Turf Tips by Chris Karcher

Home
Current Issue
Previous Issues

Advertise

Donations

Site Search
Contact Us

Feature Articles

Privacy Pledge

January 2002 Turf Tips

Winter Woes!
What is Wrong With My Lawn?

Lawn problems can occur in small areas or larger patches; entire lawns can die.  The problems can be due to poor growing conditions, improper lawn care practices, or extreme weather conditions.  Listed here are a few that you may encounter with some suggestions on prevention and recovery.

Frost Damage
The temperature doesn't have to fall to 32° to frost.  Frost occurs in low areas even though the official temperature is reported to be 38° or higher.  Damage appears as a blackening of the leaves, which gradually turns to a brown or tan.  A number of theories exist about how frost damages living tissue.  The most common belief is that ice crystals damage and kill plant cells when they are forced into the leaf by the weight of a foot or wheel.  Spring frost damage will normally recover after two to four mowings.   However, damage that occurs during the fall when grass growth is slowing may still be visible next spring.

Frost Prevention
If it does get cold enough to frost, be sure to stay off frosted turf until the sun melts the frost.  Newspaper deliverers and early morning golfers and joggers can do a lot of cosmetic damage on frosted turf.

Ice Cover
This is where oxygen is excluded from the meristem, and toxic levels of carbon dioxide accumulate in the meristem under the ice.  Turf kill associated with ice cover typically occurs during the freezing or thawing period when standing water hydrates the crown/node meristematic tissue.  Cell protoplasts are crushed, and crowns are not affected.  With toboggans, foot traffic, and Santa's sled, damage is minimized as long as an inch of frozen snow cover is present on traffic paths and wet slushy conditions do not exist (-7°C).

Desiccation
This is a major cause of winterkill.  Desiccation is usually more severe on elevated areas, sites exposed to excessive drying winds, or areas where surface water run-off is high.  Typically, leaves are a distinct white and remain erect in high dry areas.

Desiccation Prevention
Perform no late core aerations and do not leave holes open.  Adjust  irrigation to maintain adequate soil moisture to avoid winter drought, saturated soil, or standing water.  Reduce thatch accumulation.

Snow Mold
Because of extremely cold winter weather you may see evidence of snow mold in your lawns.  Snow mold is a collective term for winter diseases caused by cold-loving fungal species.  Snow mold damage can be very visible on many lawns as snows recede in spring. There are two types of snow mold that may occur:

1. Gray snow mold (Typhula blight) and

2. Pink snow mold (Fusarium patch)

During the wet, cold weather of early spring, snow mold may be highly visible as matted, crusty looking areas.  As conditions dry out, snow mold will gradually disappear but infected areas may remain in the form of weak, or even, dead turf.

Snow mold severity may vary from year to year, but certain turf areas seem to be frequently affected.  Conditions, which may contribute to snow mold, include excessive use of fast-release (water soluble) nitrogen fertilizer in early to mid fall, excessive thatch, excessive shade, poor drainage, and excessive debris (such as leaves or straw) on the turf.  Areas receiving drifting snow or piles of deposited snow are also prone to snow mold.

Snow Mold Prevention
Follow sound fertilization programs, using fertilizers containing slow-release or controlled-release nitrogen.  Adequate levels of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) should be available in the soil.

Manage thatch via core aeration and adjusting pH. Surface drainage should be adequate.

Prune or remove dense vegetation bordering problem lawn areas to improve air circulation.

Once again, we recommend the lawn be mowed until completely dormant in fall

Voles
As snow disappears in the spring, lawns often show damage that occurred during the winter.  In particular, voles can be very destructive to lawns. 

Voles will make runways under the snow in lawns as they feed on grass blades and roots and are protected from predators.  Voles, or meadow mice, are about 4 to 6 inches long and brownish-gray in color.  Damage is frequently mistaken as mole damage, but moles are not active during winter and actually tunnel below the soil surface.  Vole damage appears as runways or winding trails of damaged grass.

Vole Damage Prevention
Lawns usually fill-in as conditions warm in the spring.  However, severe damage may require some overseeding.  Help prevent damage from occurring by mowing until grass is completely dormant in fall.  Turf should be mowed at a final height of about 3 inches.  Clean up any excessive vegetation near lawns, as this provides cover for voles.

Back to Turf Tips Index

Chris Karcher is a local franchise owner of NaturaLawn of America - the leader in organic-based lawn care and the only national service provider to promote Environmentally Responsible lawn care.  "Doing the right thing has never been this easy!"

© 1999 - 2009 Savvygardener.com, Inc. All rights reserved.  If you wish to copy, transmit, or otherwise duplicate any of the material from our website please ask us first.  Thank you.