.
Raking your lawn will also help ward away pinkish fungus. After raking the fungus, the sun will take care of the rest.
Sweeten your soil. Nitrogen and Calcitic Lime are your lawn’s meat and potatoes. Applying nitrogen to your lawn is essential to recovery after a long winter. Mike McDonald recommends 4-5 pounds of a high-Nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square foot. This simple step will increase the resilience of your lawn, making it less susceptible to disease and drought. Calcitic Lime adjusts the PH of the soil which makes the soil more absorbent of essential nutrients and increases the microbial activity of the soil.
No need to panic, a bit of attention and effort and your lawn will become the showcase and playground it has been in previous summers.
Lawn Doctor is focused on working in harmony with the science of nature. Every service is designed to boost natural growth. This goes beyond the use of simple, green products. The company’s proprietary technology allows its lawn professionals to precisely measure and apply the optimum blend of nutrients and weed control – doing the right thing for your lawn and the environment.
A healthy lawn creates oxygen, removes dust and dirt, and filters water passing through its roots leaving pollutants behind and many more benefits. Lawn Doctor of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod is a local, family owned and operated business serving over 6,000 homeowners in the Greater Boston region. Main offices are located in Hanover, MA.
For more information about Lawn Doctor, visit www.LawnDoctor.com or call 800-831-1319.
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