Heavy rains can cause severe damage to our healthy, lush lawns if they’re not taken care of after. If the grass has been underwater for longer than four days, it can cause erosion of the soil and not survive. Always take caution when tending to your lawn after a rainstorm to avoid further damage! Explore our tips and tricks lawn care after heavy rains.
Avoid Mowing
Mowing a wet lawn can cause compaction and create ruts in the soft ground, especially if you have an electric mower. Look to mow your lawn when the grass has completely dried out, and make sure that you’re utilizing the highest cutting height on your mower blades.
Try to Keep Off It
High traffic on a lawn, especially after rain, can cause your glass blades to become damaged. It’s always best to keep off wet grass as best you can. A good rule of thumb in knowing if it’s safe to walk on again is noticing if wet footprints are left behind.
Aerate & Fertilize
Aeration can be beneficial to your lawn after a flood of rain. You can either aerate it manually with a garden fork or a power aerator. Likewise, fertilizing your grass can help replenish nutrients that were lost in the heavy rains. Look to apply fertilizer even after your lawn starts to recover so it can continue to rebuild its healthy roots.
Clean up the Silt
Silt can be left behind on your lawn after a flood occurs. Silt can be damaging, as it can also be contaminated. Before removing, it’s always best to utilize rubber gloves and boots, and cover open wounds before removing silt from your lawn. Rake it up or wash it off with a hose to allow the ground to breathe and absorb more sunlight.
Inspect for Fairy Rings
After a rainstorm, many lawns could develop mushrooms. While mushrooms are usually harmless and can be easily removed by mowing over them, mushrooms growing in a fairy ring can be damaging to your lawn’s health. Fairy rings occur when mushrooms grow in a circle with dark, green grass in the center of them, which will usually die off because it’s competing with the mushroom for water. If you notice a fairy ring, look to remove it immediately down to its roots.
If you’ve noticed that your lawn hasn’t looked the best since a rainstorm, consider reaching out to your local lawn care company for help. These professionals will provide you with a lawn care analysis and plan that’s right for your yard.