The harsh winter weather here in New England is no joke. Frigid temperatures, intense winds, and heavy snowfall are often a lot for us to deal with—but we can get inside and warm up. Your lawn is subject to these conditions all season long. Grass damage from winter conditions is a common problem.
In this article, we’ll dive into some of the winter lawn damage you might face and how to deal with it. The good news is that with a lawn care pro on your side, you’re not on your own to figure this all out.
How Do You Repair Winter Lawn Damage?
Repairing winter lawn damage starts with giving your lawn some time to dry out and begin growing again. You don’t want to rush outside and start aggressively raking as soon as the snow melts. Working on a soggy lawn can create even more problems.
Once conditions dry out, you can begin assessing the damage.
In general, repairing a lawn after winter might include:
- Gently raking matted grass and removing leftover debris.
- Identifying whether the damage was caused by voles, snow mold, salt, plowing, or winter kill.
- Giving damaged grass time to recover as temperatures warm up.
- Correcting soil, drainage, or compaction problems that might be slowing recovery.
- Seeding thin or bare areas that do not bounce back.
Common Winter Lawn Damage
Let’s look at a few common lawn problems that we see in the winter.
Vole Damage
Voles may be small, but their damage can be significant. During the winter, voles can tunnel through your grass. If this is occurring beneath the snow, you really have no way of knowing. It won’t be until the snow begins to clear in the spring that you will see evidence of the tunnel damage. Voles also chomp on grass during the winter when other food sources are scarce. The good news is that they don’t feed on the crown and grass should recover from this damage.
While vole damage cannot be entirely prevented, there are steps that you can take to attempt to mitigate the risk.
We always recommend making your final mow shorter than usual as we enter into the winter season. This is not only better for preventing snow mold (a point that we’ll get to), but it also makes it less likely for voles to take up residence in your lawn. They won’t have ample hiding space.
If you do find vole trails in the spring, don’t panic. Since voles typically feed on the grass blades rather than the crown of the plant, the lawn will often recover as it begins actively growing.
Once the lawn is dry, you can gently rake the trails to lift the flattened grass and clear away loose debris. Avoid raking too aggressively, as that can pull out grass that is still healthy. If bare areas remain after the surrounding lawn has greened up, those spots might need to be repaired with seed.
Snow Mold
Another common source of winter lawn damage is snow mold. Snow mold is a type of fungus that grows underneath the snow. Like vole damage, it’s going to go unnoticed while there is snow on the ground. It’s often not identified until the early spring, as the snow clears.
As snow melts, you might notice patches of pink, gray, or white growth on the lawn. Pink snow mold tends to be the most damaging type and can cause areas of the grass to die. But in the vast majority of cases, lawns bounce back just fine from snow mold.
When it comes to how to revive your lawn after winter, if you find snow mold, we typically advise waiting until the lawn is dry and then giving the affected areas a gentle rake. This can help loosen up matted-down grass, improve airflow, and allow the soil to dry out more quickly.
In many cases, the lawn will bounce back as temperatures warm up and active growth begins. But if the grass crowns have died and bare areas remain, those spots might eventually need to be repaired with seed.
In the future, you can take steps to prevent snow mold by practicing good fall lawn care.
For instance, we advise mowing the lawn shorter during the final mow. You still don’t want to scalp the grass, but you want to avoid leaving it too long. Long grass can get matted down and will be more inclined to grow mold.
As you prepare your lawn for winter, you’ll also want to make sure that you pick up leaves and debris before the first snowfall. Leaving debris in the yard can cause an incubation area for the snow mold to grow underneath.
Lawn aeration can also play a valuable role in helping to keep the lawn aerified and healthy. Good air circulation can help reduce the likelihood of snow mold.
Salt and Snow Plow Damage
Another common source of winter lawn damage comes from our efforts to plow and de-ice. While we know it’s important to have the driveway and roadways clear, these services can sometimes damage the lawn.
The best way to prevent this is to take care in avoiding your turf areas when salting. You can also mark the edges of your driveway so that the plow doesn’t end up in your lawn, which could tear up your grass.
If you are using a snow removal service, make sure to talk to them about protecting your lawn.
If salt, sand, or plowing has already damaged the lawn, wait for the soil to dry before beginning cleanup. You can gently rake away gravel, sand, and loose grass.
