FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 25, 2010

Rid Your Lawn of Snow Mold with These Tips from the Experts at SavaLawn

Bedford Hills, NY — Spring is upon us and so is snow mold. SavaLawn’s lawn experts provide tips on how to identify and help rid a property of this unsightly lawn fungus.

As the last of the snow melts away, homeowners might notice unsightly patches of snow mold on their lawn. Snow mold is a fungal disease that appears when snow melts in early spring. It’s a common occurrence in years when early winter snows covered an unfrozen ground or when ground conditions are unseasonably wet.

There are two varieties of snow mold:

  • Pink Snow Mold (Microdochium nivale) can occur with or without snow. It can exist in temperatures ranging from 32 to 60 degrees (F) as long as grass remains wet. Signs will include roughly circular, straw-colored patches of grass with a white or pinkish cast surrounding the symptomatic area.

  • Gray snow mold (Typhula blight) forms under snow piles and is characterized by circular patches of straw-colored turf that appear matted and may have gray webbing present.

“The saturated ground conditions coupled with the recent heavy snow fall have created very favorable conditions for Pink Snow Mold. The snow acts like an incubator on the saturated turf, allowing this lawn fungus to become active,” said Matt Lindner, Director of SavaLawn, the lawn care division of SavATree.

Snow mold damage is generally cosmetic. However, infected areas may be slower to come out of dormancy and green up. Lightly raking infected patches after the lawn begins to dry can increase airflow and help aid recovery. An application of lawn fertilizing will stimulate new growth.

Lindner went on to say, “Snow mold seldom kills the entire plant. The best thing a homeowner or land manager can do is to give the matted grass a light fluffing to expose the crown of the infected plants. This will allow the sun to dry the plants, warm the soil and ultimately lead to recovery. Do not aggressively rake the infected turf! This will only cause more damage to the tender roots and shoots.”

With warmer temperatures and dryer conditions ahead, the fungus should start to disappear on its own. In most cases, a full recovery can be expected.

To reduce the impact of snow mold next year, follow these steps:

— Continue mowing in to the fall until the grass has stopped growing

— Remove all leaves and debris before snow falls

— Manage thatch with core aeration to help turf dry faster

— Spread out snow piles as spring nears to encourage rapid melt

 

To find an expert in your area, or for additional information on seeding, please visit www.savalawn.com.