Revolutionize Your Lawn with the Patented Turf Tamer Power Seeder

When it comes to achieving a lush and vibrant lawn in Northern, IL and Southeastern, WI, having the right tools can make all the difference. At Lawn Doctor, we're proud to introduce the Patented Turf Tamer Power Seeder – a cutting-edge solution that can transform your lawn into a green oasis. In this blog post, we'll explore the remarkable benefits of this innovative technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaN7UxqhCoE

The Power of the Turf Tamer Power Seeder

The Turf Tamer Power Seeder is a game-changer in the world of lawn care. It's a patented piece of equipment designed to address common lawn issues and promote healthier grass growth. Here's why it's making waves in Antioch:

1. Precision Seeding: Unlike traditional seeding methods, which can be hit-or-miss, the Turf Tamer Power Seeder delivers precision seeding. It places seeds at the optimal depth and spacing for maximum germination, resulting in a denser, more even lawn.

2. Improved Soil Contact: Proper seed-to-soil contact is essential for successful germination. The Turf Tamer Power Seeder ensures that seeds are in close contact with the soil, increasing the chances of successful growth.

3. Reduced Thatch and Compaction: This innovative seeder also helps reduce thatch buildup and soil compaction, two common issues that can hinder grass growth. By addressing these problems, your lawn is better prepared to thrive.

4. Customized Solutions: At Lawn Doctor Northern, IL and Southeastern, WI, we believe that every lawn is unique. That's why our Turf Tamer Power Seeder is versatile and adaptable. We can customize the seeding process to suit your lawn's specific needs, whether it's overseeding, reseeding, or tackling bare spots.

Chris Shkyria's Opinion:

As the Lawn Doctor of Northern, IL and Southeastern, WI, I've seen firsthand how the Turf Tamer Power Seeder can transform struggling lawns into lush, green showcases. It's an invaluable tool that combines precision with customization, delivering outstanding results for our clients in Antioch and beyond.

When to Use the Turf Tamer Power Seeder

The Turf Tamer Power Seeder is most effective when used during the growing season, typically in the early fall or spring. This timing allows new grass to establish itself before extreme weather sets in.

Professional Turf Tamer Power Seeder Services

While the Turf Tamer Power Seeder is a powerful tool, it's essential to have experienced technicians handle the process to achieve optimal results. At Lawn Doctor Northern, IL and Southeastern, WI, our trained experts are well-versed in using this equipment to transform lawns.

Conclusion

If you're looking to elevate your lawn care game in Northern, IL and Southeastern, WI, consider the Patented Turf Tamer Power Seeder from Lawn Doctor. It's a revolutionary solution that can rejuvenate your lawn, making it the envy of the neighborhood. Contact us today to learn more about how this cutting-edge technology can transform your lawn into a lush, green masterpiece.

Stay tuned for more insights and tips on achieving the lawn of your dreams with Lawn Doctor! 

Lawn Doctor of Northern, IL / Southeastern, WI: Your Partner for a Lush Green Lawn

When it comes to achieving a beautiful and healthy lawn in Antioch, IL, look no further than Lawn Doctor. As the trusted Lawn Doctor of Northern, IL and Southeastern, WI, we are your local experts dedicated to keeping lawns healthy for life.

 Why Choose Lawn Doctor in Antioch, IL?

 At Lawn Doctor, we understand that every lawn is unique, and that's why we offer customized lawn care solutions tailored to your specific needs. Here are some compelling reasons why you should choose us as your lawn care partner in Antioch:

1. Local Expertise: With our deep roots in the Antioch area, we understand the unique challenges that lawns face in this region. Our local expertise ensures that we know the ins and outs of the soil, climate, and pests that affect your lawn.

2. Weed Control: Say goodbye to stubborn weeds. We have effective weed control strategies that target and eliminate weeds, leaving your lawn looking pristine. 

3. Fertilization: Healthy lawns start with proper nutrition. Our fertilization programs are designed to provide your grass with the nutrients it needs to thrive.

4. Seeding and Aeration: If your lawn needs a little extra TLC, we offer seeding and aeration services to rejuvenate it. These services promote strong root growth and denser grass. 

5. Pest Control: Don't let pests ruin your outdoor enjoyment. We offer comprehensive pest control solutions to keep your lawn free from damaging insects. 

6. Trained Technicians: Our team of experts is trained and certified to provide top-notch lawn care services. We take pride in our professionalism and commitment to excellence. 

