{"id":94058,"date":"2023-06-19T13:48:57","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T16:48:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/?p=94058"},"modified":"2025-12-10T14:05:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T17:05:33","slug":"dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Lawn Color: When Brown is Healthy vs. When to Worry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One winter morning in North Texas, Bennet Barrier woke to a dull, straw-colored lawn. Disease? Insects? Turns out his grass was just taking its normal winter nap.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>The clues: Dormancy spreads evenly across the lawn, not in patches. And while stems and leaves turn brown, the crown and roots stay healthy underneath.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>We\u2019ll explain how to tell dormant grass from dead grass and decide if your lawn needs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/lawn-care\">professional lawn care help<\/a> or just time.<\/p>   <div class=\"wp-block-ub-table-of-contents-block ub_table-of-contents\" id=\"ub_table-of-contents-d04fefa9-47ce-4462-bfec-54ac868c90e9\" data-linktodivider=\"false\" data-showtext=\"show\" data-hidetext=\"hide\" data-scrolltype=\"auto\" data-enablesmoothscroll=\"false\" data-initiallyhideonmobile=\"false\" data-initiallyshow=\"true\"><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header-container\" style=\"\"> \t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header\" style=\"text-align: left; \"> \t\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-title\" style=\"\">In this article, we cover:<\/div> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-extra-container\" style=\"\"> \t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-container ub_table-of-contents-1-column\"> \t\t\t\t<ul style=\"\"><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass\/#0-why-healthy-lawns-turn-brown-in-winter\" style=\"\">Why Healthy Lawns Turn Brown in Winter<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass\/#1-what-healthy-brown-looks-like-\" style=\"\">What Healthy Brown Looks Like\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass\/#2-what-can-damage-your-lawn-and-turn-it-brown\" style=\"\">What Can Damage Your Lawn and Turn It Brown<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass\/#9-why-dark-brown-or-black-means-trouble\" style=\"\">Why Dark Brown or Black Means Trouble<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass\/#10-regional-color-variations-in-dormancy\" style=\"\">Regional Color Variations in Dormancy<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/dormant-grass-vs-dead-grass\/#14-faq\" style=\"\">FAQ<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>   <figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Brown Caused by Normal Dormancy<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brown Cause by Disease\/Pests\/Death<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&#8211; Most of the lawn is consistently brown<br>&#8211; Grass resists pulling (tug test)<br>&#8211; The crown is still light green or white<br>&#8211; Roots are white or cream colored<br>&#8211; Timing matches first frost\/cold spell<\/td><td>&#8211; Patchy, irregular brown spots<br>&#8211; Grass pulls out easily with no resistance<br>&#8211; Crown is brown and mushy or brittle&nbsp;<br>&#8211; Roots are gray, brown, brittle<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-why-healthy-lawns-turn-brown-in-winter\">Why Healthy Lawns Turn Brown in Winter<\/h2>    <p>As fall deepens, our lawns start to brown. Many times, that\u2019s just the grass entering winter dormancy.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Grass blades? Not so important anymore. \u201cIn the fall, plants begin moving carbohydrates and nutrients from their leaves down into their roots,\u201d says Susan Haddock, Extension educator with the University of Florida. \u201cThis shift is what causes leaves on trees and blades of grass to change color.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>This is how grass survives winters. Those stored nutrients keep it alive until spring, when warmth returns and growth resumes, Haddock explains.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-what-healthy-brown-looks-like-\">What Healthy Brown Looks Like&nbsp;<\/h2>    <p>The pattern of browning tells you a lot. \u201cWhen healthy grass changes to a yellowish or light-brown color in winter, the color shift should happen evenly across the lawn,\u201d says Haddock.<\/p>    <p>Don\u2019t expect perfect uniformity, though. Shaded areas may lose color first, with the entire lawn following shortly after.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Not sure if it\u2019s dormancy? Check the crown, says Barrier. As CEO of an artificial turf company in North Texas, Barrier has spent years studying the behavior of real grass, including his own lawn. He learned that the crown (the segment just above the soil where stems and roots meet) holds the answer. Dormant grass has firm, whitish crowns. Dead grass has brown, brittle, or mushy crowns.<\/p>    <p>Or, try the tug test: Grab a handful of grass and pull. Resistance means healthy roots. If it slides right out, the grass is dead.<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-what-can-damage-your-lawn-and-turn-it-brown\">What Can Damage Your Lawn and Turn It Brown<\/h2>    <p>Not all brown means dormant. When pests or diseases are the culprits, you\u2019ll see a telltale pattern: circular or irregular patches that grow and merge, explains Haddock. \u201cThese issues rarely affect the entire lawn unless they\u2019re not noticed or treated early,\u201d she adds.<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-voles-\">Voles&nbsp;<\/h3>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_patterns_of_vole_runs_-_geographorguk_-_1707918.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of brown, matted lawn grass crisscrossed by narrow vole runways, showing surface tunneling damage after winter snow melt.\" class=\"wp-image-52936\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_patterns_of_vole_runs_-_geographorguk_-_1707918.