Ok guys, so did you survive the Snowmageddon Storm of 2011? Does your lawn have 20 inches of snow sitting on it right now? Yeah, me too, and you know what that means? — SNOW MOLD will be running rampant this season. But fear not, we can work through it rather easily. But first, let’s get some understanding of how the snow mold forms and then we can talk about getting rid of it with minimal long term damage.
How Does Snow Mold Occur?
Snow mold gets in the lawn when you have very heavy snow pack (over 3″) that blocks sunlight from penetrating to the turf for long periods of time. (more than a week). This lack of sunlight coupled with heat being kept in makes perfect conditions for snow mold to take ahold. Conditions this late January and February in the Midwest have been perfect for snow mold to form.
Once the snow melts in the spring, you can easily pick out the areas of snow mold because they are white or very light grey and slime filled. (see pictures).
Get Rid Of Snow Mold
It is pretty simple to get rid of snow mold in your lawn. All you need to do is lightly rake the areas to get some air flowing. In addition, a nice addition of balanced fertilizer will help it grow out.
If you really want to make sure the areas fully recover quickly, I recommend an aeration in the Spring as well. This will ensure that air gets down all the way to the root system.
If you see snow mold this spring, don’t be too concerned, just follow these simple tips and you’ll be all good.