Watering the affected area can also help move excess salt through the soil. But if the damage is severe, it might be necessary to test and amend the soil before repairing the area with seed. This is one of those situations where professional advice can help you avoid putting seed down before the underlying problem has been addressed.
Crown Hydration and Winter Desiccation
Finally, when talking about winter lawn damage, we must mention crown hydration and winter desiccation. These are two different winter kill problems and both are unfortunately unavoidable.
Crown hydration occurs when temperatures warm up, stimulating grass to come out of dormancy and start taking in water again. But when freezing temperatures return, the water will freeze. This can kill the crown.
Winter desiccation, on the other hand, occurs when the lawn is subject to winter winds and freezing temperatures, sucking the moisture from the grass. This can lead to damage or even death.
While these are weather-dependent issues that can’t be avoided, the healthier your lawn is, the better chance it will be able to withstand damage. Making sure that you are investing in high-quality lawn care is your best defense.
Late-season fertilizer not only plays a role in helping your lawn to “green up” when the spring comes around…it also helps your lawn maintain its winter hardiness.
If you suspect winter kill, remember that different parts of the lawn can green up at different rates, especially where snow cover, shade, wind exposure, and drainage vary.
If the damaged area remains completely brown after the rest of the lawn has started actively growing, the grass might need to be replaced. Before repairing it, it’s also important to determine whether drainage, soil health, or another underlying issue contributed to the damage.
Is Your Winter-Damaged Grass Actually Dead?
When your lawn looks brown, flattened, or patchy after the snow melts, it’s easy to assume the grass is dead. But that’s not always the case.
Cool-season grass can take some time to wake up in the spring, particularly when soil temperatures are still cold. One section of your lawn might begin greening up while another remains brown for a little longer.
You can gently tug on a small section of the damaged grass. If it remains firmly rooted and you can see some green growth near the base, there’s a good chance it can still recover. Grass that pulls away easily, has a damaged or rotting crown, or remains completely brown after the rest of the lawn has begun growing might be dead.
The key is not to act too quickly. Aggressively raking or working on the lawn while the soil is still soggy can cause additional damage. Give the lawn time to dry out and begin actively growing before deciding which areas truly need to be repaired.
Revive Your Lawn After Winter
We’ve shared some preventative tips for these common sources of winter lawn damage. However, oftentimes, it’s not until the spring that you’ll notice the damage has already been done.
The good news is that many lawns can bounce back from winter problems.
If vole or snow mold damage was relatively minimal, your lawn might begin recovering on its own as temperatures warm up and the grass starts actively growing. That’s why it’s important to give the lawn some time before assuming damaged areas need to be replaced.
However, if the grass is completely dead, spring spot seeding might be needed to repair bare areas. More widespread thinning can often be addressed with aeration and overseeding in the fall, when growing conditions are typically better for cool-season grass here in New England.
The best timing will depend on the extent of the damage, the condition of the soil, and what caused the problem in the first place. A lawn care professional can help you determine whether an area should be repaired right away or whether it makes more sense to wait until fall.
As we mentioned, one of your best chances for success is investing in professional lawn care. Getting on an optimal lawn care schedule will help better prepare your lawn for the winter. It can also help your grass bounce back more easily when winter lawn damage does occur.
If you have questions about how to repair winter lawn damage, your lawn care professional will be able to help. One of the benefits of partnering with a lawn care pro is that you’ll have an expert guide helping you determine what’s best for your New England lawn. You aren’t on your own in making these decisions!
Choosing Lawn Services in Southern NH, ME, and MA
Lawns can be stressful. Particularly here in New England where we have harsh weather. But with a lawn care pro on your side, you’ll gain peace of mind that you’re making the best decisions for your lawn.
When you work with Seacoast Turf Care, it’s our goal to help take away your worries. Not only will you know you’re getting lawn care services at just the right time, but we can also help you get the best possible results.
That doesn’t mean your lawn will never experience winter damage. Many of these problems are weather-dependent and outside anyone’s control. But when issues do occur, you’ll have a knowledgeable team ready to help you understand the damage and choose the right next step.
Want to learn more about what makes us a great choice for your lawn care needs? At Seacoast Turf Care, we service NH towns near Stratham, North Hampton, Exeter and many more. Get lawn care pricing for your Southern NH, Southern Maine, or Northeastern Massachusetts property.
Image Source: Snow plow
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