Snow Mold

As the extended snow cover from last winter melts from twin cities metro lawns, evidence of gray and pink snow mold disease became apparent. Snow molds are fungal diseases that flourish under snow, especially when the ground is not thoroughly frozen and snow cover is present for extended periods. Snow molds are named for the webby material that grows over circular patches of matted grass. (Photo1).

Gray snow mold has been prolific this year and probably makes up over 60 percent of the affected turf this spring. Susceptible turf species are bluegrass, fescues, ryegrass and mainly bentgrass. Gray snow mold is caused by the fungus Typhula incarnata and other Typhula species. Yellow to white circular patches of damaged turf are visible right after snow melt (Photo 2). Patches vary in size and may overlap to blight large areas of turf. The fungus produces yellow/orange structures (Photo 3) called sclerotia that when mature are dark-brown to black color, are easily visible and persist through the summer and in late fall. These structures start colonizing grass leaves again 30-45 days after permanent snow cover has left. Gray snow mold damage occurs in winter and early spring. The best thing you can do for grey snow mold, aside from improving your soil aeration and bioactivity is to lightly fluff up the dead grass with a rake. This will allow it to dry more completely and will also allow the sunlight to reach the soil and promote new grass growth. This disease rarely kills the grass and fungicidal treatment is not warranted. If lawns are being reseeded consider planting resistance turfgrass cultivars.

Pink snow mold can be more problematic. Pink snow mold remains active much longer than grey snow mold. It can continue to go until temperatures get into the low 60’s. Pink snow mold is caused by the fungus Microdochium nivale (Photo 4), which produces roughly circular bleached patches ranging in size from 1-8 inches in diameter. The patch will appear red-brown and water-soaked at first then later turn pinkish white with red-brown border (Photo 5). You can see this easily in the morning when there is dew on the ground. As with the grey snow mold, you should lightly rake or fluff up the pink snow mold to allow air and sunlight to the soil. With this type you should be careful to not spread the disease by using the rake on the rest of the lawn. After you rake the pink snow mold you should clean your rake with some alcohol or an anti-bacterial soap.

The following steps can be taken to minimize damage in future years:
-Avoid excessive applications of nitrogen fertilizer in the fall.
-Continue to mow the lawn at the recommended height until it is no longer actively growing. The taller the grass, the more likely it will mat down and encourage snow mold development.
-Rake up leaves in the fall.
-Manage the thatch layer to avoid accumulations of more than ½ inch.
-Spread out large snow piles to encourage rapid melting. Use snow fencing to minimize snow accumulation in problem spots.

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Photo 2

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Photo 4

Photo 5

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Voles

With the winter snows melting away many are often surprised to find a series of tiny trails on the surface of their lawns. This is where voles have been active over the winter.(Photo 2).

Voles are often called meadow mice or field mice (Photo 1). While they are similar to a house mouse in general size and shape, they have some important differences. Voles have small eyes and ears, stocky bodies and short tails, when compared to other mice, but even more important is that they very seldom invade homes. Rather, they prefer to live in grassy fields or landscape beds.

Voles are herbivores. They eat seeds as well as leaves and stems of grasses and sometimes other green vegetation and occasionally, roots and bulbs. Often voles are attracted to, and take up residence under bird feeders where the seed is scattered and litters the ground. Removing or limiting this food source will, in turn, limit the voles in that area. Some have found that moving the bird feeders to areas that are less susceptible to vole damage is the preferred approach.

Voles do not hibernate during the winter months. They are active even during the winter and when snow is on the ground they are perfectly happy and actually do very well under the protection of the snow cover. They eat grass as the make their way between the snow pack and ground.

When the snow retreats what is left is a series of surface runways through turf areas. These measure about 2 inches wide and sometimes many feet in length. The reality is that even though these are an eye-sore now, they do not significantly damage the turf grass. Just rake up the loose grass and discard. With the spring growth, these paths will fill in and the voles will soon be forgotten.
Even more damaging than the trails that they make in turf grass is the injury to other plants. Voles can seriously injure trees, shrubs (and sometimes plastic irrigation lines) when they gnaw on them. If controls are required it is important to remember that voles are a major food source of many vertebrates including birds of prey. Their main protection from these predators is dense cover. An effective way to manage voles is to reduce their cover. Mow tall grasses in the fall so that they do not fall over and create vole habitat during the winter. Trim trees and shrubs including low lying plantings plants such as arborvitae, yews, junipers such that they are up off the ground, if voles are active in the area. When possible, use rock mulch rather than bark mulch in the flower gardens and beds because this is much less favorable to voles.

Mouse snap traps, baited with peanut butter and placed in the vole run, also can be used to control small, pesky, populations.

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