Here in Southern Wisconsin lawns are of course still dormant, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking about preparing your lawn for the thaw and spring rains. A lush, green lawn is one of the benefits of living in the Midwest region, and you can start now to make sure that your lawn is in the best shape possible come March. Here are some helpful tips to help you prepare your lawn for the transition from Winter to Spring.
Check for “Snow Mold” – Snow Mold occurs when moisture from snowfall was on the ground for an extended period of time before the ground was completely frozen. As snow begins to thaw, check for pink or gray areas on the lawn, or areas where the grass is matted down. These are indications of Snow Mold. The grass will not grow in these areas without some intervention. What you can do is stimulate the grass in that area by raking or de-thatching, and apply just a little bit if fertilizer. This will help mitigate the damage, and stimulate healthy growth as the weather warms up.
Raking – It’s a simple way to begin to remove debris off the lawn and stimulate grass to grow. Use a leaf rake initially to remove debris and dead grass on the surface. Once the ground begins to dry out, use a Tine Rake and go over the area again to remove dead grass. You may notice little trails where voles dined on your grass under the snow. Typically, the voles do not kill the root systems, and so just raking up and stimulating growth by removing dead grass in this area will be sufficient to allow those sections of your lawn to recover.
We’re all looking forward to Spring, and don’t let the idea of your lawn overwhelm you. Contact Herstad today for help as you make plans for your lawn and landscaping this Spring and Summer! Call Now! 608-921-5349
