4 Things You Need to Know About Turfgrass and Frost

If you have any type of turfgrass, you need to learn about the effects frost can have if you want your grass to make it through the winter. There are some preventive measures you need to take so you can keep your turfgrass from becoming damaged beyond repair.

How Does Frost on Turfgrass Occur?

Frost appears when your grass gives heat off into the atmosphere causing a cooling effect on your turfgrass. If the turfgrass temperature is lower than the air’s temperature, then the moisture that’s in the atmosphere will create dew on your grass. Frost occurs when the temperature of your turfgrass falls below freezing causing water to freeze on the grass blades. However, frost can occur even if the air is above freezing as well.

A Common Turfgrass Misconception

Frost itself doesn’t actually damage your turfgrass. The damage occurs when traffic walks across grass that’s covered in frost. The problem is caused by the impact of that traffic crushing the leaves, then the ice crystals rupture the plant’s cells.

How Can You Tell if Your Turfgrass Has Been Damaged by Frost?

You will be able to identify damaged turfgrass because it will have a purplish to black discoloration of the blades and the damage will then progress into a slight brownish color that your turf may not be able to recover from.

How to Prevent Frost Damage on Your Turfgrass

The only way to prevent frost damage is to keep all traffic off of the grass until the frost has completely melted away.

Even the slightest bit of traffic on your turfgrass can cause significant damage that could ultimately cost you thousands of dollars in replacement turf. Therefore, it’s better to err on the side of caution.

For more information about preserving your turfgrass through the winter, contact the experts at Modern Turf today!