Brown grass can be a confusing sight to see on your property. But before you can address this problem, you need to know what’s causing it — and if the grass is still alive. It’s difficult to tell if your grass is dead or just dormant. Grass that is dead will not come back, but there are steps you can take to have a lush, green lawn again. On the other hand, dormancy is a natural protection mechanism for grass to withstand weather changes. So you're wondering how to tell the difference between dead and dormant grass? Here are five ways you can tell — and improve your lawn in the process. You may not be able to see a real difference between dead and dormant grass, but there is a test you can perform to get an answer. Find a section of brown grass, grab some in your hand and pull. If the grass comes out easily with no resistance, it is dead. Dead grass isn’t coming back, so you’ll need to take steps to regrow your lawn. You can replace the grass by seeding or sodding — or installing a new type of landscaping material such as mulch, rocks or groundcover. To seed your lawn, first mow the grass (collecting the clippings) shorter than normal so the seeds can better reach the ground. You should also add soil amendments to give the seeds a healthy environment to grow before spreading the seeds. Laying sod can be a strenuous task. You’ll need to first remove the dead grass and prep the soil before laying the new sod. Whether you seed or sod, you’ll need to continue to water and feed the lawn after installation to ensure healthy growth. Is your entire lawn brown, or are there distinct patches of brown grass? When your whole lawn is the same brown color, the grass may be dormant. However, if there are areas or circles of brown grass, that can point to these spots being dead. Before you count this grass out, you’ll need to rule out possible pests and disease that can cause similar symptoms. Work with a professional to have the area and soil tested to find the cause of the brown turf. The temperature and weather conditions will greatly affect your lawn’s appearance. Cool-season grasses will go dormant during prolonged heat periods, while warm-season grasses will go dormant during the winter. The grass is still alive and will become green again when the correct temperature returns. If you want your grass to remain green year round regardless of the temperature, you can plant a mixture of cool- and warm-season grasses. Excessive heat and dry conditions can also cause the grass to become dormant, but that can lead to the grass dying if the proper steps aren’t taken. That can make it difficult to know if the grass is still alive. You can get a better idea of what’s causing the brown color by following a consistent watering schedule. Watering will help dormant grass become green again, while dead grass will remain brown. It can be hard to decipher between dead and dormant grass — and even more difficult to know what you should do to treat the problem. Hiring a lawn care company can help you figure out what’s going on with your lawn and how to best treat it.Try the Tug Test
Look for Patterns
Consider Temperature Changes
Follow Watering Schedule
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Turn to a Professional for Help with Your Lawn
FAQs
How to Tell The Difference Between Dead and Dormant Grass? ›
A simple method you can use to determine if your grass is dormant or dead is to simply tug on the brown foliage. You will want to take a small handful of brown turf and tug. If the brown foliage pulls easily from the soil then it is dead, but if the turf has some difficulty when pulled then it is dormant.
How do I know if my grass is dormant or dead? ›Find a section of brown grass. Grab a handful of the grass and give it a quick tug. If it pulls out easily with no resistance, the grass is dead. The grass is just dormant if it resists or you have to work hard to pull the blades out of the ground.
Can dormant grass turn green again? ›If your turf is dormant, watering the grass can bring it back if it is responding to drought, but it could also require nutrients or is simply responding to excessive heat.
What does grass going dormant look like? ›Usually when the grass appears to be dead at this time of year, it is only dormant. Dormancy is the physiological process that grasses use to protect themselves from heat and drought, Kopp says. This state is characterized by a complete cessation of growth along with brown or dead grass blades.
Will dead grass come back? ›There is no way to revive dead grass, but you can lay new sod to grow your landscape again from scratch. If you notice brown, bare, or thinning areas in your lawn, these are clear signs that you need to sow new seed or replace the sod.
How do I bring my dormant grass back to life? ›The first step in waking up a dormant lawn is water! Just like the water test checks for new life, starting your lawn care routine with water will help your lawn begin to show signs of life so you can move on to your other steps. As we mentioned, you should never fertilize, aerate, or seed a dormant lawn.
Will dormant grass come back with water? ›If your whole lawn is brown it might all be dormant. If it's brown in patches it might be something else such as disease, pests, drought damage or inconsistency with your irrigation system. Watering: Dormant grass will revive with regular watering.
What months is grass dormant? ›When Does Grass Stop Growing. You will be able to enjoy your warm-season grass from spring into late fall. Again, it can vary depending on soil and air temperatures, but warm-season grasses usually do not enter dormancy until around mid-November. Grass will stay dormant throughoutthe winter months.
Is it OK to cut dormant grass? ›Dormant lawns (those that have turned brown) should not be mowed. Pedestrian and mower traffic could damage the turf. Gardeners have two basic options on lawn care when confronted with hot, dry weather. One option is to simply allow the turf to turn brown and go dormant.
How do you get rid of dormant grass? ›Shorten the lawn – stat!
This removes dormant grass and promotes growth. After you cut or scalp the lawn, bag or rake up the thatch. (Remember – thatch is comprised of partially decayed grass roots and stems. It keeps the actively growing grass from the lawn's surface.)
Will grass seed grow after being dormant? ›
Seed will remain dormant if soil conditions are cold enough, but begin to germinate as soon as the soil starts to warm in the spring. So you don't have to prepare the soil when it is still wet and cold in the spring, which can result in a head start of several weeks getting the lawn established.
Can you prevent grass from going dormant? ›Watering is an important step to managing summer dormancy before it even sets in. Lemcke says early morning watering is the best approach. “This helps avoid disease,” he explains.
Does leaving grass clippings help grass grow? ›The most important thing you can do for your lawn is to feed it regularly, and grass clippings contain the same beneficial nutrients (like nitrogen and potassium) as lawn food, though in smaller amounts. Overall, grass clippings can provide a portion of the annual nutrient requirement for your lawn.
Should you rake out dead grass? ›Will Raking Dead Grass Help It Grow? No, raking dead grass will not help it grow. However, raking can help remove thatch — which, as we explained above, may enable grass that is living to grow stronger and healthier.
Should I rototill my dead lawn? ›The best way to remove the old lawn is a rear-tine rototiller. They are easier to use and till deeper. I know this is a big job, but rototilling is easier than digging it up by hand. The next step is raking out the clumps of dead grass.
Is it better to water grass or let it go dormant? ›"Once the lawn turns brown and goes dormant, we can't tell if a lawn is dying unless we water and wait to see the response," Patton said. "That is why we advise to water once every two weeks with one-half inch of water once the turf goes dormant to keep plant crowns hydrated during drought.
Will fertilizer help dead grass? ›If you have dead grass, fertilizer will do nothing to bring it back; you are essentially pouring high-quality fertilizer down the drain! But we understand that some homeowners aren't sure if their lawn is dead or just dormant, so they fertilize to test.