Is Your Lawn Dead or Just Dormant?
While we are beyond winter months and cold temperatures here in Georgia, you may have noticed that these late Spring days are not as harsh as they have been in years past. Believe us, the hot days will come, but this slight delay in warming up may be impacting your lawn's ability to "wake up".
Just like many other types of plants and animals, your lawn enters a dormant state to preserve nutrients and survive the winter months. Your lawn's dormancy period can usually be recognized by discoloration and dryness, and can often be confused for being dead. So how can you tell?
What Causes the Dormancy Period?
Different grass types will have different dormancy periods based on a couple of factors, such as temperature, water levels, foot traffic and even shade. Not only can it help you in determining expected dormancy periods, but knowing your grass type will help you understand the many different ways to care for it throughout the year!
Fescue Grass
Fescue is a common type of grass here in Georgia and is known for its softness across lawns and pastures alike. Fescue grasses will exit a dormancy period when temperatures are consistently above 40⁰F and below 90⁰F. In Georgia, data shows us that this could range from April/May to as late as October/November.
Zoysia Grass
Zoysia grass is another type of grass found in Georgia known for being a tolerant, warm-season grass commonly grown in the Metro-Atlanta area. It can survive on as little as just a few hours of sun per day, making it great for lawns with a lot of shade. Zoysia grass should emerge from its dormancy period once soil temperatures average above 50⁰F, making late May through September the best time for your Zoysia grass to grow.
Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass is found not only across lawns in Georgia, but on many golf courses in the Southeast as well. This grass type thrives in Georgia due to it's ability to grow in sandy and clay-like soils. Bermuda grasses will start to leave their dormancy period when temperatures are consistently well into and above the 60-65⁰F range. These will be your typical Summer months for Bermuda's non-dormancy stage.
The Difference Between Dead & Dormant
Dormant grass is similar to a bear in hibernation; it is doing it's best to preserve nutrients to hunker down and survive the cold and frost of winter. Here are a few signs that your lawn might be dead not dormant:
- Your grass blades easily pull out with no resistance from roots
- Patterns of discoloration not in line with commonly shaded areas
- Your grass vibrancy doesn't respond to watering once temperatures heat up
If you are concerned that your grass, either as a whole or in patches, may be dead, contact us today. Our lawn care specialists can come out to inspect your lawn to find where things may be going wrong and talk about reseeding. Give us a call at 678-445-9990 today!
