It happens every single year: the lush emerald-green of your lawn fades to a feeble brown as Jack Frost slips into town for an extended stay. Before you know it, even the autumn-brown of your lawn is obscured under a blanket of white.
And sometimes, you might go for days or even weeks without catching so much as a glimpse of your lawn. You know it’s still there, of course. But it’s hidden under an unbroken expanse of sparkling white – beautiful in its own way at first, but sometimes becoming dreadful dull and monotonous as winter wears on.
Do you ever gaze out the window at that monotone landscape, and daydream about the next cycle of summer? And then wonder about how your grass is doing, blanketed for so long under that seemingly eternal mantle of white?
Not to worry; your lawn is doing just fine.
Your Grass is Snug and Cozy Beneath its Blanket of White
The snow that blankets your lawn is providing protection from the ravaging effects of the howling wintertime winds. That’s because the air in winter is typically very dry, since warmer air can hold more moisture than colder air. And the dry winter winds sieving across the individual blades of your lawn grass can be very damaging.
The dry, cold wind leaches moisture out of each blade of grass. It’s called desiccation, and it’s not a good thing. In extremes, it can cause damage or even death to lawn grass.
But when a nice, unbroken blanket of snow covers your lawn, each blade of grass is protected from the desiccating effects of the winter wind. Though the winds may howl for hours on end, the snow will save your lawn from damage.
And a nice, deep blanket of snow offers an additional form of protection: When the temperature plummets to extremes, the insulating effect of the snow can help protect the crowns of the grass from damage.
One Exception…
While a blanket of snow is beneficial to your lawn, not all forms of snow cover are good. The exception occurs when snow becomes piled and packed through human activity.
If you’re shoveling snow along your driveway or sidewalk, for example, the snow that you pile on your lawn may be harmful. That snow becomes packed and deep, and takes much longer to clear during a warm spell. And that can lead to problems such as snow mold. So try to avoid accumulating deep piles of snow on your lawn as a result of snow removal activities.
Enjoy the Wintertime Beauty
The next time you gaze out your window at the fat crystalline flakes floating gently to the earth, enjoy the sight. It’s one of nature’s treats – a visual feast of seasonal beauty. And it’s more than simply a pretty sight; it’s also doing your lawn a lot of good. It’s helping your lawn weather the winter in good health.
That lush and emerald-green lawn that you dream about during the frigid days of winter? The snow will help to make that dream a reality.