Winter Kill on Warm Season Grass Lawns

Most people do not realize that their grass lawns have been significantly damaged during the winter until the spring growing season, when their lawns are not growing back as they had the year before. Luckily, there are plenty of precautions that you can take now to avoid significant damage to your lawn this winter. 

The most common types of winter kill damage on warm season grass lawns are caused by either over or underwatering your lawn throughout the fall and winter, or by applying a high in nitrogen fertilizer on your dormant lawn. 

It is important to prepare your lawn for winter temperatures by ensuring efficient drainage in every area of your lawn to avoid the possibility of water build up that will freeze in the winter and cause winter damage to your lawn. During the winter season, it is still important to water your lawn to protect against the lack of moisture in the harsh winds and low temperatures that come with the winter season. Reduce your irrigation schedule significantly to avoid over-watering during dormancy. 

Applying nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn too late in the fall/early winter will cause winter kill symptoms in your lawn every time, without fail. This type of nitrogen application causes tender new growth in some areas of your lawn, while the rest of your lawn is preparing to enter dormancy. This tender new growth cannot receive the amount of nutrients necessary to stay alive while your lawn is in dormancy. This new growth is also highly susceptible to damage from winter frost, causing the turf in the surrounding areas to become vulnerable to winter frost damage as well. 

For more information on proper warm-season lawn fertilization and how to care for your dormant lawn during the winter months, visit our facebook page, where we are answering all of your questions and providing all the tips that you need to know for a patch-free, green lawn this Spring!