The harsh Michigan winter weather can have extremely harmful effects on your turf during what sometimes feels like 9 months of winter. It’s possible that your turf is dying during this time and there are some things you should be on the lookout for. Specifically, winter kill. Check out our tips to keep a close eye on your lawn for winter kill this season.
First off, it is important to ask: What is winter kill?
Winter kill is the severe damage or death of turf during a prolonged period of harsh, cold weather. As a longtime Michigan business, we know that the weather in our area is tough for people to handle, and that means it is tough for grass to handle as well. That’s why it is important to keep a lookout for winter kill lawn damage to ensure your turf will come back healthy in the spring. Actually, when snow is covering the turf, it is pretty safe because it is protected. But when snow is melting and the temperatures are staying low, lawns in cool weather will continue to struggle.
So you might be wondering what some causes are of winter kill in our area. See our list of a few causes below to understand this winter struggle a little better.
Vole Damage
Unfortunately, not even the abundance of snow that Michigan receives can protect your turf from unwanted pests. Lawn pests don’t just disappear in the cold weather. Damage from voles can be hard to spot when there is snow on the ground, and because they feed on the ground while hidden, you may wake up one sunny day to find a whole mess of chewing damage.
Thankfully, even if voles do get ahold of your turf, you will rarely see that the damage cannot be reversed. Your turf could grow back healthier in the spring as long as it is properly taken care of after damage, like raking the areas with damage. To take a more preventative approach, rake early on and trim your trees and bushes.
Snow Mold
This issue is actually a winter fungus that grows underneath snow because it thrives off cool temperatures and wetness. Much like vole damage, snow mold is most often revealed when the snow has melted in the springtime. When keeping an eye out for snow mold, it is usually a grey color. The best way to prevent snow mold is through preventative lawn care in the fall. This can include aeration and keeping a squeaky clean lawn all through the fall.
Are you ready to tackle winter kill? The professionals at Grosse Ile Lawn Sprinkler and Fertilizer are here for you!
At Grosse Ille Lawn Sprinkler and Fertilizer, our team has the resources to tackle winter kill, so don’t get too worried if things are looking down in the late winter or spring when the snow in Michigan begins to melt.
Call 734-285-4470 or contact us online to get your lawn on the road to recovery. Our clients can also see what we are up to by checking out our Facebook page! For more info and lawn care tips, be sure to follow our blog.