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3  <br />  <br /> Snow Mold Fungi There are two types of snow mold fungi which can present problems in Colorado. "Pink <br />Snow mold" prefers no snow cover and is active when the temperature is just above freezing. "Gray Snow <br />mold" presents itself under a prolonged, dense snow cover. CCGC staff preventatively applies plant <br />protectants each fall to discourage both types of fungi and the damage they are capable of inflicting. We did <br />not experience any damage from snow mold. <br /> <br /> Crown Hydration: Occurs when large amounts of surface water from snow melt turns into ice crystals <br />outside the plant cell (extracellular) of the turfgrass crown tissue. As these ice crystals form and enlarge, they <br />pull water out of the cell, which will result in dehydration. At some point a dehydrated cell and cell <br />membrane stop functioning and the result is cell death. Many times superficial damage occurs but if enough <br />of the cells in the crown of the plant die, the entire turfgrass plant will die as a result. We experienced a <br />lot of damage of this type from ancillary usage of the golf course for winter activities as seen <br />in the photos below. <br /> <br /> <br /> Freeze-thaw Cycles: These cycles are most damaging when they occur in the late winter months. Once the <br />turfgrass plants begin to break dormancy, the tender new plants are highly susceptible to freezing. A sudden <br />drop in temperatures following dormancy can actually rupture the plant's cell walls causing death. While we <br />can't control the weather, the best we can do is manipulate the plant's nutrition. By timing fall fertilizer <br />applications in a manner that allow the plants to harden off in fall, and by slowly bringing the plants out of <br />dormancy in the spring, we can minimize the potential for damage. Since our recent thaw cycle has occurred <br />in early spring, the turfgrass plants did not have enough carbohydrate reserves remaining to remain viable. <br />We experienced a lot of damage of this type from ancillary usage of the golf course for winter <br />activities as seen in the photos below. <br /> <br /> <br />10