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_patterns_of_vole_runs_-_geographorguk_-_1707918-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_patterns_of_vole_runs_-_geographorguk_-_1707918-646x428.jpg 646w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_patterns_of_vole_runs_-_geographorguk_-_1707918-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/rsz_patterns_of_vole_runs_-_geographorguk_-_1707918-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vole damage. Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Patterns_of_vole_runs_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1707918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jim Barton<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>    <p>These little rodents scurry under the snow cover, creating winding brown trails that look like narrow ditches 1 \u00bd to 2 inches wide, a clear <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/pest-control\/signs-of-voles-in-yard\/\">sign of vole presence<\/a>. Around their runaways, grass is trampled and tan.<\/p>    <p>Late winter is a good time to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/pest-control\/how-to-get-rid-of-voles\/\">get rid of voles in your yard<\/a>. Use repellents or traps (if local rules allow trapping). Then repair the trails in the spring: rake them clean, add topdressing to level the ground, and overseed.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-moles-\">Moles&nbsp;<\/h3>    <p>Moles tunnel under Southern lawns through winter, until the soil freezes, damaging roots as they go. Above the ground, you\u2019ll see telltale <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/pest-control\/signs-of-moles-in-yard\/\">signs of moles<\/a>: 3-inch-wide trails of wilted, tan grass and dirt mounds marking their paths.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/pest-control\/how-to-get-rid-of-moles\/\">Get rid of moles<\/a> in the spring when they\u2019re most active; otherwise, they\u2019ll wreak havoc in your lawn. Try repellents or check with a local wildlife specialist about trapping options.<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-snow-mold\">Snow Mold<\/h3>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/snow-mold.jpg\" alt=\"Thin white fungal webbing spread across damp patchy grass creating a matted textured layer over mixed green and brown lawn areas.\" class=\"wp-image-143108\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/snow-mold.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/snow-mold-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/snow-mold-656x437.jpg 656w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/snow-mold-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/snow-mold-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Snow mold. Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/stock.adobe.com\/images\/gray-snow-mold-on-lawn-in-the-spring\/417428154\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ronstik<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>    <p>Snow mold fungi create matted, flat patches of straw-colored grass, with a pinkish or grayish-brown tint. The lawn looks bleached, sometimes on large areas. In damp spots, you\u2019ll also see white, cobweb-like fungal threads clinging to the blades.<\/p>    <p>Fungi die naturally when the weather warms up, but you can limit damage and speed up recovery. Check the lawn after snowmelt. Remove lingering snow mounds and rake the matted grass to allow the warm air in.<\/p>    <p><strong>See Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/how-to-get-rid-snow-mold\/\">How to Get Rid of Snow Mold<\/a><\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-cold-winds-and-winter-sun\">Cold Winds and Winter Sun<\/h3>    <p>Winter sun and dry winds pull moisture from grass faster than roots in frozen soil can replace it, causing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/what-is-winter-desiccation\/\">winter desiccation<\/a> (also known as winter drought). The result: tan, brittle turf that crumbles when touched.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>This damage strikes hardest during winters with little snow cover, especially on exposed, elevated areas. If grass loses over 50% of its moisture or the crown dries out completely, it won\u2019t recover.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>To prevent dessication, lightly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/how-to-water-lawn-fall-winter\/\">water the lawn in winter<\/a> (during warm spells), and install windbreaks, such as fences or hedges, on the exposed sides of the property.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-thaw-and-freeze\">Thaw and Freeze<\/h3>    <p>Late winter warmth can trick grass crowns into absorbing water \u2014 then a cold snap freezes them from the inside out. Look for it in low spots where water pools. The grass appears brown and water-soaked at first, then dries to a brittle tan.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/what-is-crown-hydration\/\">crown hydration<\/a> is fatal: Damaged cells won\u2019t recover, and the grass dies.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Prevent it by improving drainage: Aerate in the fall, fill low-lying areas, and avoid late-fall fertilizer that encourages tender new growth. If damage occurs, overseed bare patches in the spring.<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-de-icers\">De-Icers<\/h3>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/healthy-and-damaged-grass.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of lawn showing contrast between healthy green grass and straw colored dead patch from ice melt salt damage.\" class=\"wp-image-143502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/healthy-and-damaged-grass.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/healthy-and-damaged-grass-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/healthy-and-damaged-grass-656x436.jpg 656w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/healthy-and-damaged-grass-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/healthy-and-damaged-grass-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Grass showing salt damage. Photo Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/stock.adobe.com\/images\/visible-distinction-between-healthy-lawn-and-chemical-burned-grass\/554756578\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lost_in_the_Midwest<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>    <p>Salt damage appears along driveways and walkways where you\u2019ve been generous with the de-icer. Damaged grass is straw-colored, tan, or brown and appears thin, dry, and crisp. You may see a white residue on the blades and soil.