After the Columbus Day Storm: What South Jersey Lawns Really Need Right Now

The Storm Hit Hard

The Columbus Day weekend storm didn’t just ruin cookouts. It drenched South Jersey from Cherry Hill to Mullica Hill with relentless rain and strong wind. Many homeowners woke up Monday to saturated lawns, standing water, and scattered branches. When weather turns this ugly, recovery isn’t about waiting for the sun to return. It’s about acting fast.

Step 1: Assess the Damage

Walk your property while the ground is still soft.

Standing water: Look for pooling in low spots that can suffocate grass roots.

Matted leaves or debris: Remove anything blocking airflow. Fungus can start forming within twenty-four hours of moisture.

Broken branches or torn turf: Mark any dangerous limbs for professional removal.

If the soil feels spongy, resist mowing until it dries at least halfway through the root zone. Running heavy equipment too early compacts the ground and causes bald patches by spring.

Step 2: Open the Ground and Let It Breathe

Veteran crews know the cure for waterlogged turf is oxygen. Light core aeration or even a manual lawn fork allows trapped moisture to escape and restores air flow to the roots. In severe cases, top-dress soggy areas with a thin layer of sand or dry compost to help draw out excess water.

💡 Pro Tip: Jersey Lawns uses commercial-grade aerators and dethatchers to re-oxygenate heavy South Jersey clay soils quickly, helping prevent fungus before it takes hold.

Step 3: Feed and Fortify

After days of constant rain, nutrients leach deep below the root zone. A light, slow-release fertilizer that is high in potassium helps your grass regain strength without forcing new growth before temperatures drop. This single step prevents the yellow fade that many Gloucester County lawns show in late October.

Step 4: Check Gutters and Drainage

Those six inches of rain filled more than just lawns. Inspect gutters, downspouts, and storm drains for clogs. Redirect runoff away from flowerbeds and foundations to prevent erosion. Jersey Lawns crews can handle both lawn debris and gutter clearing in one visit, saving homeowners another callout fee.

Step 5: Plan for the Next Hit

Storms like this are no longer rare. Prepare now with these simple actions:

• Keep grass at three inches to protect the roots.

• Clear leaves every week instead of once a month.

• Schedule November aeration before the first frost.

• Trim low branches that might fall on fences or vehicles.

Where We Serve

Our veteran-staffed teams cover:
Woodbury, West Deptford, Deptford Township, Mantua, Sewell, Mullica Hill, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Washington Township, and surrounding South Jersey neighborhoods.
Wherever the storm left a mess, we are on a mission to restore order quickly.

Mission-Ready Recovery

For us, cleanup is not just maintenance. It is service. The same discipline that kept us sharp in uniform drives how we operate in your neighborhood.

“You call. We deploy. We leave your property inspection ready.”

Slots fill quickly after every major storm.
📞 Call Jersey Lawns or book online today to secure your storm recovery visit before the next system arrives.