If you’ve noticed that your lawn seems a little less vibrant this spring, you’re not alone. Our lawns here in West, GA, have been experiencing delayed green-up, and we wanted to help you understand why this has been happening.
For those unfamiliar with the term, “green-up” refers to the time in spring when our lawns show new, green growth. It’s a welcome sign of warmer weather and a hint that it’s time to start mowing and caring for our lawns again.
However, you may have noticed that your lawn isn’t looking as green and lush as you’d expect despite the calendar showing us well into spring. The reason for this lies in our recent weather patterns.
This year, our winter months were unusually warm, which may have led us to believe our lawns would green up early. But Mother Nature had different plans. When the cooler temperatures arrived in March, grass growth, which had begun with the warm winter, hit the brakes.
It’s important to note that the unusual “Christmas Freeze” we experienced at the end of last year doesn’t seem to have negatively impacted our warm-season grasses long-term. The primary influence on the current green-up delay is the more recent weather conditions we’ve experienced.
Here’s what’s happened:
- We only had one night in March and April when the temperature didn’t drop below 65°.
- There were three frost events in March, and for six consecutive nights at the end of April and the beginning of May, temperatures were in the chilly 40s.
- These conditions meant that soil temperatures struggled to reach the mid-60s, which is the point at which our warm-season grasses kick into gear and start to grow.
- This meant our grasses were stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for the right conditions to grow. They were green but needed to be actively growing or filling in thin areas.
You may have noticed that your grass didn’t respond to fertilizer applications, and this is because the grass needs certain air and soil temperatures to utilize these nutrients effectively. This can be frustrating, but the main thing we can do right now is be patient.
The good news is that the weather over the past week has been much more conducive to growth, and the forecast for the next 10 days is looking promising. We should start seeing our lawns spring back to life very soon.
In the meantime, it’s crucial to maintain good lawn care practices. This includes maintaining proper mowing heights, not over-irrigating, and applying the right amount of fertilizer. These practices will pay off as we move from spring to summer.
Remember, we’re here to help you navigate these challenging times. If you have questions or concerns about your lawn, don’t hesitate to contact us at Alternative Environments.
Thank you for trusting us with your lawn care needs. We look forward to seeing our communities in Villa Rica, Douglasville, Carrollton, Bremen, Dallas, Hiram, Power Springs, Winston, Acworth, and others thrive with beautiful, healthy lawns.
Keep an eye out for the green-up. It’s coming!
