As spring hits its stride, the air around your lawn as well as your lawn’s topsoil both become warmer. This double warming effect prompts germination, especially for grass seed.
The grass in your yard is one of two types: warm season or cool season. Depending on the climate your grass prefers, the ground temperature will have a significant impact on both seeds and established grass. Cool season grasses won’t grow if the soil temperature rises to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, while warm season grasses won’t grow until the soil temperature reaches at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
For a lawn that stays healthy and growing, you need to pay attention to your ground temperature. For example, if you live here in Alabama, you probably don’t want to put down cool season grass in your yard because the minute the weather gets hot (and you know it will), your grass will go dormant. That means your yard will be brown while your neighbors’ are green and lush.
Dormancy
When grasses go into a state of dormancy, it’s kind of like a bear hibernating for the winter. There’s not enough moisture for the grass, so it copes by going dormant until things start to warm up again. Here in the South, this usually starts around mid-October and ends sometime in March.
For your grass to start growing again, the soil temperature needs to reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit and stay between about 60 degrees and 85 degrees from night to day. Once temperatures soar beyond 85 degrees and stay there consistently, your grass may go dormant again — especially if it’s not raining enough. If this happens, you need to water your grass regularly to make sure it doesn’t die from the heat.
Lawn Care During Dormant Months
You may wonder if you really need lawn care during dormant months. The answer is yes! This is a great time to fertilize your lawn and strengthen your yard’s root system, which will result in a better looking lawn come spring. You can also get regular weed control, which kills winter weeds and sets you up for success in the warmer months when your lawn comes out of dormancy.
Running Roots can handle your weed control while your grass is dormant, and we can also take care of your weed control needs during the warmer months when everything is growing again. As an added bonus, we’re also available for mosquito control applications, too!
Ready to hear more? Get a free quote today and turn your lawn into the beautiful, comfortable space you’ve always wanted it to be.