Chris Shkyria's Opinion:

Being the Lawn Doctor of Northern, IL and Southeastern, WI, I can confidently say that there's nothing more rewarding than seeing a once struggling lawn transform into a lush green masterpiece. Weeds, pests, and poor soil quality are common challenges in the Antioch area, but with the right expertise and care, we can overcome them all. 

Our Approach:

At Lawn Doctor, we follow a systematic approach to lawn care: 

1. Assessment: We start by evaluating the current state of your lawn, identifying issues, and understanding your goals. 

2. Customized Plan: Based on our assessment, we create a personalized lawn care plan that addresses your lawn's unique needs. 

3. Execution: Our trained technicians implement the plan, ensuring that each treatment is applied at the right time for maximum effectiveness. 

4. Ongoing Maintenance: We don't just stop at one-time treatments. We provide ongoing maintenance to keep your lawn healthy throughout the year. 

Conclusion: 

If you're looking for a partner to help you achieve a lush green lawn in Antioch, IL, look no further than Lawn Doctor. With our local expertise, customized solutions, and commitment to excellence, we are your trusted choice for all your lawn care needs. Contact us today, and let's work together to keep your lawn healthy for life. 

Remember, we may not mow, but we do everything else to ensure your lawn is the envy of the neighborhood!

Ready to get started? Contact us today for a free consultation, and let's create a customized plan for your lawn's success. Click here for a free quote. 

9 tips to save or protect your lawn from the 2021 drought

 The spring of 2021 will go down in history as the driest spring season on record for most of the Northern Illinois and Southeast Wisconsin counites.  As of mid-June, our local service area has only received about 2.5 inches of precipitation since March resulting in a severe drought distinction for the area.  We usually average around 9 inches of rain during this time for most of our service area.  In a typical year, our area turns dry, and lawns start suffering drought and heat stress in Mid-June, however this has already been happening since early May.  

Lawn on left suffering from drought stress 2021

Watering is already needed for most lawns, and some have already gone dormant.  With summer yet to start and another 90 days of typical dry and high soil temperatures, many lawns will be on the verge of serious damage this summer.  Here are some ways that you can save or limit the damage to your lawn this summer:

Large droplet sprinkler

1. Begin watering regularly.  Morning hours are the most ideal, however any moisture is better than ideal moisture in a drought.  Avoid watering mid-day due to higher evaporation rates and loss.

2.  Water to get 1 to 2 inches of precipitation per week.  1-2 inches to prevent dormancy and keep lawn from browning, 2-3 inches to revive a lawn if already dormant.  

3. To get the 1-2 inches, water deeply for 30 to 60 minutes per area, twice a week.  This time may need to be adjusted to generate a half inch to 1 inch per run time.  Place a flat and wide pan or cup to measure how long it takes to accumlate for your specific sprinkler and water pressure.  

4. For the grass, use a sprinkler that produces a larger, heavier droplet, not a misting or fine droplet sprinkler.  Misting sprinklers evaporate faster and only wet the leaf tissue.  The goal is to get the soil wet from root absorption.  

5.   Only mow if the lawn is over 4 inches tall.  When mowing, don't mow to less than 3 inches.  Keeping the lawn long will help retain more moisture and keep the lawn green.

6. Make sure mowing blades are sharp and only mow dry grass.  Water as soon as possible after mowing to prevent stressing the lawn any further. 

7. Minimize use of the lawn unless mowing or watering to prevent compaction.  If using the lawn, water after traffic use.  

8. Use only slow-release fertilizers and minimize Nitrogen rates during high heat and dry conditions. 

9. Consider Hydra-Guard from Lawn Doctor.  This service applies a hygroscopic and humectant compound that absorbs and retains more moisture from soil and air vapor, typically not available for the grass to absorb.

Lawn with Hydra-guard on left, nothing applied to lawn on right.

More Hydra-guard pictures.  Lawn on right treated with Hydra-guard in May.

                              

Contact Lawn Doctor for any additional concerns for your lawn during the 2021 drought or for additional watering and mowing tips to keep your lawn green and healthy this summer.

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Do I have grub damage in my lawn?

Do I have Grub Damage in my Lawn this summer?

We receive many calls this time of year (mid-summer) for curing brown spots in the lawn.  Many homeowners assume that the brown spots are a result of grub damage.  However, this 

is not the case as grub damage will not show up for another several weeks after the eggs hatch and begin feeding on grass roots in August and September.  The brown spots are more commonly a result of heat stress on the lawn which often results in additional damage form diseases and insects in the lawn as the grass slows down growth due to the higher soil temperatures and less frequent heavy rainfall.  

