While technological advancements and working from home have pretty much made snow days a thing of the past, there’s still plenty of fun to be had in the snow!
While snowfall can be beautiful to look at, if you’re garden proud, you might be worrying about the adverse effects snow can have on your lawn, or if you or someone you love struggles with mobility, having deep snow on your lawn can be a safety risk.
Whatever your reasoning is, if you’ve found your way to this blog, you’re likely looking for tips and advice for removing snow from your lawn. If that’s the case, you’re in the right place!
Removing Snow from the Lawn
Snow isn’t inherently bad for your lawn – in fact, it can act as an insulator against the cold winter air and provide hydration for dry plants.
However, if your area is currently experiencing heavy snowfall, the weight of the snow can crush your grass – if snow can weigh enough to cause tree branches to break, just think of what it’s doing to your lawn!
If you decide to shovel snow off your lawn, it’s important you find an appropriate spot to dump the snow. When you push and manhandle snow it can cause it to become dense; the more dense the snow the longer it will take to melt and the harder it will be for any plants trapped underneath to breathe, so be sure that you don’t pile shoveled snow on top of any plant life.
To help encourage snow to melt, if possible, we’d recommend shoveling the snow to a sunny spot where the heat will encourage the snow to melt as quickly as possible.
How to Shovel Snow
Shovel using a broom, shovel, or even your hands in an upwards motion to avoid compressing and compacting the snow.
If your shovel is struggling to cut through the snow or the snow is sticking to your shovel, you can try adding a light spray of cooking oil to your shovel. This will help your shovel make fast work of the snow and help reduce sticking – just make sure you clean it off properly before you put it away!
Tips to Avoid Damaging Snow Covered Grass
1) Keep off the grass
If possible, we’d recommend trying to avoid walking on snow or frost covered grass as this can damage the lawn. Due to the cold temperatures, blades of grass are a lot less flexible then they are at other times of the year, and can actually be pretty fragile.
2) Avoid salt
Salt is one of the most commonly used tools for melting snow off of roads, paths, and driveways, but it’s worth knowing that salt can be damaging to your lawn. When salt penetrates the soil, it can dehydrate plant roots and make the soil toxic to plants. Even if not applied directly to soil, be aware of salty snow or water running off of driveways and paths into your garden.
3) Wait for spring
If you suspect that your lawn might have sustained damage over winter due to inclement weather, wait until spring has come to attempt to repair it. Even at the end of winter plant life can still be incredibly brittle and frail from the cold weather, and too much manhandling can cause further damage, even with the best intentions.
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Even if you take all of the necessary step to try and keep your lawn clear during the winter, it can still be difficult to keep your lawn healthy, and the damp winter conditions can cause various lawn diseases and fungus to thrive.
If you’re struggling to maintain your lawn or suspect you may have any lawn disease, fungus, or mould, you many benefit from professional seasonal lawn care treatment. To learn more about the winter lawn care treatments offered by Lawn & Weed Expert, check out the link below.
Winter Lawn Care
If you’re not sure which treatments are best suited to your lawn and would like to speak to a professional, reach out and contact us today. A member of the Lawn & Weed Expert team will be more than happy to talk you through our treatments and help you arrange your FREE lawn survey. With over 20 years of experience under our belt, you can be sure that you’re getting the best services available!
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Read More: Lawn Frost Damage: Protect Your Grass from Frost
