How can morning frosts damage your lawn? Learn what precautions to take.
Your morning lawn covered in white frosty tips and a rising mist may look picturesque, but it can be a stressful sight for those with a recently established lawn. Are these morning frosts going to damage your lawn? Fortunately, frost on your lawn will not do much damage on its own, but if you walk on, flatten, or crush the blades, you could badly damage the grass. Understanding how frost can impact your lawn is essential for avoiding damage during the wintertime. If you need extra guidance caring for your landscape, contact the experts at Scientific Plant Service for advice on the best methods for preventing long-term damage.
How Does Frost Form?
Frost is water vapor that freezes when an outside surface cools past “the dew point.” The dew point indicates when the water vapor turns into a liquid because it is so cold, and then forms on the grass and freezes on the blades. This happens overnight as temperatures drop to their lowest. Therefore, you see the frost in the early morning and may notice that it disappears mid-morning as temperatures become milder and your grass thaws.
Can Frost Damage My Lawn?
Morning frosts by themselves do not damage your lawn. Frost freezes the grass blades and makes them brittle and rigid. Grass can typically “bounce back” from wear and tear because of their flexible blades. When that flexibility is gone, the grass is more vulnerable to damage. Therefore, damage mainly occurs from wear and tear when the frost is present.
Pre-Frost Preventative Actions
How can you stop frosts from damaging your lawn?
Apply a Fertilizer
Grass has an “immune system” that must be built up over time. You can aid in this process by applying fall/winter fertilizer high in potassium. This helps strengthen your grass’s winter hardiness.
Maintain Your Lawn’s Height of Cut
During the mowing season you should mow your cool season lawn at 2.5 to 4 inches. Maintain this height when making your final mowing of the year. You also want to ensure that the mower blades are sharp.
Post-Frost Actions
If you notice frost on your lawn, remember the following tips to ensure that no long-lasting damage occurs.
Don’t Walk on the Lawn
The best way to prevent damage to your lawn from frost is not to add to the problem. This means staying off the yard when you see frost. This goes for pets, too! Grass that is walked on when frozen can split and break. When your lawn wakes up in spring, it may appear yellowed, brown, or dead.
Repair in Early Spring
If your lawn emerges in spring with damage, you can repair it with the help of the lawn care professionals at Scientific Plant Service. However, treating your lawn well and preventing morning frost damage is always better than fixing winter damage.
Scientific Plant Service Is Your Go-To Source In Landscape Healthcare
Scientific Plant Service, located in Baltimore, is a privately owned corporation, chartered in Maryland in 1957 by Frank J. Burke. We started as a full-service Arborists specializing in the care of shade trees and ornamental shrubs, but today we are a Lawn Care company that is a huge part of the community. From aquatic environments and snow management to deer and mole control, SPS has services tailored specifically for your lawn and landscape.
We offer services in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia, including: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Calvert counties in MD, as well as Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church in VA. For more information, contact us online, or call us at 410-321-0970. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest.