Projects & How To
You may or may not know this but…. SUMMER IS ON IT’S WAY!!!! As the warm weather begins its approach and the snow begins to melt, you may start to see Snow Mold in your yards. In this blog post, we’ll give you some perspectives on what snow mold is, and how you can treat it (to best protect your yard) this Spring. What exactly is snow mold? Snow mold is exactly what it sounds like, a mold that is created by snow. Essentially, it’s a cold-weather fungi that affects cooler-season grasses. You can diagnose snow mold by its circular patches of dead grass (it may also be matted). Likely, you’ll also find fungal material that forms around these dead patches, known as Mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a network of fine white filaments). Above is an example of what snow mold will look like. How do I get rid of snow mold? Typically, snow mold will get rid of itself as the weather improves. YOu may want to give your lawn a good raking in the Spring months to simply get rid of any debris or mold that may have built up (or doesn’t go away). If there are dead patches from the mold, you can either reseed or re-sod; depends on your preference. If you’re looking for professional help, our TGC team would be more than happy to help you restore your lawn from any harsh Winter happenings, including snow mold. How can I prevent snow mold in the future? Preventing snow mold really comes down to this: did you plan ahead before the snow falls, or not? If the snow has already covered the ground for the winter, there isn’t much you can do. However, here are a few things you can do before the snow falls: Give your lawn the proper fertilization for Winter Cut your grass a little (extra) shorter on the last cut of the year Mulch any leaves in your yard to get rid of places where mold can grow Whether you have snow mold, want to better protect your yard from it over the Summer months (in preparation for Winter), or just have some questions. Our team is happy to help. Give us a call today! Cheers to Summer! -TGC Team
Lawns are the first thing people see when they approach your home and having a lush green one is important for giving a good first impression. To maintain this look you have probably been fertilizing, mowing and watering away, but it might still look a little patchy and dry. It may need a dethatching. What Is Thatch? Thatch is the thick layer of living and dead stems, roots, and grass that collects right above the soil in a mat. Most of the time, it is between 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch thick. At that size, it can actually help the lawn retain water and fight soil compaction. However, it can build up to over an inch with time, and there is such a thing as too much thatch. Why Dethatch? Thatch blocks water and nutrients from getting to your soil if it gets too thick, and a neglected lawn that has more than an inch of thatch can start to choke from the lack of air. This can mostly be avoided by regular aeration, but it may sometimes be necessary to remove a layer of thatch. How Is It Done? Lawn care professionals carry with them their own dethatching equipment. There are two types: power dethatchers and thatching rakes. Both are made of sharp blades that can be adjusted for the depth of thatch and type of grass. These are pulled through the lawn so that it removes the appropriate amount of thatch. Getting this done correctly is critical so you may want to hire someone with the right equipment and expertise. What Do You Do Afterwards? The most important thing to do after dethatching is to clean up. Remove all the debris that you have pulled up. After that, it is time to pamper your lawn. It’s going to need the nutrients and it is primed to use everything you give it, so have it watered and fertilized. If you have this done during your lawn’s growing season, the grass will spring up as good as new for the year. You may want to hire a lawn care specialist to give it the care it needs. Once the dethatching is done, your lawn will be able to become the emerald beauty that you know it can be. Fortunately, if you are in the Twin Cities, The Grounds Crew can help. If you want to know about lawn care, you can contact us. -TGC Team