Most lawns across the Northern Illinois area are suffering from heat related stresses this summer.  With more sunny days above 80 degrees in June and early July, soil temperatures jumped quickly resulting in stressed out lawns by mid-July.  Once a lawn begins to weaken or go dormant the disease and insects can quickly take over.  Grass blades stop growing and turn brown to save moisture loss for cool season grasses like fescues, ryegrass, and bluegrasses.  Once this process starts it takes a few weeks of cooler cloudy days and nearly 2 inches of irrigation or rainfall to correct.  

Watering will help deter the onset of dormancy as once the plant begins going dormant it only takes a few days to set in.  Keeping an eye on the weather and forecast will often help plan for proper irrigation needs.  Once the temperature breaks 80 degrees with 3 days of dry and sunny weather the lawn begins struggling to maintain adequate moisture levels.  If watering begins in this early stage of dormancy the grass can maintain a greener color through the stressful period.  Also, different grasses react at different temperatures and moisture levels as well.  Lawn Doctor has been providing a new service this summer called HydraGuard to help lawns maintain moisture in their root systems.  This service consists of an organic humic nutrient spray to the lawn which attaches to the roots of the lawn and draws moisture to the root hairs from air and soil humidity.  This process helps lawns prevent the early stage of dormancy and give more time to begin watering once the temperatures and weather begin slowing plant growth.

Grubs are turf damaging insects that begin hatching from eggs left behind in the lawn from many types of beetles.  June beetles, Japanese beetles and masked chafers are most common beetles in the local area leaving behind eggs in the lawn during the month of July.  The thousands of hatching eggs then chew on grass roots resulting in extensive damage to the lawn.  This will result in large dead turf areas that can easily be picked up like sod from the lawn in late August through early October.  In severe cases grubs can devour thousands of square feet of lush green lawn in just a couple of weeks.

  For more watering and mowing suggestions please visit us online or feel free to contact us at Lawn Doctor of Antioch-Waukegan

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How much does lawn care cost for my property?

The phone begins ringing in Spring as little yellow flowers emerge from the lawn, with one question, "How much does lawn care cost for my property?".

Well the answer depends on a lot of various factors like the size of the lawn, the problems present in the lawn and how well do you want to maintain the appearance of the lawn.  These are all questions we ask at Lawn Doctor in determining the scheduling and pricing for customers calling to get lawn care quotes in Spring.  Lawn care defined as fertilization and weed and pest control for the lawn is generally about twenty to thirty percent of the total annual landscaping cost for residential properties in the Antioch, IL and surrounding area.   Mowing, trimming and general landscape maintenance makes up the majority of annual costs as these require weekly visits and manual removal of clippings and trimmings from the property. 

So "How much does lawn care cost for most average size lawns"?  Again the answer is determined by exact square footage or shape of the property, but a one quarter acre lot averages about eight thousand square feet of serviceable lawn area.  This generally costs about $65 per application for lawn services.  At Lawn Doctor, we sell service program packages designed to fertilize the lawn making it healthy and green with organic-based fertilizers and weed- controls.  We create a service plan for your property based on over 16 years of local experience in treating lawns.  The plans consist of various fertilizers as each season requires different nutrients for cool-season turf grass and unique herbicides for seasonal weeds germinating as soil temperatures range from spring to fall.   Insecticides and fungicides may also need to be added to combat against insects, grubs and lawn diseases throughout the season as well.

Lawn care costs can vary from service providers in the lawn care industry.  Many fertilization companies utilize synthetic fertilizers for their ease of use and low costs.  Synthetic fertilizers have a good use in a fertilization program, but heavy or over-use can lead to sterile soils, unwanted runoff and mis-use.  Lawn Doctor utilizes organic-based fertilizer sources that not only provide the needed Nitrogen, but come form a source that will also benefit the natural soil microbes and promote healthier soil nutrient values with each application.  This process increase soil conditions over time rather than depleting soil nutrients and crating weak soils. 

To get an instant quote for lawn care for your property this season visit us at Lawndoctor.com or visit our instant quote at lawndoctorinstantquote.com and get started today!

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Spring 2018 Lawn Services have had great success

Spring 2018 has had it ups and downs this season for the lawn care service industry.  However it has mostly produced many "ups" or positive results across the Antioch- Gurnee area.   A very slow to warm up spring kept lawns brown and with no growth through early April followed by a nearly two week cold and snow on the ground period of early to mid-April.  Although the cooler temps and snow cover  were a little abnormal, the moisture left behind allowed for good green up and new leaf tissue growth in the warmer weeks that followed.   

