With Cheshire experiencing snow over the weekend, gardening experts have highlighted a potential issue of playing in the white stuff.
Millions of kids enjoyed a winter wonderland as flurries and freezing temperatures affected most of the nation.
But while this signalled fun and frolics – snowball fights and sledging – homeowners have been warned to be watchful of their grass.
Snowmen
Timothy Greene from iCANLAWN.com said: “Snowy days can be a blast for children and are very much a rite of passage for British youngsters.
“One of the most popular activities is building snowmen of all shapes and sizes, complete with stones for eyes and a carrot for a nose.
“But if the freezing weather hangs around for a while, dear old Frosty could give your grass the winter blues.
“That’s because snow and cold weather forces the surface of a lawn to harden much quicker.
“This can lead to compaction, especially if the composition of the soil is poor and drainage not great.
“Walking on a frozen or snow-covered lawn is not advised for this reason. And if you leave a hefty snowman on the grass for a longer period of time, it can have the same effect.”
Snow mould
Timothy explained that compaction is a major issue because it can lead to snow mould, a fungi that can kill a lawn.
He said: “If snow lingers on your lawn for too long it can cause fungi to grow, encouraging yellow and brown spots to develop.
“It can be difficult to control once it takes hold so the best course of action here is prevention.
“If you have prolonged snowfall on your lawn for a number of days you should aim to shovel it off in sections so that when it begins to melt, the moisture isn’t returning to your grass, encouraging more fungi to grow.”
Snow mould, also known as fusarium, is a soilborne disease that can be tackled by ensuring good drainage, regularly mowing your grass and applying a protective fungicide.
iCANLAWN.com expert Timothy added: “I want to make it clear that building a snowman is still a great idea and perfect for all of the family to get involved in when snow falls.
“I would only advise garden owners to be aware of the risk of disease if the snow hangs around too long and take action if that happens.”
