Q&A: Leaves on the Lawn
I didn’t have a chance to finish my fall raking before the snow fell. There have been leaves on parts of my lawn all winter. Is it doomed? What should I do this spring?
Question: I didn't have a chance to finish my fall raking before the snow fell. There have been leaves on parts of my lawn all winter. Is it doomed? What should I do this spring?
Answer: It's unfortunate that the leaves remained on the lawn over the winter, trapped by snow. The snow's moisture spurs the leaves' disintegration process, creating a wet mess of decomposing leaves atop your grass. The lawn remains smothered and saturated with water.
When the snow melts, the first thing you should do is finish gathering up the leaves. Then assess the lawn. There is a chance you may find evidence of snow mold: roughly circular patches of matted dead grass. The good news is that grass will often begin to grow again in spring despite snow mold, without intervention. Rake affected areas to encourage air circulation.