Late April 2018

Snow cover on April 15, 2018

May brought many additional challenges as it was warm but very wet.  This caused some delays again including many spring seeding services.  Seeding in spring is a great opportunity to thicken up some shady areas however the moisture and temperature swings can create a lot of difficulties in scheduling and performing these services on time.  With that being said the seeding and fertilization services have performed with great success as the temperatures, sunlight availability and rain has been very helpful towards the end of the month and through Memorial Day Weekend.






May 2018 Lawns in Lake Villa

The cool and wet spring has also contributed to a heavy outbreak of mosquitoes so far this season.  These populations will continue to grow and multiply every several weeks through summer as there is a lot of standing water and moisture in wooded and shaded areas right now.  Mosquitoes continue to be a nuisance in the Midwest as their bites result in many uncomfortable allergic reactions and can also spread serious and fatal diseases.  If you have not tried or have our Yard Armour mosquito control service, this year would be a great time to get started so that you can enjoy the warm weather outside.

Looking for a better lawn this year or help controlling mosquitoes?

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Turf Alert - Heat stress is coming to a lawn near you!

 100 plus soil temperatures in the sunny areas have already been reached this week

Summer months bring warm temperatures and sometimes periods of dry weather to the lawns of Northern Illinois.  Grass lawns across Antioch-Gurnee-Waukegan and Lake Forest enter survival mode to withstand the stress associated with this time of year.  There are several cultural practises that can help maintain a healthy green lawn through these periods of stress.  Proper mowing height and watering practises are two of the most important things to do properly as summer begins.

Watered lawn area next to non-watered lawn - 2016

With the forecast of multiple 90 degree days ahead and no rain in the forecast, begin watering now to prevent or assist with heat stress on the lawn.   A bluegrass-based lawn needs about 1 inch of irrigation per week to keep adequate moisture levels and to prevent the onset of browning and dormancy.   Although this amount of irrigation is adequate for moisture needs it doesn't always keep a lawn from going dormant, but it does give it the best chance to stay green during heat stress.

When soil temperatures get above 90 degrees bluegrass can begin survival mode which consists of opening stomata (cells that release moisture in an effort to cool the plant) making the lawn look thinner as the leaf tissue dries out.  Next it will begin to draw moisture back into the crown of the turf leaving the grass blades to turn brown.  This doesn't mean the grass is dead, just beginning to show signs of dormancy which helps it survive summer stress.  A well planned watering program will help keep the lawn healthy and green as the stress begins.  Watering before or at the beginning of a dry spell can delay the effects of heat and lack of moisture.  When the forecast doesn't call for rain for more than 5 days, begin a deep and infrequent watering schedule for the dry spell.  With summer temps in the upper 80's, windy days and longer periods of direct sun rays the evapotranspiration rates of the lawn escalate quickly, which can leave your lawn with inadequate moisture for ideal plant health in just a few days.

Along with watering regularly during hot and dry summer months the lawn should also be mowed properly.  Less frequent and at a taller height will keep activity on the grass to a minimum and allow for full shading of the soil below with longer leaf tissue.  Also be sure that when you do mow the lawn, never remove more than a third of the leaf tissue height or else additional stress and moisture removal will be unnecessarily added to the lawn that is already stressed out.

Non-watered lawn that is dormant - 2016

For more watering and mowing suggestions please visit us online or feel free to contact us at Lawn Doctor of Antioch-Waukegan

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Late August always brings a big change in the lawns appearance.

I have noted on my calender the date of August 20 for the last several years for a reason.  This seems to be the day (ok, week) that the first signs of change are going to be happening in the lawn.  This year is proving to be no different.  The days begin to become obviously shorter, the sun becomes significantly less intense and night time air temperatures become noticeably lower.  All of this results in heavy morning dews and lower soil temperatures which leads to a greening up lawn.  If we are lucky enough to get a thunderstorm or two, which happened again this week this year, the lawn greens up even faster and goes right in to growth mode and begins repairing itself from summer heat and drough stress.

