Nebraska is still struggling to come out of a long, bitter winter, made worse by widespread flooding that has destroyed lawns and farmland across the state. While you won’t need your sprinklers until warmer weather finally dries out the soil, you might already notice some parts of your yard didn’t survive the winter. This phenomenon, known as winterkill, can wreak havoc on your lovingly tended grass, but the tips below can help you recover.

What Is Winterkill?

Grass can generally tolerate cold temperatures, especially if you fertilized in the fall, but extremely harsh winters with excessive moisture can kill off large swaths of your lawn. For example, cold desiccation occurs when there’s no snow to insulate grass from frigid temperatures, causing damage on the cellular level. On the other hand, snow can sometimes trap moisture in the soil, creating the ideal growing conditions for aggressive fungi, known as snow mold.

How to Deal With Winterkill

The first step is to be patient, especially if the cold only killed off portions of your lawn. The grass may recover or the surrounding healthy plants may fill in dead spots on their own. You can promote healthy growth by de-thatching the area, giving grass more sunlight, and helping the soil absorb nutrients.

If the damage is limited to a small area, reseeding with fresh grass seed may be enough to restore your yard. However, if large swaths didn’t make it through the frosts and flooding, it may be best to cut your losses and replace the grass with new sod. Finally, toss in some root starter fertilizer to help the new plants take hold.

As Lincoln, NE’s oldest irrigation contractor, the Whittemore Sprinkler Company has served homes and businesses throughout the area for 56 years. If your sprinkler system was damaged over the winter, their highly-trained technicians have the expertise and equipment to get it up and running before summer hits. Follow their Facebook for more tips and advice, visit their website for more on their services, or call 402) 476-8552 to discuss your irrigation problems or custom sprinkler needs.