Spring....and Snow Mold....

I spotted it.  It’s such a rarity in Alberta, kind of like tracking Bigfoot….but I’m pretty sure I spotted it along the ditch this morning and another near the base of a big spruce tree.  A patch of grass.  It was not of the green variety by any means, but yes, it was a hint of grass….In Alberta….in March.  SPRING!!

We are on the upswing of what has been a long winter in our region but with the time change and warmer temps many of us have been out and about in the evening enjoying the longer hours of daylight. 

It’s also that time of year where everything surrounding us is brown, dead and dirty and we sit in anticipation of greener days to come.  One of the more unpleasant parts of this time of year also includes snow mold.  It creeps across the lawn like a spider web and can be extremely hard on those who suffer allergies. 

“ Snow molds cause the most damage when an early snow storm covers unfrozen soil and snow persists throughout the winter, maintaining high humidity and temperatures of about 0 degrees Celsius at soil level. Snow molds grow quite actively at temperatures near freezing.”  Alberta Govt Agriculture and Rural Development

Here’s how to recognize it and what you can do:

• Snowmold is a lawn fungal disease common in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Eastern Canada.
• Symptoms include completely dead or irregular dead patches, covered by grey or pink cottony fungal growth. 
• Pink is of the worst variety as it also kills the grasses root system.
• Grey is less damaging and kills off the top layer.  It will recover but may take most of the summer to do it.
• Raking it away is required so that new sprouts of grass are able to come up thru.
• Your lawn will require care such as a liberal oversew with proper seeds.  Talk to a lawn care specialist.

Prevention can include not fertilizing a lawn after the month August and making sure grass is cut short before winter.  Do not water grass in the evenings as this promotes fungal growth.  In the winter, do NOT pile your shoveled snow in large compact, slow melting piles.  This is a huge cause of the mold in the first place.  If you have any of these piles as the snow melts, try breaking them up and spreading it around.

We all want that gorgeous green lawn, and to obtain it requires patience, prevention and hard work….and possibly an allergy pill or two.  Happy Raking!