There are two main reasons why the lawn suffers and turns brown during the month of July and early August.  High soil temperatures from direct radiant heat, higher daytime and nighttime air temperatures, and lower precipitation rates leave the lawn struggling to grow and usually results in dormancy to survive.  This situation unfolds every summer across the area and has for thousands of years.  We call the month of July and first half of August the "danger zone" in the lawn care industry because there is not much we can do from the service side, we simply ask that everyone waters regularly and mows high and less frequently.  We aim to minimize the services and applications of any kind to lawns during this time unless they are being irrigated.  Simply walking on the lawn during the danger zone can cause more damage in extreme cases from heat striping.  However, that is all going to change in the next week or two.

All of these conditions make late august and early September a perfect time to begin fertilizing, aerating and power-seeding services.  If you haven't maintained a healthy lawn all season and want to thicken up the lawn for fall now is the time to schedule those services or begin planning to do the work yourself.  A healthy thick lawn in the fall will also carry over to a better lawn next spring which builds a thicker healthier lawn to prevent and withstand summer stress next year.  Because as you now know and as this blog states, mother nature will return again next year and prove this all true once again.

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Summer stress takes a toll on the lawn

Summer stressed lawn

Summer weather has definitely arrived for the 2016 lawn season.  The last 4 weeks have brought many sunny 80 degree plus days and little rain to the Antioch-Lake Villa- Lindenhurst-Gurnee-Waukegan area.  Temperatures above the 80 degree mark for an extended amount of time and few summer storms have led to many brown lawns across the area.   Summer stress affects the lawn in several ways.  It leads to cool season grasses goin dormant, summer stress prevents the lawns ability to repair itself, it creates a changing appearance to the lawn and promotes new growth of summer weeds.  I bring up these factors because they seem to bring a lot of questions from customers and are easily explained.  

As the soil and air temperatures pass the 80 degree mark, cool season grasses like fine fescues, ryegrass and bluegrass begin going dormant.  This is the natural process of survival for the grass without causing permanent damage to the lawn.  This means that the plant extracts all moisture from the leaf tissue in an attempt to retain it for the crown and root structure.  This allows for perennial grasses to survive for many weeks of drought and heat.  This leads to brown and crunchy rough surfaces to the lawn.

Lawn exposing different grass types while under stress

During the months of July and early August the lawns that are dormant are no longer creating new leaf tissue or growth.  This prevents the lawn from being able to repair itself unless a vigorous watering schedule is in place.  Even with daily watering the turf will significantly slow down.  This also prevents us from being able to "fix" anything in the lawn.  Fertilizer applications will only help once the rains return and any liquid fungicide or weed control becomes less effective or can sometimes cause more damage than good.  We call this time of year the danger zone and recommend staying off of the lawns other than to apply insect treatments or for watering activities.  Seed will not germinate very well during this time either so repair jobs are delayed until fall.  

Lawn getting watered properly next to dormant lawn

As the temperatures increase and certain turf grass types turn brown from going dormant, others become more visible giving the lawn a different appearance.  Tall fescue or forage fescues which are found in almost every lawn in the area, stand out significantly during times of heat and drought.  These fescue grasses are more tolerant of the heat and dryness.  They can stay green for many weeks while the more desirable cool season grasses go dormant.  These grasses are often times confused with crabgrass and weeds.  They are present all season long and blend in with the lawn during spring and fall, but become more obvious this time of year.  Unfortunately they are perennial grasses and can not be controlled with selective weed controls.  

Green Tall fescue clumps in dormant bluegrass lawn

High temperatures also allow new weeds to germinate quickly that are not present during the spring months of weed control.  This leads to a difficult situation where herbicides need to be used at a lower and more cautious rate or not at all.  Clover, oxalis, spurge and vine-type weeds like creeping Charlie thrive during the heat and dryness.  Crabgrass can also explode overnight and grow quickly to seed.  Our lawn care program takes advantage of pre-emergent in early spring to help prevent some of these weeds from ever germinating, spot spraying if possible and our spring and fall weed sprays will control most of the broadleaf weeds during the cooler months.

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Lawns will return to normal once rain or cooler tempserature return

Although high temperatures and dry days lead to dormant grass, it should be short lived and the lawns will return to their lush green beauty in the coming weeks. 

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I have crabgrass in spring, or do I?

 Tall fescue growing in lawn in spring, it grows upright and is a perennial grass greening up in spring

We get many calls this time of year from homeowners complaining of crabgrass in the lawn.  Some of these homeowners are new customers complaining of previous lawn care efforts while some are our current customers.  The complaint usually states that a product didn't work or the application was mis-applied because the result is not what they want, a crabgrass-free lawn.   We spend much effort explaining to the homeowner that they are simply misled by creative national product marketing ads or they simply mis-diagnose crabgrass.  The reason we know this is quote simple.  It is absolutely impossible to have crabgrass in your lawn in Northern Illinois right now.

