Cold winter temperatures cause most trees and grass on your property to go dormant and re-emerge in the spring. Although lawn dormancy is a natural process, it could cause concerns for some homeowners as it appears your lawn is dying. However, our experienced Tri-Cities landscapers at Promier Landscapes comfort homeowners and share on the blog today what happens when your yard goes dormant so that you can have peace about the brown blades on your property.
Why does my lawn go dormant?
Most warm-season grass goes dormant during winter to defend itself from harsh temperatures and weather. As a result, your lawn takes a nap during winter until the warmer temperatures arrive in spring. During winter, some challenges your yard encounters are harsh weather conditions, freezing temperatures, reduced moisture, and less sunlight. Our Kingsport landscaping pros explain that as the temperature drops, the soil temperature causes slow grass growth and dormancy.
When will my lawn go dormant?
Most dormant states begin when the temperature falls below 42.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Bristol landscape pros explain that the low temperature will slow grass growth and prepare it for dormancy during winter. Tri-City area homeowners may notice changes in the late fall or early winter, depending on the current weather conditions.
What are dormant lawn characteristics?
Homeowners across the country can get frustrated as their lawns begin to brown. It can be challenging to discern the color change and determine if the blades are dead or dormant. In most cases, static grass is often patchy, straw-like, and light brown with live grass crowns not in dead grass. Therefore, our Johnson City landscaping company explains that you can test the turf by grabbing a handful of grass and pulling. Grass that has resistance is still alive as dead grass pulls free from the ground. Warm-season turf turning brown for the winter is unpreventable. However, we assure homeowners that a healthy lawn can return to green with the arrival of warm spring temperatures.
What is unsynchronized dormancy?
In some lawn areas, you may notice odd green grass patterns. Even though the unevenness could be unnerving, there’s no reason to worry because it’s part of the lawn’s settling into the dormancy process. Kingsport landscaping experts explain that unsynchronized dormancy happens when temperatures fluctuate during the fall months from warm to cold. The changes cause your lawn confusion and create both dormant and dormant-resistant conditions simultaneously. Fortunately, unsynchronized dormancy is typical for warm-season turfs and a situation that should self-remedy.
What can I do to make it easier for my turf to enter dormancy?
Winter is a time for your lawn to rest, so you want to help prepare it for its best dormancy period. First, ensure you clear yard debris that could cause lawn stress. Then, eliminate leaves, branches, and twigs that could result in excess moisture or spread disease. Next, keep foot traffic off the lawn to reduce stress and redirect it to walkways and driveways. Finally, pull random weeds to prevent their spread. A good lawn care rule to follow from our professional Bristol landscapers is to water your lawn every two to three weeks for about 15 to 20 minutes when temperatures reach above freezing.
Landscaping in Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee
Your lawn can provide years of beauty and functionality when you properly care for it during critical seasons. Therefore, prepare your property for winter so that it can have an excellent dormant season and return lush and green in the spring. If you have lawn care questions or would like to speak with a professional lawn care company in the Tri-Cities area, feel free to call Promier Landscapes at (423) 872-2988 or contact us online.