Summer in Gresham, OR can have detrimental effects on a lawn that can last well into fall and winter, making homeowners wonder if their spring lawn is going to come back at all. Generally, when there is a lack of rain in the summertime it can lead to brown spots from the heat or drought stress on the grass. What does this mean for telling whether your lawn is dead or dormant?

Once your grass has had a chance to receive some rainfall or you have watered it, check your lawn down to the soil level.

Dormant lawns will be brown in the leaves, but the crowns and stalk will be green, and the roots will be a healthy off-white color. Dead lawns will be brown and brittle from the leaves to the roots. This distinct difference can help you determine the next course of action for your lawn. 

What to Do If Your Lawn Is Dead

Laying new grass seed or sod for your dead lawn is the only thing you can do to bring it back. A local landscaping company such as J&C Lawn Care can help you determine the best course of action, depending on your lawn size and amount of dead grass.

Generally, lawns that are more than 50% dead should have new sod laid and lawns with small bare patches can be overseeded in the fall. 

When to Do Aeration & Seeding, & Assessing Why Your Gresham, OR Lawn Turned Brown

Take time to schedule aeration and seeding services in the fall, when your lawn should be at its healthiest and is able to conserve water with the hot temperatures of summer gone. Also, make sure your brown lawn indicates dead or dormant grass. In Gresham, OR, lawns can go brown for other reasons such as a fungal disease or insects. Our professional lawn care company can help you assess the issues and put your lawn on a plan to rectify the problem. 

Reasons Grass Goes Dormant & Caring For Your Dormant Lawn

Grass in a Gresham property that has been overseeded and has recovered from dead patches.

Many grass types can withstand a period of drought and go dormant for a good 3-4 weeks before damage is irreversible. The dormancy state is a way of the lawn naturally protecting itself by redirecting its resources to the crowns and roots of the grass. This natural, dormant state is what causes the lawn to go brown. Your lawn is hibernating, just like other plants and animals do to conserve resources, and in the case of your lawn, to conserve water.

Dormancy happens during the winter months to your lawn due to cold temperatures, lack of the right fall fertilizer, and lack of moisture. Help prevent your lawn from going dead by caring for your dormant lawn and heeding these tips:

  • Remove weeds immediately from your lawn, by pulling or digging them out. Your lawn is more susceptible to weeds during its dormant period.
  • Avoid using fertilizer on your lawn while it is dormant.
  • Reduce foot traffic on your lawn.
  • Only mow your lawn when necessary and raise your mow height during stressful conditions. Mowing with a sharpened blade is important as well. Mow your lawn during early mornings.
  • When you can, mulch your clippings back into the lawn to help naturally fertilize your grass.
  • Water early in the mornings or early evening hours so your lawn can get as much hydration as possible. 

Contact us to assess, maintain, or reseed your lawn.

Expert landscapers, such as J&C Lawn Care, know what to look for when it comes to a dormant or dead lawn. If you are located in Gresham, OR and are not sure what condition your lawn is in, make sure to have the pros assess it before taking care of it yourself. You can contact us at (971) 284-2035, as we are a company that can form a plan to maintain or reseed your lawn as needed.