Snow Mold: Pretty in Pink (and Grey), but Destructive

With spring's arrival, our thoughts at Earth Smart Solutions have turned to many green places including our lawns. Some of you are experiencing snow melt, while others of you are seeing winter's other effects on the lawns that you long to be luscious. If you're noting the presence of patchiness in your grass and you are confident it's not been caused by your pet, you may wish to investigate for snow mold.  

There are, basically, two kinds of snow mold, pink and grey:

• Pink snow mold affects the crown of the grass
• Grey snow mold affects the leaves of the grass, sometimes presenting, up-close, as black masses on the leaves 

Snow mold can generally be identified by small circular patches of grass from 3"-12" in size. Molds can occur under snow where ground hasn't completely frozen, or where debris, such as leaves, has not been removed from the lawn prior to the snow's arrival, thus trapping the moisture next to the warm ground.

How do we prevent or treat snow mold? It's easy! Keep your turf dry and cut low, allowing as much air circulation as possible.  Rake your lawn so that it is debris-free and so it can dry out. Infection will then cease and grass areas will start to regrow!