Lawns suffer damages that occur due to snow and ice during the winter. Adding road salt and other products for melting the ice can make things worse. Also, areas of the lawn along the edges get damaged in the spring due to the melting of snow.
The salts used on the roads help to prevent the buildup of snow and ice during the winter. The concentration of the salts in areas where snow has piled can cause damage to the lawns and the soil. The roots of your grass easily absorb dissolved salts from water and the soil.
They are then transported to the leaves, where they burn them. If the level of salts in the soil is too high, the plants in your lawn will have a reduced ability to uptake nutrients and water, which results in poor growth. Additionally, the ability of your grass to self-repair will also reduce.
Salts used during the winter have a lot of chloride ions. Excessive chloride ions in the soil affect the ability of your grass to effectively produce chlorophyll, which is crucial in the food-making process. If sunlight cannot be turned into energy, your grass will die.
The damages to your lawn will originally be yellowing, progressing to brown, and eventually black. Plant leaves will also shed after some time, and their growing tips will die back. Young grass plants are likely to experience stunted growth.
You Can Save Your Lawn
Fast action is your best bet when it comes to protecting your lawn. This will ensure that road salt doesn’t get a chance to cause damages. The salts have several benefits and can last for years in your yard. With time, the products can buildup to toxic levels, which will cause destruction.
You should consider employing proper preventive and treatment measures early in the season. A lawn care expert can help you develop a schedule to keep the lawn green and healthy. When you hire a professional to inspect your turf, they’ll help you to establish the main cause of the problem and the best action for you to take.
The best action to fix the salt problem in your lawn is to flush as much as possible out of the topsoil. If you notice that the damages are in the concentrated areas, take a hose and flush the affected areas with fresh water.
By doing so, the rock salt will sink below the root line of your lawn. If the turf is broad, you should consider watering your lawn thoroughly to make sure that you dilute the salts. If the rainwater is insufficient, ensure you water your grass more frequently to get rid of excess salt rather than accumulating near the roots of your grass.
Soils have different features. Some soil types may not flush easily. Also, if they become compacted, you may need to use more aggressive solutions such as the application of liquid carbon to reverse the adverse effects of salts.
Some methods are more effective in some areas than others. A lawn care professional can help you to evaluate your turf and determine the best substances and amounts to apply. The experts will also recommend the ideal combination of techniques to keep your lawn green and healthy.
Although you cannot control what the local authorities will use on the roads to melt the ice, you can take control of your yard. This will help to minimize the damages on your lawn. A specialist can develop the best plan to avoid future damages to your turf. They can also recommend the type of grass that will have more tolerance for the soil type in your area.
