Why it’s OK to let grass turn brown in the summer

Lush, green lawns invite you to play and relax. Come outthey seem to say. Bring a cold drink and kick back in the hammock. But keeping the grass so lush and green often requires fertilizers, pesticides and water – lots of water. Ready for a shock? A 2005 study conducted by NASA found that in most areas of the United States, 50 to 75 percent of a household’s total water use is used for lawn irrigation. This may also surprise you: You probably don’t need to water your lawn much, and you definitely don’t need to triple the amount you water (or even more!) in the summer. Aside from saving water, avoiding unnecessary lawn watering can also save you a lot of money and time.

Of course, if you skip sprinklers or turn off your irrigation system during hot, dry summer weather, your lawn will usually turn brown and crispy, but that doesn’t mean your grass is dead or dying.

“Lawn grasses can tolerate a lot more drought than we might think,” says Bob Mann, senior director of technical and regulatory affairs at NALP (National Association of Landscape Professionals). “Most grasses are well adapted to drier conditions. That’s one of their evolutionary advantages,” he adds.

Temperatures also affect grass. Some species grow better in cool seasons and some in warm seasons. Fescue, for example, is a cool-season grass that grows best in the spring and fall when temperatures are lower. Grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia are warm-season grasses that tolerate more heat. According to Mann, in the northern U.S., cool-season grasses grow more slowly when temperatures rise. This is called heat stress. Warm-season grasses in the south do the opposite: their growth increases when temperatures rise.

Why your grass might turn brown in the summer

Grass can turn brown and go dormant when it is stressed by drought, heat or both. This way, your lawn will conserve energy and water, Mann explains. The grass will wake up from dormancy and begin to grow again when temperatures and/or rainfall levels are more suitable. Note that grass leaves that have turned brown will not revive once dormancy ends; instead, new leaves will appear.

What to do if your grass turns brown?

If your grass is turning brown—in other words, your lawn is dormant or going into dormancy—there is no need to worry.

“Try to let Mother Nature do her job,” says Mann. Rain often provides enough moisture to keep your lawn alive during the dormant period, but in a severe drought with no rainfall for more than four weeks, “a quick watering of about 1/4 inch should be sufficient,” he adds.

That little bit of water can prevent your grass from reaching a point where it can’t recover. If you’re concerned your grass is dead rather than dormant, Mann suggests pulling up a single grass plant and peeling off the individual leaves, just as you would peel an ear of corn. Green tissue in the middle means the grass is still alive. “If you’re not sure, ask a landscape or lawn professional for help,” he says.

What if your neighbors say your grass is turning brown?

If you belong to a homeowners association that requires a well-maintained lawn, talk to the other members.

“Education is key to getting HOA approval,” says Mann. “Everyone needs to understand that during droughts, it’s not a problem if the lawn turns brown, and that in most cases the grass will recover when it rains again.”

Other benefits of letting your lawn brown in summer

Besides saving water, money and time, there’s another benefit to letting your lawn rest in the summer, Mann points out: You can stop mowing. When you mow, you may leave noticeable tire tracks, but they’ll disappear eventually.

Brandy Hall, founder and CEO of Atlanta-based Shades of Green Permaculture, says that in addition to reducing your watering during dormant seasons, you can also water less at other times by creating a more resilient lawn. She recommends choosing the best type of grass for your area’s climate and growing “diverse, broadleaf species” like white clover along with the grasses. It can also help to increase the amount of organic matter in your soil to improve its ability to retain moisture.

“Beware of miracle cures,” adds Hall. “No plant is the perfect grass that never needs mowing, never needs water and all those things. Understand that living species have different growth habits and needs for sun and moisture. Learn to manage that, just like you would manage your hydrangeas. Research your soil and turf types and get advice from ecological design or permaculture companies.”

“You can have your garden and eat it too,” she says, laughing. “It’s absolutely possible to have a beautiful green lawn. You just have to loosen up your ideas about what a beautiful lawn is.”