Understanding your lawn can help you make the best choices for it. One question that you might be asking is, what happens to grass in the winter?
That answer is going to be different for people living in other parts of the country, but here in New England, we have dormant grass in winter. In this article, we’ll explain what that means and discuss some winter lawn care tips you should know. We’ll cover:
Does Grass Die in Winter?
Can Grass Grow in Cold Weather?
What Winter Lawn Care Tips Do I Need To Know?
What Should I Know About Winter Lawn Damage?
Reviving Your Lawn After The Winter
Does Grass Die in Winter?
Grass in New England does not die in the winter. Instead, it goes into a state of dormancy. Dormant grass in the winter is a mode of protection. Grass goes into this state to conserve energy, water, and nutrients.
Because dormant grass turns brown, people sometimes struggle to identify the difference between dead or dormant grass. The time of the year is the biggest factor. If it is wintertime, then your grass is most likely in a state of dormancy (and will come out of it in the spring).
However, if your lawn turns brown during the spring or summer, when it should be actively growing, there could be something else wrong.
One way to tell the difference between a dead or dormant lawn is with the “tug test.” This is simple to do. Find a section of brown grass and tug. If it comes out easily and there is no sense of resistance, it’s probably dead in that area. Even when your lawn is dormant, the roots will still be intact.
Can Grass Grow in Cold Weather?
Grass can grow in cold weather but slower than it will in warmer months.
Once grass goes into a state of dormancy, its growth will pause. This is typically around the time that soil temperatures dip below 50 degrees and remain there consistently. Remember, dormancy is a state of protection for your lawn in the winter so this helps it survive harsh winter conditions.
During this state of dormancy it is normal for your lawn to turn yellow or brown. But don’t worry, it will come out of this state as temperatures warm up in the spring.
What Winter Lawn Care Tips Do I Need To Know?
Even when your lawn is in a state of dormancy, it can still experience winter lawn damage. In order to mitigate this, it is important to properly prepare your lawn for the winter season.
This includes:
- Raking leaves: Raking leaves is obviously important for aesthetics but it also has an impact on your lawn’s health. Leaves that are left lying on the ground and not raked up can block your lawn’s access to sunlight, nutrients, and water.
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Aerating ahead of the winter: Lawn aeration is the process of pulling small cores of soil from the ground and depositing them back on the lawn where they will break down and recycle nutrients back into the soil. Put simply, this helps your lawn to breathe.
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Fertilizing your lawn before the winter: A late-season fertilizer application is another important part of preparing your lawn for winter in New England. This application will help set a good foundation for the coming winter season.
The better shape that your lawn is in ahead of the winter months, the better it will fare during the harsh months.
What Should I Know About Winter Lawn Damage?
The harsh winter weather here in New England is no joke. Frigid temperatures, intense winds, and heavy snowfall are often a lot for us to deal with—but we can get inside and warm up. Your lawn is subject to these conditions all season long.
Grass damage from winter conditions is a common problem.
Some of the potential problems include:
- Snow mold: Snow mold is a type of fungus that grows underneath the snow. It commonly goes unnoticed while there is snow on the ground. It’s often not identified until the early spring, as the snow clears. As snow melts, you might notice patches of pink, gray, or white growth on the lawn. Pink snow mold tends to be the most damaging type and can cause areas of the grass to die. But in the vast majority of cases, lawns bounce back just fine from snow mold.
- Crown hydration: Crown hydration occurs when temperatures warm up, stimulating grass to come out of dormancy and start taking in water again. But when freezing temperatures return, the water will freeze. This can kill the crown. This is a weather-dependent situation - however, the healthier that your lawn is, the better it will fare.
- Winter desiccation: This occurs when the lawn is subject to winter winds and freezing temperatures, sucking the moisture from the grass. This can lead to damage or even death.
Reviving Your Lawn After the Winter
As your lawn comes out of the winter, it’s not uncommon for it to be in rough shape. Early spring lawn care will help make a difference in a quick green-up and overall performance of your lawn.
If your lawn received a late fall fertilization service (sometimes called “winterizer”), this will help your lawn to recover as it comes out of winter dormancy.
But early spring fertilization treatments and proper watering will also make a big difference in those spring months. Lawns need one to two inches of consistent water per week. If Mother Nature is not providing enough, you can supplement with morning watering.
When it comes to ensuring that your lawn is in the best possible shape, partnering with a lawn care professional can make a huge difference.
Choosing Lawn Care in Southern NH, Northeastern Massachusetts, and Southern Maine
When you partner with a pro, your lawn will get everything it needs to thrive. There are many important lawn care services your lawn requires. Weed control, pest control, disease management, and lawn aeration are just some of the additional lawn care services that you may need.
At Seacoast Turf Care, we can help you with all of your lawn care needs. It’s our goal to not only help you get the best results but to help take away your worries in the process.
One of the best benefits is that you can stop having to worry about doing any of this yourself. We’ve got you covered!
Want to get a beautiful, green lawn? At Seacoast Turf Care, we service NH towns near Stratham, North Hampton, Exeter and many more. Get lawn care pricing for your Southern NH, Southern Maine, or Northeastern Massachusetts property.
Images Sources: dormant grass, grass frost, raking fall leaves
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