Are you worried that the brown color in your lawn means you killed the grass? Not sure how to prep Bermudagrass for the winter months? Learn more here:
Found in transitional and southern zones, Bermudagrass has many quality features including a dense, medium-fine texture; rapid establishment and growth rate; and excellent heat and drought tolerance. And while the tolerance to heat and drought is great for the more southerly states, Bermudagrass has a low tolerance for cold temperatures and shade.
Because of its low tolerance, Bermudagrass becomes dormant in the winter months, resulting in a brown lawn. Some lawn owners may worry they’ve killed their grass once it turns brown, but with Bermudagrass, if you’ve done everything right, it’s likely just dormant.
How to Winterize Bermudagrass
Winter lawn care for Bermudagrass can be a lot less demanding compared to the spring and summer months. Winterizing your lawn will only require a few steps.
Should I overseed Bermudagrass in the winter?
There are pros and cons to overseeding your Bermudagrass lawn vs. letting it enter a dormancy period. Allowing your lawn to go dormant will mean minimal water and maintenance, while overseeding will require continued work throughout the season. If you choose to allow the dormancy period, expect your Bermudagrass to brown from about November to February, though those dates can change based on weather, region, and overall health of the grass.
Fertilize
Before Bermudagrass goes dormant, you’ll want to schedule to have your lawn fertilized in the early fall. After that, you won’t need to have it fertilized again until late spring.
Mow
For dormant Bermudagrass lawns, you shouldn’t really have to mow through winter, though you may want to trim edges or uneven spots occasionally. The Clemson Cooperative Extension advises that lawns that have been overseeded with ryegrass should be mowed at 1 inch, before the grass reaches 1½ inches. After mowing overseeded Bermudagrass, leave the clippings on the surface to help recycle nutrients.
Water
Should you water Bermudagrass in the winter? As fall transitions to winter, start to cut back. Because Bermudagrass is no longer growing when dormant, regular irrigation won’t be necessary.
How TruGreen can help: Professional Bermudagrass Care Treatment Services
If you’re just not sure what to do with your lawn season by season, or you don’t even know what kind of grass you have, we can help. A local TruGreen-certified lawn care specialist will create a tailored plan based on location and climate conditions to give your lawn exactly what it needs to reach its full potential. To learn more about how we can help prepare your lawn for the upcoming season, give us a call at 866.688.6722 or visit our lawn care services page.
