Mistakes Everyone Makes When Dealing With Snow On Their Lawn

Remember when snow was fun? Snowmen, sledding, and the glorious snow days that canceled school. As an adult and homeowner, snow becomes far less fun. Snow means salting, shoveling ... and yes, the dreaded snow days that cancel school. With freezing temperatures and increased darkness, it can be tempting to stay indoors by the fire and ignore your snow-covered lawn. However, taking the proper steps — and avoiding common pitfalls — is essential if you want lush, green grass come spring.

Winter landscape care is about striking the perfect balance between leaving mother nature alone, and offering her a helping hand. If you find your lawn looking shabby in the spring, you probably fell into one of these winter categories: (1) overworking your lawn, (2) ignoring your lawn, or (3) failing to prep your lawn for snow. Think of your lawn as an animal going into hibernation. it takes a lot of prep work to make sure it has enough food and resources during the long winter months. Your lawn may appear to be sleeping, but it is still in danger from the elements and — like a hibernating animal — it is not invincible.  

A big mistake people often make, after the snow falls, is shoveling the lawn. Shoveling is essential for the paved areas of your yard, but when it comes to your grass, it's best to leave the shovel in the garage. This is because the snow acts as a blanket, protecting the grass from freezing temperatures. A light layer of snow is porous, and will allow oxygen to get through without smothering the grass. Also, winter grass is dry and brittle – shoveling can tear it apart.

Of course, leaving large piles of snow on your lawn can be equally detrimental. Compacted snow is heavy, killing the brittle grass below. It also allows for little circulation and leads to the formation of snow mold (a fungal lawn disease). When shoveling your driveway, try to evenly distribute the displaced snow around your yard, instead of tossing it into one large pile. If snowfall reaches above a foot, and the weather reports no melting in the near future, you can remove some of the snow using a snow blower, which is gentler on your lawn than a shovel. Also look for piles of snow on tree branches, and carefully brush them off before they break the limbs (avoid shaking the branches as this can cause them to snap off). 

Another common problem is carelessly tossing salt or ice melt on your lawn. These are very helpful to avoid injury on paved areas, but they are harmful to plants. Next time you salt the sidewalk, take care to keep it localized to the pavement and off the grass.

All that said, the other mistake you are making is waiting until winter before you start prepping the grass. In fact, winterizing your lawn should start in the fall. Fertilize your lawn with a high-potassium fertilizer, or use one specifically meant for fall, like Winterguard Fall Weed and Feed from Scotts. Next, mow your yard one more time before the first snowfall, and lower the mower deck so grass is around two inches. Shorter grass won't break under heavy snow, and it reduces the risk of snow mold.  

When the ground freezes, it is difficult for your lawn to absorb water — even while covered with snow. So it is important to aerate the soil in the fall, ideally with a spiked aerating tool, so water can seep in all winter long. Finally, remove any lingering fall leaves. This will increase circulation to your lawn and prevents a wet, mildewy mess post snowfall. 

After a long summer of constant planting, weeding, watering, and mowing, it is tempting to take a much-needed rest in the late fall or early winter months. Before you lock up that utility shed, though, heed this advice. Prepare your home for winter by fertilizing, mowing, aerating, and raking one last time before the snow comes, and after it leaves, you'll find you have a much happier spring.