I’m often asked if the snow will hurt the lawn. The short answer, most of the time, is no snow will not hurt your lawn. Why do I say most of the time? Well, if you live in Western Massachusetts this past fall, you would have noticed that the leaves remained on the trees a little longer than in years past. Therefore, if you had leaves fall late and cover your grass followed by snow and freezing temps, this could have a big effect on your lawn come springtime. The leaves will trap excessive water beneath them which will essentially increase the chances of disease activity in the lawn.

While it’s not snow, colder temps in fall, winter, and early spring can lead to frost. Frost damage can occur when you walk on the grass while there is a heavy frost. How does this occur? Grass blades have water running through their entire blade, so when we have a frost, the grass blade will freeze. This frozen water inside the grass blade will expand thus damaging the cells of the grass blade. Foot traffic can break the grass blade creating footprints once the grass thaws. Frost can even be present on the lawn while the ground is still not frozen. In most frost damage cases, it will recover on its own as new growth pushes through during spring.

Benefits of Snow on Turf

There are some benefits to snow cover on your lawn as well! Heavy snow can act as a thermal blanket for the ground. This helps protect the roots and the turf from those bitter cold temps. If the snow hangs around long enough and we get below freezing temps for a few days, we will see a reduced amount of insects the following spring – including ticks!

Then there is always fun that comes with snow!

You get to build a snowman! Who doesn’t like playing with the kids and building your own snowman?
Snuggle up and read a good book. Reading has many health benefits, including improving brain function and helping to reduce Alzheimer’s Disease.
Did you know that cold weather can also help boost your metabolism? Shivering helps boost metabolism by trying to keep your body warm.
You don’t have to mow the lawn…

We hope you found this blog helpful in answering the common question, “Does snow hurt my lawn?” While you may not be thinking of your lawn right now, if you have any questions about your lawn please let us know! We’re thinking about lawns year-round and would love to help. You can reach us at info@missiongreenservices.com or call 413-998-STAY (7829).

MissionGreen Services would like to wish everyone a safe and healthy winter season!