How to spot the difference between damaged and dormant grass
As the seasons change, the effects will be prevalent in your lawn’s overall health and aesthetic. How can you be sure your lawn is just latent instead of lifeless? Take a closer look to spot the difference.
DAMAGED TRAITS:
- Pulling on damaged grass – comes out easily
- No change in color after watering
- Browning is patchy and likely due to something that has injured the grass
DORMANT TRAITS:
- Pulling on dormant grass – will have some resistance and feel more like pulling out healthy grass
- Will return to green again after receiving water or with Spring’s warmer temperatures
- The browning occurs in a uniform manner
Unfortunately, there is no way of preventing your grass from going dormant. Once your lawn has become dormant, it will remain as such until favorable weather conditions arrive. However, a damaged lawn is something that we can overhaul!
Overhauling Entails: core aeration, seeding, wetting agents, and biological soil enhancers.
Help your lawn cope with extreme heat
- All lawns can benefit from core aeration to decrease compaction which allows for better root growth and water penetration in the root zone.
- A little thatch can shade the soil, and too much thatch will hold water instead of letting it reach the soil and the roots. Regular core aeration will help manage thatch.
- One inch of water per month will generally keep the crowns hydrated. The grass will need sustained watering to turn green, but if the crown stays alive, the grass will come back.
- A wetting agent application will help to conserve water from evaporation and make it available to the plants.
- A biological soil enhancer after a drought can help recovery by stimulating the beneficial fungi and mycorrhizae in the soil.
- Additionally, all lawns should be mowed high when entering drought conditions. Taller grasses will shade the soil and crows of the plants, in turn slowing the drying out process.
- Don’t bag your clippings. There’s a great amount of water and nutrients in those grass blades that benefit your lawn if left to decompose.
Schedule a free consultation with a SavATree lawn care professional to evaluate the status of your lawn. They will come prepared with the tools to accurately assess your grass and soil conditions.
