Frosty Lawns: The Dazzling Danger
If you live in Lane County, you will deal with frosty lawns. Maybe this is your favorite time of year, waking up with a shimmering white blanket over your yard that shines brightly in the morning light. Or maybe this is the time of year where you feel like maintaining your yard is a fight and your lawn is never quite right. We deal with frosty lawns throughout the Winter and would like to shed some light as to how it accumulates and what precautions to take in order to maintain the health of your lawn.
How it Happens
During this time of year, lawns in Lane County often develop a light frost overnight. This happens because the cells in the grass contain water that freezes when the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Often it can drop below 32 degrees at ground level when the temperature in the air does not. This has to do with certain atmospheric conditions that pull heat upward and leave the ground cold, where your grass lies. This type of frost often develops in the blink of an eye, causing entire lawns to turn white in less than a second. This is not necessarily detrimental to your lawn, as the roots do not freeze in this circumstance. However, there are certain precautions to be taken with frosty lawns.
How it Hurts
Have you ever been delayed at a golf course on a cold morning? This happens frequently in colder months, as many golf courses will not allow players to walk or drive carts on their turf that has accumulated frost. As water expands when it is frozen, the molecules in the grass become far more fragile. When blades of grass have frost, the cells are frozen and will shatter upon impact. This can kill the area of lawn that has been impacted, often leaving tire tracks or footprints across the lawn. The area of the lawn that has been damaged will eventually recover, though it may take until Spring, when warmer weather arrives, to return to its healthy, regular state. Frosty lawns are a beautiful thing in the Pacific Northwest. In order to make sure it stays that way, make sure you do not walk on lawns that have frost.
How we Help
We maintain lawns throughout the year, even in the Winter months. Always striving to promote the very best and most healthy environment for your landscape, we watch yards closely to make sure your lawn and yard are beautiful and healthy year round. If we are not currently maintaining your yard, or if you have any questions about Winter landscape maintenance, please contact us today!
