Why is my grass yellow? Basics of Lawn Dormancy

In the winter time when the months are colder and it rains less, you’ll often experience your lawn turning a yellow or brown shade. This can also sometimes happen if a summer is particularly hot or dry. When this happens, it can be very disappointing, and can lead many homeowners to believing their grass to be dead. While a beautiful green lawn is definitely what we’re aiming for, during the winter months most often the answer is dormancy., 

Lawn dormancy is when the grass is not receiving the nutrients it needs to thrive, so it basically hibernates for the winter, by shutting down and protecting itself from the season. This allows your grass to prevail through the colder months, by allowing it to conserve its energy and focus on only it’s most essential functions throughout the duration of the cold. 

This is completely normal, and with regular lawn care you can expect when spring rolls around your lawn will green up again. There are a few things you can do to take care of your grass in the winter to minimize any damage to the grass

1. Minimize foot traffic: when the grass goes dormant for the winter, your lawn care is still important. In fact, it may even be more so- the grass goes dormant to protect itself, so it’s important during this fragile state to minimize the amount of wear and tear on the grass itself. If lots of foot traffic goes through the lawn during the dormancy period, there’s a chance you’ll have some dead patches where the traffic was heaviest come spring. 
   
2. Water occasionally: it’s important not to forget about occasional watering, especially if it hasn’t rained regularly during the winter. You don’t want to water too much, which may encourage mold growth, but you do want to make sure your lawn has the hydration it needs to survive the winter. Your lawn care team should be able to provide a regular watering schedule for your lawn, to ensure it’s ready to come back healthy in the spring. 
   
3. Continue weed removal services: during the winter months it’s best to continue your weed removal services, to ensure that no weeds have taken hold of your lawn during the colder months. The last thing you want is for the warmer months to come around, and to see that your lawn has been fostering weeds for the last several months. Chances are, the new weed growth hasn’t gone dormant, even if your grass growth has!
   

Those are just a few ways to protect your grass during its hibernation. Follow these steps and you can expect to see your lawn come alive when the warmer months roll in. If you have any questions about grass dormancy, winter lawn care, or general lawn maintenance in Athens questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’re happy to talk all things landscaping, especially with our local Athens GA folks. Give us a call today or email us with any questions you have!

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