Winter Lawn Repair

The winter season can be long and sometimes brutal, putting a lot of stress on your yard. And though weather conditions may vary from place to place, many experience the same types of lawn damage as a result of the cold, snow and ice.

Consider these ways you can help prevent and resolve common winter lawn damage homeowners experience each season, so you can have a healthy planting environment in time for spring.

Winter Pests: Snow and winter ground covers create the perfect environment for voles to invade your yard without your knowledge, since they can burrow beneath the snow and eat away at the roots of plants and shrubs. Voles, which are also known as field mice, can cause damage to trees, veggies and plant bulbs found in your yard, and they can even kill plants if they continue to feed off foliage. A simple way to keep voles from invading your lawn is to create a fence-like barrier around trees, shrubs and any other greenery you think could be affected by them, placing the barrier deep into the ground.

Salt damage: De-icing your driveway and sidewalks is a routine maintenance task carried out each year. Be mindful of where you place rock salt, since it can inhibit plant growth or cause damage to plants' overall health. If you're not already doing so, lay salt down after you remove snow with a shovel or snow blower. This will give you a better look at where you are placing the salt, which will help prevent damage to plants.

Snow mold: Though a very typical lawn fungus, many yards experience snow mold after the winter season, which leaves white or gray-like spots throughout the grass. Snow mold forms beneath the snow due to cold, damp conditions, but usually disappears after the snow has melted away. However, you can prevent snow mold from occurring in the first place by making sure your lawn is cut short before the ground freezes and clearing your lawn of large piles of debris like leaves and twigs.

Flooded lawn: Clear downspouts and rain gutters before and after winter to avoid a series of issues throughout your yard. If not cleaned routinely, leaves, twigs and other debris can build up over time. This can cause drains to overflow onto your patio, which can be extremely dangerous in freezing conditions. Clogged drains or spouts can also spill onto lawns, creating a flood-like environment that drowns your grass or nearby plants.