Your grass should be green, so brown patches can be confusing. You need to find out what’s causing the issue, whether your grass is still alive, and get that vibrant green back.
Identifying whether your grass is dead or suffering from a problem can be difficult, as grass often enters dormancy, a natural survival response to weather changes.
There's a lot to keep in mind. Let’s talk about signs of dead grass and how to compare dead vs. dormant grass in Tupelo, MS.
If you see grass that looks concerning to you and doesn’t have its standard color or vigor, it may be time to check for signs of dead grass in North Mississippi.
Here are a few ways to determine the condition of your lawn.
Since telling dead from dormant grass can be tricky, try the tug test to determine if your grass is dead.
Locate a patch of brown grass, grasp it, and pull gently. If it comes out easily without resistance, it’s probably dead. Dead grass won't recover, so you should remove it and replant your lawn, either by seeding or sodding.
Alternatively, you could transform this area by adding a groundcover or creating a landscape bed.
Either way, you’ll need to properly prepare the area and care for it afterward with adequate water and nutrients to ensure good germination.
Another thing you can look for when determining signs of dead grass is looking for patterns. Is the whole lawn brown or do you see patterns of brown grass?
When your whole lawn is the same brown color, it might be dormant. But if you have circles of brown grass, those spots may be diseased or even dead. This is a good time to call in a lawn care professional to rule out possible pests or diseases.
Temperature and weather fluctuations can alter your lawn’s appearance, leading you to wonder whether your grass is dead or just dormant.
In Mississippi, we mainly grow warm-season grass varieties such as Bermuda Grass, Zoysia, Centipede Grass, St. Augustine and certain types of Fescue.
Warm-season grasses match the climate of southern states, thriving in salty air and sandy soil. They do best when temperatures are between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Warm-season grasses perform better in sandier soils and have much greater drought tolerance so that they can withstand the extra heat. More challenging turf varieties can also handle traffic pretty well.
But these grasses do not like the cold. This means if temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, these types of lawns turn brown. In this case, your grass would be dormant and not dead.
On the other hand, cool-season grasses, which are grown primarily on the northern states or the upper two-thirds of the U.S., can go dormant during prolonged periods of high heat. This means the grass is still alive and will become green again when the temperature cools.
Some people who live in the southern U.S. will overseed with cool-season grass in the winter after their warm-season grass turns brown to maintain a green lawn year-round.
Excessive heat and dry conditions can happen in the summer months in North Mississippi, and this can cause your grass to panic. This can lead to dead grass and weeds if proper steps aren’t taken to ensure your lawn gets the water it needs.
You’ll see your grass return to its proper color and vigor by watering properly. If your grass is dead, watering won’t bring it back.
To keep your grass receiving the water it needs, irrigate once or twice weekly for 45 to 60 minutes. You want to provide your grass with a good soak; you don’t want to water for a couple of minutes, or that water won’t reach your lawn’s roots.
Your goal should be to provide your lawn with 1 inch of water each week.
If you’ve performed the dead vs. dormant grass tests and your lawn shows no sign of life, it may be time to reseed, repair, or replace your lawn.
A great way to do that is with sod. When new sod is installed, there are some essential care tips you must follow.
It starts with watering properly to ensure strong roots. You want to water the sod throughout the day to prevent any drying or shrinking. Consistent moisture is essential for those first two weeks after installation to ensure the sod takes root. Then, watering for another two weeks can prevent further drying.
Once you do that, follow the watering schedule outlined above. Remember to water your sod in the early morning. Watering during the warmest part of the day, such as midday or the afternoon, can lead to evaporation rather than absorption, which you don’t want.
After 10 to 14 days, your new sod will root, and then it's time to mow. Never remove more than one-third of the grass at any one time. You want to limit stress and encourage full, thick grass. This kind of strong grass will help prevent drought, weeds, disease, and pests.
Then, a lawn care professional in North Mississippi can deliver a quality fertilizer schedule to ensure your new grass gets the nutrients it needs to thrive.
Finally, as you use sod to replace dead or dormant grass, aerating that new lawn within six months to one year of installation, and then annually after that, can reduce compaction and enhance nutrient, water, and oxygen uptake.
Aeration is the use of an aerator to create small holes in the soil, making space for air, water and nutrients to reach your grass' roots.
Determining whether you have dead or dormant grass may take some trial and error. We hope these tips help you assess your lawn and identify dormant grass more effectively.
We know this can be confusing. As you determine the state of your lawn, you might need some help figuring this out and doing everything from identifying your current grass state, reviving your lawn, or caring for the new lawn you must replace.
As you address your lawn issues, let Lawn & Pest Solutions help. We are experts in caring for lawns in North Mississippi. And we can ensure your lawn survives anything Mother Nature throws at it so that you can get that green lawn you love again.
Ready to learn why Lawn & Pest Solutions could be your choice for lawn care services in North Mississippi? We’re excited to learn more about you and help you have the best lawn on the block. Get started today with a free quote. We can prepare a customized plan perfect for you and your lawn.