Here in Texas, lawns will likely face drought conditions throughout the year due to the high temperatures we experience combined with the lack of rain. Also, during the winter season, the colder temperatures can cause lawns to go dormant. It can be difficult to tell the difference between drought stress and normal lawn dormancy, but grass that is dealing with drought stress tends to look gray and flat while lawns that are going dormant look brown and splotchy. It's possible that your lawn could be dealing with both dormancy and drought stress at the same time, which could indicate that there's an irrigation coverage issue. If you suspect that's the case for you, you should call an irrigation company to check your system to ensure it's providing even coverage to every part of your lawn.

What's the difference between a lawn that's suffering from drought stress vs a lawn that's going through normal lawn dormancy?

Drought stress and lawn dormancy can look very similar, and many people won't be able to tell the difference between the two. Typically, a lawn that's suffering from drought stress will have a gray appearance and look a little flat. On the other hand, a lawn that is going through normal lawn dormancy will look brown and possibly even splotchy. Drought stress can be detrimental to the health of your grass because it can cause it to die, so it needs to be addressed promptly. Lawn dormancy is not a big deal because that's just what lawns in Texas do when the temperatures drop. While dormant lawns look brown and dead, the roots underneath are still alive and well, and once the temperatures warm back up, the grass will start growing again and return to its normal, green color.

Lawns suffering from drought stress should be mowed higher and less frequently than healthy lawns.

Some parts of your lawn could be going through dormancy and other parts could be suffering from drought stress at the same time!

Lawns are unique, and not every part of them is always dealing with the same issue at the same time. For instance, it's possible that some parts of your lawn could be going through normal lawn dormancy while other parts are dealing with drought stress. If you suspect that your lawn is dealing with both of these issues at the same time, it's likely due to an issue with your irrigation coverage. The parts of your lawn that are going dormant are likely receiving the water that they need, but the parts that are dealing with drought stress are not.

If parts of your lawn are dealing with drought stress, call an irrigation company to perform an audit of your irrigation system.

If only parts of your lawn are dealing with drought stress, that more than likely means that there is an issue with your irrigation coverage. Your best bet will be to call an irrigation company to come out to your property to perform an audit. During this audit, they will check the zones of your system to make sure they are providing water to every part of your lawn and will make any adjustments as needed. They will also check the timers to make sure your system is turning on and off at the appropriate times. This way, you can rest easy knowing that your grass will be receiving the water it needs to recover from drought stress and get back to full health.

Give us a call to enroll in our lawn care program and ensure your lawn emerges from winter dormancy in great shape!

Whether your lawn suffered from drought stress before going dormant, or just went through normal dormancy, it will need some help emerging in the spring in great shape. That's where we come in. At Weedex Lawn Care, we offer a lawn care program that includes fertilization and weed control treatments throughout the year. These treatments will help your lawn recover from drought stress or dormancy and get back to being beautiful and healthy. We offer this lawn care program to homeowners in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, TX, and nearby areas. Call us at (972) 727-9207 to schedule this program today!