Let Sleeping Lawns (and Dogs) Lie – Winter Dormancy for Grass
What is happening with your lawn during the winter? Why is it brown and brittle looking? In the Northeastern part of the country, your lawn goes into a sleeping or dormant stage as the cooler temperatures arrive. Just like the idiom which encourages us to “let sleeping dogs lie,” so it goes with your dormant (sleeping) lawn in the winter. Interrupting the down time of a lawn can cause stress and conflict for it. Letting your lawn slow down and rest during the winter is helpful for the grass. Grass goes dormant in the cold weather because it doesn’t receive water, nutrients, and sunlight which it needs when it is warm outside. Dormancy occurs when the average outdoor temperature goes lower than 45 to 55°F. This is a necessary state for your grass to endure the harsh elements of winter’s snow and cold.
When your lawn turns brown in the winter and its texture becomes coarse, thin and has a noticeable dry look, it means it is dormant. This dormant stage is the natural process grass uses as a survival mechanism to stay alive as the growing season diminishes. As long as your grass goes through this sleeping stage successfully, it will come back in the spring (with proper lawn care) to its original, green appearance.
An important step to remember to take before winter arrives is to pick up the fallen leaves. Doing this will help your lawn during this time of winter dormancy and make a big difference. By removing leaves, you can ensure there isn’t a layer of matted debris covering the grass which could rob it of proper air circulation. If the grass is smothered with leaves, it will invite damaging mold and fungal diseases to grow.
Likewise, remove large objects which are sitting on the lawn, so they don’t damage grass during the long winter months. Boxes, tarps, bags, etc. (anything sitting stationary on grass) could stunt, damage, or allow fungi to grow under it.
Allowing your lawn to have a proper rest during this dormant season will allow it to not only survive but be rejuvenated for the upcoming growing season.
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