Snow Mold
- Snow mold is a fungus that damages or kills grass during the winter months. It becomes visible as the snow melts off in the spring.
- Snow mold typically appears as circular shapes ranging from 3”-15” in diameter. It is normal to have these circles overlap each other to where it’s hard to differentiate each circle.
- Snow mold is common in areas that are covered with snow for extended periods of time. This fungus forms from the following.
- Lack of oxygen and sunlight to the grass.
- Too much moisture in the area
- If possible, remove snow from the affected areas.
- Lightly rake the snow mold spots to separate/ stand up the blades of grass. This will help these areas get more oxygen and sunlight to dry out faster.
- If more snow is expected for the current winter, we recommend that you apply a fungicide to the lawn. Make sure that the active ingredient has PCNB.
- Apply a fertilizer to the lawn once spring hits, this will help the areas grow themselves out and repair faster.
- If you aren’t happy with the progress by early to mid April, you can spot seed the bare areas. Seeding before April will not work, also if you applied a pre-emergent weed control to your lawn, seeding likely won’t work either.
- At the end of every season lower your mower deck height by one notch each week for 3 weeks & bag the grass clippings.
- Apply a fungicide to the entire lawn before the first major snowfall. Be sure that PCNB is in the active ingredients.
- When possible, avoid piling snow on the lawn, especially in shaded areas where it will take extra time to melt.
Preparing To Seed
- Do not apply a pre-emergent fertilizer to your lawn at least 2-3 months before seeding. Pre-emergent fertilizer prevents new weeds from growing in your lawn. It does this by stopping new seeds from growing for up to 3 months from application date. Don’t even bother wasting your time if this has already been done, you will have little to no success.
- Most lawn care companies including us will include pre-emergent weed control for the first 1-2 treatments each spring. So make sure to let us know before your first treatment and we will make the proper adjustments to your program.
- For the DIYers, this includes IFA step 1 and Scotts Turf Builder “Halts Crabgrass”. If the bag says anything about “crabgrass preventer” or “preventing weeds, stay away if seeding.
- There are 2 great times to seed here in Northern Utah.
- April
- Late September / Early October (Once the extended forecasted temps are 80 degrees or below)
- Things to consider when picking your seed type.
- Is the area in full sun or shade?
- How much water will your lawn get?
- Kentucky Bluegrass is by far the most common grass type here in northern Utah. It does well in full sun to partial shade areas. It also does well in areas with high use and foot traffic. Plus if cared for properly, it will spread and self repair damage. We do recommend a mix of 80% Kentucky Bluegrass and 20% Perennial rye to allow some variance for tolerance of disease, insects, etc.
* Kentucky Bluegrass
- Turf Type Tall Fescue is less common in our area, but it is becoming more popular because it’s more drought tolerant. It also does very well in Shady areas. One major downside, is that Turf Type Tall Fescue does not spread and self repair itself like Kentucky Bluegrass. So as problems arise and bare spots pop up you will need to spot seed these areas.
*Turf Type Tall Fescue
- For premium Kentucky Bluegrass & Perennial Ryegrass,
- We suggest you BUY IT HERE
- The 10lb bag will cover 1,500 – 2,500 square feet.
- The 25lb bag will cover 4,000 – 6,000 square feet.
- For premium Turf Type Tall Fescue,
- We suggest you BUY IT HERE
- The 10lb bag will cover 600 – 1000 square feet
- March is too early to seed your lawn. Check our tips next month for step by step directions.
Aeration
- The process of loosening compacted soil to help your soil get more air, water and nutrients. It also helps your lawn’s roots to spread much easier and faster to create a healthier lawn that is more drought resistant.
- There are 2 major types of lawn aeration.
- Mechanical Aeration– is the most widely known. It is the process of using a machine to poke holes throughout your lawn. It removes cores of dirt and leaves these “turds” on the surface of your lawn. The existing soil then fills into these holes which loosens up the soil.
- Liquid Aeration– helps release acids out of the organic material in the soil creating more pore space throughout the soil. It also has a bio stimulant effect on the root zone of the turf which causes the roots to drive down deeper and break down even more soil.
- Regardless of which type of aeration you choose to do, you typically should aerate your lawn 1-2 times per year. Once in the spring, and once in the fall. If you choose to do 1 time per year, we recommend doing it during the spring months.
- When it comes to residential lawns, we almost always suggest that you do liquid aeration for the following reasons.
- Liquid aeration won’t spread Fungus throughout your lawn
- It takes much less physical work, and is typically less expensive than mechanical aeration. (we include 2 liquid aerations for free in our fertilizer program)
- You don’t have to deal with the “turds” on your lawn every year.
- There is no chance of breaking sprinkler heads with liquid aeration
