Spring is here, and that means our southern lawns are just starting to recover from winter dormancy. After a relatively mild winter, some southern lawns are already looking pretty good. However, many lawns might need a little TLC to achieve their usual health and vibrancy. To kick start the lawn care season, here are some tips for caring for your southern grass lawn this spring.

Spring Weeds in Southern Lawns

Have you found yourself wondering why your neighbor's lawn appears to be greening up much faster than yours? This early in the season, any green you are seeing in your southern grass lawn is likely actually a weed or weedy grass, such as annual bluegrass (also called Poa Annua) or rescuegrass (also called Bromus Catharticus). These weedy grasses may appear in small clumps or may be more widespread throughout the lawn.

Rest assured that a weed-free lawn composed of southern grasses should (for now) appear uniformly brown. As temperatures rise, your lawn will slowly start to green up. This is not an overnight process, so have a little patience. Even if you’re experiencing 80-degree temperatures during the day, night temperatures below 40 degrees are still keeping the lawn dormant and asleep.

Weed Control During Winter Dormancy

Throughout months with cooler temperatures, you may notice that your lawn responds more slowly to weed control services. This is because cold temperatures slow down the plant’s metabolism, which in turn slows down the plant’s herbicide intake. When the target weed isn't metabolizing the herbicide, it will be much slower to respond. Under normal circumstances, a weed will start to curl up in about 2-3 weeks; in the winter months, it will take 3-4 weeks. Even though it takes a little longer, the weeds will curl up and disappear, when given enough time to metabolize the herbicide.

Mowing and Watering

While it’s still a little early to fully start your mowing and watering regimen, keep an eye on your lawn and monitor its needs. You may want to mow whenever you notice that the lawn (or weeds) need a trim. And you may want to water once a week if it is noticeably dry.

Do you have questions about your spring lawn care? Give us a call! Our trained and certified technicians can make expert recommendations to improve the health and appearance of your lawn.