Lawn injury concerns due to cold temperatures (1-19-10)

Extreme cold weather can cause severe injury to warm-season turf species lawns. However, the severity of injury is determined by several factors such as when the cold temperatures occurred, how long of duration, condition of the lawn prior to the low temperatures, soil moisture levels, etc.   

While most of us have experienced some rather severe cold days the past few weeks, I am optimistic that most lawns will suffer only minor damage since most were in dormancy and there was good soil moisture. Some above ground plant tissue will probably be lost, but roots and rhizomes or stolons will remain alive.  The danger of most winter kill is in early spring after we have a nice warming trend that breaks the turf’s winter dormancy. It begins to green-up, then a blast of cold weather arrives.  

For those of you who are most concerned and just have to know if your lawn is still alive, you can remove a small clump, pot it in a suitable container, place it inside a sunny window, water it, and then watch for a green-up.  I tend to think more about the benefits this cold may have brought us in regards to insect, disease and weed control. I will focus more on eliminating poor drainage areas, new landscaping, etc. and wait until spring to see how much, if any, cold injury my lawn received.

Published January 18, 2010

Dr. Wayne Wells is an Extension Professor and Turfgrass Specialist. His mailing address is Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mail Stop 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762. wwells@ext.msstate.edu