Dormant or Dead? Spring Grass Explained

It’s that time of the year again, when Michigan grass awakens from a long winter dormancy. At quick glance, brown grass can be incredibly confusing, since it can signify both dead and dormant grass.

Before you can address the brown grass, you’ll need to know whether it’s still alive and assess the cause. While dead grass will not return to life in the spring, dormant grass will turn lush and green in no time.

If you’re wondering how to tell the difference between the two, read on to learn more.

• The Tug Test: find a section of brown grass and pull on a small section with your hand. If the grass comes out of the ground easily, it’s dead. If there is some resistance, your grass is dormant. If dead, consider contacting a professional lawn company to reseed your grass and help with landscaping.
• Scan for Patterns: If your entire lawn is brown, it is more-than-likely dormant. If you spot small patches or areas of brown grass, it is probably dead. Before you start reseeding your lawn, contact a lawncare specialist who can test for pests and diseases that can cause similar issues.
• Varying Temperatures: weather conditions have a major impact on your lawn. Certain types of grasses will go dormant during seasonal periods, such as prolonged cold or heat. To ensure your grass stays luscious year-round, plant a mix of cool- and warm-season types.
• Water Regularly: Maintaining a consistent water schedule ensures your grass has the chance to grow green again if it can. If the grass is dead, it will maintain its brown appearance. 

Though dead and dormant grass have similar qualities, they don’t necessarily have the same outcome. The best way to determine the state of your grass is to hire a lawn care company to assist in figuring out the issue that plagues your lawn.

After your lawn has a proper diagnosis, the lawncare specialists can help suggest the best ways to treat your lawn, making it as luscious as ever.

Is your commercial lawn brown? Let the professionals at T&T Property Maintenance correctly assess the situation and bring your lawn back to vitality.

T&T Property Maintenance has been visualizing, creating, and maintaining commercial properties since 1997. We offer a vast number of services for our clients, including lawn and landscape maintenance, irrigation set up and repair, fertilization, weed and pest control, snow plowing and salting, and tree trimming and stump grinding. We are licensed with the Michigan Department of Agriculture, so you can rest assured we will do the job right – every time. We work with commercial businesses of any size and offer our services in seasonal or yearly packages, and a la carte. For over 20 years, we believe a satisfied customer is the only kind of customer. Check out our website, call, or e-mail us today to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.