The rainy season in St. Louis is upon us and with spring showers come the worry for homeowners about the health of their lawn. Can too much rain be bad for it?
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While rain is beneficial to your lawn in that it helps it get the water and nutrients it needs, there can be too much of a good thing.
Excess Runoff Can Carry Pollution
Runoff from too much rain can send unhealthy silt into your lawn that can carry pollution. This is harmful to the environment and your lawn and garden, especially if you have a rain garden. You don’t want harmful chemicals and runoff to harm your beloved plants.
Risk Of Fungal Diseases
Wet grass can be a haven for fungal diseases like grey leaf spot and rust. These diseases can make your lawn look unsightly and has the potential to spread to other plants. While you cannot do much about how wet your grass gets during a rainstorm, keeping the grass cut and maintained will help prevent excess moisture.
Risk Of Drowning Grass Roots
The greatest risk of excess rain, especially if it starts to flood, is your grass suffocating. Grass needs oxygen to grow and surplus water can drown the roots. To help prevent flooding, creating diversions, improving the yard grade, and considering installing a dry well can all help.
After-Rain Lawn Care
After a heavy rain, caring for your lawn is critical in preventing unnecessary damage. To start, keep off wet grass to avoid damaging the blades and avoid mowing until the lawn is dried out completely. Mowing while wet can cause compaction and ruts in the soft ground. Remember to mow on the highest cutting height.
Remember to aerate the soil to allow oxygen to get to the grass roots.