It is certainly a question landscapers and snow removal companies deal with as the winter months start to set in…will the snow plow ruin my lawn. As a company that deals with both the landscaping (warmer months) and plowing (colder months), we will give you the synopsis of what to expect!
The dirty truth about snow plowing:
The good news for home owners:
Grass is amazingly resilient when cared for properly throughout the year. For example, if a plow has done damage, as in the picture above, one thing you can do to be proactive is check and see if the sod is still there, replace it as you would if you were laying new sod. Take care to fill the space properly or the new soil will depress over time and you’ll end up with a noticeable low spot in your lawn. Flood the area with water and lay the sod so it sits high in comparison to the surrounding area.
If there is no sod nearby to replace the lawn damage, you can try taking a piece from a healthier, remote section that isn’t as aesthetically important. This lets you avoid the near impossible task that comes along with getting new sod: matching the rest of the lawn in shape and color.
If you have dirt driveway it’s important to rake off the lawn as soon as the snow melts and it starts to get warmer so you don’t interrupt the new growth of grass in the Spring.
If your grass suffers from salt damage (usually around the edges, as seen below) in the early Spring, flood the affected area to wash the salt or ice-melter off the grass and leach it through the soil away from the grass root area. After two or three heavy waterings, plant seed and apply fertilizer to speed up recovery. Unless the salt levels are unusually heavy, this procedure will correct the condition and you won’t need to replace the soil.
Lastly, if you are fortunate not to deal with large amounts of snow you may still deal with frost. For more on frost damage, no one really says it better than Lawn Dawg.