Good News…Bad News…About Snow

It’s been years since we’ve had this much snow on the ground…for this long. And for those anxious for spring and the opportunity to get back in their yards and gardens, it’s raised a couple of questions as to the benefit, and the detriment, of so much snow…so much ground cover for so long.

Well, according to every turf and landscaping resource, a heavy cover of snow is the absolute best insulator for your turf and plants. In severe temperatures, it serves as a blanket that actually keeps the roots warmer and safe from winter kill.

You may not be thinking in this vein now, but a healthy snow cover also accounts for generous restoration of ground water come spring. It helps put back that which has been lost from the subterranean water table from past years of hot weather and drought.

These are the good things about snow. But there are some drawbacks, albeit nothing that can’t be resolved with patience and planning.

One, it’s unlikely at this point that we’ll get back into normal spring yard work as early as in normal years. Last year we were mulching, aerating and feeding area lawns by the first week of March. With the projected low temperatures of the next two weeks, that’s not going to happen this year. So, be patient. It’ll come.

Two, with the projected melting and absorption of water into the ground, that water is going to leech many vital nutrients away from your lawn and plant beds. It happens, but you can plan for it. Just be sure to provide a good supplemental feeding of nitrogen and other nutrients to replace that which has washed away with the spring thaw. You can do this yourself, of course, but in severe cases it might be good to enlist the help of a landscape professional. It’s important, and it can make all the difference as to how your landscaping looks come July and August.

If you have your questions regarding your own spring “greening”, be sure and call the professionals at Ever-Green, 335-6418…and do it today. While you can’t see your lawn now for the snow, it’s the perfect time to plan for your best summer ever…long after the memory of a record winter!