  

Crabgrass about 4 weeks after germination, it has to grow from seed annually and isn't mature until mid-summer

Crabgrass is an annual grass that begins germinating every spring once soil temperatures maintain a 55 degree plus reading for 5-7 continuous days.  This germination process then takes several weeks along with several tiller stages to become a recognizable leaf tissue that we know as crabgrass, also with 55 degree plus continuous soil temperatures.  We measure soil temperatures regularly and we did reach close to 60 degrees for about 3 days in mid-April, however, we have yet to get back to those temperatures and have even regressed to the 40 degree range for several weeks.  Knowing this, along with seeing bluegrass yet to fully begin growing (which only needs 40 degree maintained soil temperatures) we know for a fact that crabgrass germination and full tissue growth is absolutely impossible at this time of the spring this year.  Generally we do not see crabgrass in lawns until about mid-June in the local area.  And considering we visit about 450 lawns a week in the Antioch, Lake Villa, Lindenhurst, Gurnee and Northern Illinois area, we will be the first to let you know it is there.

What is that tall growing ugly grass in the lawn then?  It is quack grass or tall fescue which are always confused with crabgrass due to the obviously large leaf tissue and growth habit compared to the neighboring bluegrass, rye grass and fescues in the lawn.  These grasses are perennial grasses that do not form every year from a seed and are a dicot, containing similar biology to the desirable grasses in your lawn leaving them uncontrollable with the exception of non-selective herbicide, glyphosate (roundup).  Selective weed control inhibits cell growth in a monocot plant (broad leaf weed) such as dandelion, thistle, clover and creeping charlie.  These weeds are easily controlled on the lawn with regular applications of the correct rate of selective weed control.

Crabgrass growing in lawn mid-summer, it grows horizontally

There is a leading national product brand that has made millions of dollars preying on the inability of most homeowners to diagnose the difference between crabgrass and tall fescue.  Everyone who buys these products to control crabgrass go through the annual ritual of applying a product that never accomplishes the intended goal.  Since tall fescue is most often confused as crabgrass, its perennial growth allows for the perpetuation of this misinformation.  Crabgrass prevention is actually a service that no one ever sees.  Its successful implementation prevents the homeowner from ever seeing the weed it is supposedly preventing.  So if you are using the product in early spring and still "seeing crabgrass" then it is probably not what you think it is.  Need more help identifying weeds and crabgrass, contact us today for professional lawn care advice.

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Preparing the lawn for winter

There are many tasks involved in caring for a lawn throughout the year that often get overlooked.  Winter preparation is one of them.  Preparing your lawn properly for the oncoming stress of a Midwest winter is a very important task that shouldn't be forgotten.  This involves clearing as many leaves, limbs, landscaping debris, mulch and any dead plant material that may have found its way onto the lawn from an landscaping projects throughout the year.  This is commonly referred to a fall cleanup and is currently being performed daily across the county.  The lawn should also be trimmed back to the minimal height as possible without removing more than a third of the leaf tissue or scalping the lawn down to the crown.  A late fall fertilizer should have been or being applied that consists of a high Nitrogen fast release form.  This allows for immediate uptake as the plant is still alive and before going dormant.  The turf will absorb the fertilizer as it is still above 50 degrees and will store it similar to how our bodies store carbohydrates.  This allows for the turf to survive during the winter months and have the energy needed in early spring as the snow melts and temperatures rise for early green-up and growth.

 Lawn mowed short and leaves cleared up ready for winter

Winters with extended snow cover can often cause serious eye sores in the lawn composed of snow mold damage in the early spring.  This is the result of excess grass leaf tissue matted down under a heavy blanket of snow for an extended period of time.  As the plant is still alive under neath the gasses that it emits get trapped and oxygen is scarce.  This leads to the formation of pink and gray snow mold and turf damage.  The other damage to a lawn that is often seen in early spring is where snow was cleared for pets or foot traffic and the turf was damaged from extended periods of below zero temperatures.  This is usually a spot or area right off of a patio or sidewalk where a snow shovel has cleared the snow.  Often homeowners with dogs do this to clear a spot for the dog to go outside during the winter.  Creating a designated area for your pets in a landscaping bed or non-turf area for going outside in the winter can help easily fix this eyesore before spring arrives.

                                                  Snow mold damage

Spring snow mold damage

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