Snow fungus woes almost over, watering to begin

Fungus has the word 'fun' in it. But that's about all that's fun about fungus.

Luckily, northern Colorado residents usually only have to deal with fungus when they eat it in mushroom form or when it starts growing in your socks. Even then, it's usually easy to get rid of.

But this year, something's different.

Take a look around outside; go to all parts of your lawn. See that gray stuff where that foot of rock-solid snow used to be? That's snow mold, of the species Typhula Incarnata, and it grows because there is a lot of moisture in the ground, something that doesn't happen all too often in the semi-arid environment of Greeley.

This year's snow cover made ideal conditions for the mold's growth on lawns throughout the city.

"It starts before the snow melts," said Tony Koski, professor and turf specialist at Colorado State University. "It requires 40 days of continuous snow coverage. So it's pretty unusual."

Don't fret though. It rarely kills grass, unless the turf was just planted. And it's no more harmful to you or your pets than eating a piece of moldy bread, Koski said. Good thing, because fungicide applications usually don't kill the mold.

"By the time you see it, it has already done its damage," Koski said. "The sun stops its growth. If you want to prevent it, people usually use a fungicide in the fall."

Koski said the only places that takes such steps to put a fungicide down in the first place are places such as golf courses that have an economic interest in keeping the greens green and not gray.

"Especially when they're cutting the grass down to less than half an inch or a quarter inch," Koski said. "People don't want to play golf when the grass is bad."

The mold should soon start disappearing with all the nice weather Greeley has gotten. "A few sunny days and that's the end of snow mold," Koski said. "Even if it snows again, it won't come back."

Along with those sunny days comes the need to water the lawn again.

Greeley residents can begin watering lawns April 15.

The city used to allow winter watering until 2002, when officials changed the policy to stop water waste.

"You would bring it out and it gets cold again," said Ruth Quade, water conservation coordinator for the city. "So we had got some landscaping and irrigation guys to help come up with that to enforce."

The city water staff expects an average water year, according to a city press release. Quade said it's still kind of up in the air if there will be enough water this year.

"Until the runoff really starts, we don't know what kind of year it will be, that doesn't happen until June."

Greeley's 2007 Watering Schedule

Residents may water three days a week, beginning April 15, but not between noon and 5 p.m.

Single-family residences

With addresses ending in even number:

Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

With addresses ending in odd number:

Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays

All other buildings including businesses, churches and apartments:

Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays