Have you ever had a moment when you looked at your yard in the winter and wondered what is keeping it alive until the spring? Does it hibernate like some animals? What makes winter grass different from summer grass? It doesn’t grow in the winter and turns a brownish color, while in the spring and summer it’s green and growing. But, how?

What does grass need to grow?
Okay, we know it sounds like a simple question. But, you need to know what makes it grow to understand what makes it stop growing, right? It’s a combination of four things. Without these key elements, grass can’t grow.

• Sunlight: Even in the summer, grass that is in the shade will grow slower than if it’s in full sunlight.
• Carbon dioxide: Yep, the air that we exhale helps grass live.
• Moisture: Without water, any plant, or living creature, for that matter, will perish.
• Temperature: Once the air temperature warms the ground, grass will begin to grow.

Remember photosynthesis from when you were in grade school. Well, that’s exactly what’s happening to make your grass grow. All four conditions must be met for the grass to feed itself and grow. The sunlight, along with moisture and carbon dioxide, enables the plant to make chlorophyll, which feeds the blades if the ground temperature is warm enough. And, in return for us giving the grass our carbon dioxide, it gives us oxygen to breath. Not a bad deal at all.

So, it’s the temperature then?
Exactly. Your winter grass still gets plenty of sunlight, moisture, and carbon dioxide when it’s cold outside. The temperature of the ground is just too cold for it to grow.

Is it hibernating?
It actually is. Just like a bear, grass is able to put itself into a state of dormancy where it needs very little, if anything, to survive. It will take advantage of any warmer, sunny days to get nutrients from the sun.

Will my grass die if the winter is too long?
Probably not. Depending on exactly how the weather changes, your lawn will almost always survive. Sometimes, the weather may shift back and forth until it finally gets warm. Too much of a variation of temperatures can slow down its ability to bounce back. But, once it starts to get warm and sunny, your grass will be sprouting and healthy again.

Now that you know a little more about what makes grass grow, you won’t have to worry about your lawn turning brown in the winter. Your grass is just fine. It’s just taking a breather and waiting for the right time to bounce back to its former glory.