(218) 849-9794
Snow Mold in Detroit Lakes: What It Is, What Causes It, and How to Help Your Lawn Recover This Spring
As the snow melts across Becker County, many homeowners are stepping outside to find circular, straw-colored patches of matted, crusty grass spread across their lawn. Some patches are a few inches across. Others span several feet.
What you are looking at is almost certainly snow mold. The good news is that in most cases your lawn will recover. What you do in the next few weeks — and what you did last fall with fertilizer — will determine how fast.
What Is Snow Mold?
Snow mold is a general term for cold-weather fungi that thrive when snow sits on top of unfrozen ground for an extended period. In Becker County, our early-season snowfalls frequently arrive before the ground has fully frozen, creating an insulated, humid environment right against your turf — exactly what these fungi need to establish and spread.
There are two types, and it is worth knowing which one you have because they behave very differently.
Gray Snow Mold (Typhula Blight) is the more common type in northwest Minnesota. It appears as bleached, grayish-tan circular patches with grass that looks matted and water-soaked. The encouraging news is that Gray Snow Mold typically damages only the grass blades, not the crown of the plant. If the crown is alive, the grass will recover on its own.
Pink Snow Mold (Microdochium Patch) is less common but more serious. It carries a ...
If you live in the Detroit Lakes area, you know that once the snow starts retreating from the shores of Little Detroit, spring maintenance hits high gear. At the top of your list should be one of Minnesota’s favorite ornamental plants: Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass.
Because Karl Foerster is a cool-season grass, it doesn't wait for the heat of July to start growing. It begins pushing new green shoots as soon as the ground thaws. If you wait too long, you’ll find yourself accidentally clipping the new growth, leaving your grass with "chopped" ends all summer long.
In Becker County, we value the winter interest these golden stalks provide against the snow. However, leaving the old growth too long creates two problems:
The "Messy Center": Old stalks trap moisture, which can lead to crown rot in our wet Minnesota springs.
Stunted Growth: Thick, dead material blocks sunlight from reaching the crown, slowing down the vibrant green-up we all want to see in May.
For more detailed information on maintaining grasses in our specific climate, check out these authoritative guides:
University of Minnesota Extension: Gardening with Native & Ornamental Grasses
Wisconsin Horticulture (Division of Extension): Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass...
Just complete the form below to get a pricing quote.
