Key Points
Frost heaving is when groundwater freezes and thaws, causing lawn swelling and root damage.
Recover a frost-heaved lawn by rolling or raking, and overseeding, and avoiding foot traffic.
Prevent frost heaving by aerating the soil, improving drainage, and mulching before winter.
Let’s face it: winter is tough on our yards. Between storms, rain, snow, and sub-freezing temperatures, our lawns go through a lot during the colder months.
We’re all used to seeing a harmless-looking dusting of white frost when we wake up in the mornings, but looking closer might reveal unstable footing, lumps, and bumps.
These are caused by frost heaving, something our lawn care experts are here to break down and teach you how to fix and prevent.
Meet the Experts
Chrissie Handley is a lawn care and gardening specialist at Online Turf.
Greg Cuoco is a lawn expert and CEO of The Difference Landscapes.
Gene Caballero is the co-founder of GreenPal, a lawn care service app.
What Is Frost Heaving?
As we transition from winter to spring and temperatures fluctuate, the groundwater found in soil freezes, thaws, and re-freezes repeatedly. Because water expands when it freezes, the soil and grass roots are pushed closer to the surface. As it thaws, air pockets form and cause lawns to swell—this is what’s known as frost heaving.
“If your lawn looks uneven in parts, cracked, and plant roots are exposed, these are tell-tale signs of frost heaving,” lawn expert Greg Cuoco says. “This is bad for grass health because as the soil lifts, the roots are torn away from nutrients and water.”
If you’re not sure whether or not your lawn is frost heaving, lawn care and gardening specialist Chrissie Handley recommends watching out for lumpy or uneven terrain, and a light, sponge-like feel underfoot.
How to Help a Lawn That is Frost Heaving
If your lawn is already frost heaving, there’s isn’t a lot that can be done to help. According to Handley, the best thing to do is reduce damage as much as possible.
“During freezing temperatures, it’s best to stay off the grass,” she explains. “Walking on a frozen lawn can damage the grass blades and cause compaction, which can hurt your soil health further.”
She also says it’s important to note where heaving is most prominent so that when spring rolls around you can focus on aerating those areas.
How to Recover a Frost Heaved Lawn
If things haven’t settled down fully once the ground is fully thawed, you’ll need to inspect the lawn and try to re-level .
Once the ground is thawed enough to be worked with—but not oversaturated or muddy-feeling—use a rake or roller to try and even things back out. Make sure to also apply topsoil over any exposed roots.
After raking or rolling and once soil temperatures have reached around 50°F, revisit bare patches of soil and overseed them to help create a healthier lawn look.
Aerate While Rolling
Using certain rollers will also allow you to aerate the soil, which is a key step in frost heaving prevention.
How to Prevent Frost Heaving
Preventing frost heaving starts with prepping your lawn early, before the winter months hit. If your lawn experienced frost heaving this year—or you want to be extra-careful—there are a couple of steps throughout the year our experts recommend taking.
“The best ways to avoid frost heaving is to improve drainage, aerate the compacted soil, and apply mulch or compost to help insulate the soil before winter,” lawn expert Gene Caballero shares.
Aerating to help with drainage is one of the best things you can do to encourage water evaporation before it has the chance to freeze, and mulch can help with the regulation of ground temperature. However, soil and grass types also play a major role in how well a lawn can cope over the winter.
“Fine-grained soils hold more water than others,” Cuoco adds. “If you’ve got water-loving terra firma, make sure your drainage system is top notch, and choose the right grass seed for your location. Some grasses handle cool temperatures—and the potential for frost heave—better than others.”
If you’re able to change up the soil and grass being used for your lawn this year, Cuoco suggests checking local websites or speaking to nearby universities to find out the best grass varieties to use in your area.
Read the original article on The Spruce
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