Spring Lawn Issues in Minnesota

Minnesota winters tend to leave our lawns in need of a serious spa day. Believe it or not… this snow will melt and may leave your lawn with patches of mold, thatch, and dead grass. Fear not, most of these issues are purely cosmetic and will go back to a lush lawn with a little TLC. Below are a few common spring lawn issues and what you can do to fix them.

Snow mold. This is a fungal disease that can appear early on as the snow starts to melt. The damage that snow mold does is not severe and usually is just unattractive. The infected areas may just be slower to green and fill in fully. You can prevent further fungus growth by raking the area to dry it out.

Prior grub damage. Grub damage generally starts late summer but if it is left untreated, you’ll be left with a large bare spot in the spring. You cannot check for grubs until lawns come out of dormancy and they (grubs) come back up to the surface to feed on the turf roots. If you suspect you had or have grubs there are two things that should be done: insecticide and reseeding.

*example of insect damage and results following Northern Roots treatment process*

Dog spots. If you are a dog owner, you probably know what is happening here. Along with the springtime chore of picking up after Fido, tons of large yellow areas lie just beneath the snow, waiting. Urine burns are actually very similar to fertilizer burns in how they damage lawns. Your lawn rebound really depends on the health and type of your grass. If these spots aren’t rebounding after winter it may be best to reseed. This is best done by first lightly raking the existing dead grass out, then topdressing with some good seeding soil and applying some seed.

Get off to a good start. Throughout the long winter, your lawn has stored nutrients in strong roots and is ready for a big growth spurt in spring. One way to help this process along is by removing thatch- the old, dead debris matted around grass roots. Dethatching before grass comes out of dormancy lets air, water and nutrients permeate the soil and promotes growth.

Another early-season effort is to apply fertilizer to increase growth and reduce weed pressure. Northern Roots suggests you use a product designed for spring and summer use and plan to apply when rain is expected.

For professional lawn maintenance (all year long), Northern Roots Lawn Care provides personalized services and applications to help your lawn be the best in the neighborhood. Get a free quote for your lawn care services today. Our experts will inspect your lawn and determine the correct course of action if you have a lawn disease, fungus, or any insect control issues. We are here to help!