<\/p>    <p>To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/how-to-repair-salt-damage-on-lawn\/\">repair salt damage<\/a>, drench the area with gypsum and plenty of water. To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/ways-to-protect-lawn-from-salt-damage\/\">prevent salt damage<\/a> next year, use safer de-icers, such as CMA (calcium magnesium acetate), near your lawn.<\/p>    <p><strong>See Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/signs-salt-damage-lawn\/\">Signs of Salt Damage on Your Lawn and Why They Happen<\/a><\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9-why-dark-brown-or-black-means-trouble\">Why Dark Brown or Black Means Trouble<\/h2>    <p>Healthy dormant grass turns tan or straw-colored, not dark brown or black. Those darker shades signal dead, decomposing tissue, often with pathogens involved. If the grass tissue is also slimy and wet, you\u2019re looking at winterkill, says Ed Nangle, turfgrass specialist and associate professor at The Ohio State University.<\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"10-regional-color-variations-in-dormancy\">Regional Color Variations in Dormancy<\/h2>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"505\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/rsz_lawnstarter-overseeding-map_1-1.jpg?wsr\" alt=\"United States map showing the cool season grass, warm season grass and the transition zones\" class=\"wp-image-111242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/rsz_lawnstarter-overseeding-map_1-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/rsz_lawnstarter-overseeding-map_1-1-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/rsz_lawnstarter-overseeding-map_1-1-646x408.jpg 646w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/rsz_lawnstarter-overseeding-map_1-1-150x95.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/rsz_lawnstarter-overseeding-map_1-1-768x485.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Infographic by Juan Rodriguez<\/figcaption><\/figure>    <p>Is brown grass a normal look for your winter lawn? It depends on the grass you grow and where you live.&nbsp;<\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"11-northern-states\">Northern States<\/h3>    <p>Up north, freezing winters push cool-season grasses into full dormancy by late November. They\u2019ll turn yellow or light brown when the soil freezes and stay that way until March.<\/p>    <p>After a brutal winter, though, don\u2019t expect a quick bounce back. Yellow dormant turf can remain stunted well into spring, Nangle says, especially perennial ryegrass, which struggles when temperatures drop below 0 F. Kentucky bluegrass handles the cold better.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p><strong>See Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/cool-season-grass-growing-guide\/\">Guide to Growing Cool-Season Grasses<\/a><\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"12-transition-zone\">Transition Zone<\/h3>    <p>The transition zone is complicated. Cool-season grasses typically go dormant in January and February, though milder coastal and southern areas may stay green. Warm-season grasses brown out by mid-fall everywhere and don\u2019t recover until late spring.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>Moving from Virginia to North Texas, Barrier has watched this play out across the region. \u201cIn Virginia, the cool-season grasses hardly change color in winter, with the occasional tinge of yellow,\u201d he says. \u201cDown here (North Texas), warm-season grasses turn completely brown almost overnight after a freeze.\u201d<\/p>    <p><strong>See Related:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/guide-to-growing-grass-in-the-transition-zone\/\">Guide to Growing Grass in the Transition Zone<\/a><\/p>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"13-southern-states\">Southern States<\/h3>    <p><strong>Further south, the rules change. <\/strong>Haddock uses Florida\u2019s warm-season lawns to show how dormancy changes with latitude.&nbsp;<\/p>    <p>\u201cIn North Florida, winter temperatures can get cold enough for turfgrass to go fully dormant and turn brown,\u201d she says. Central Florida grass slows down but doesn\u2019t completely shut off \u2014 it takes on a yellowish or light-brown tint instead. In South Florida, warmer temperatures and longer daylight keep lawns green most of the year, though growth still slows.<\/p>    <p><strong>See Related:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/warm-season-grass-growing-guide\/\">Guide to Growing Warm-Season Grasses<\/a><\/p>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"14-faq\">FAQ<\/h2>    <div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1765161780329\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">My Lawn Turned Purple in Late Fall \u2014 Is This a Disease?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Purple grass in the fall could signal a phosphorus deficiency, but Nangle says that\u2019s rare and only worth considering if a soil test confirms it.\u00a0<br\/><br\/>More likely, he says, your lawn is reacting to bright sun on cold days. When temperatures dip below 50 F, cool-season grasses can\u2019t use sunlight efficiently, so they produce anthocyanins \u2014 the same protective pigments that make berries red and purple. Drought and certain herbicides can trigger this response, too.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1765161789516\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I Prevent My Lawn From Browning in Winter?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">You could delay dormancy with fertilizers \u2014 but don\u2019t. \u201cTrying to keep grass deep green in cold weather can stress the lawn, weaken its growth, increase disease risk, and delay spring green-up,\u201d Haddock warns.\u00a0<br\/><br\/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/lawn-care-2\/what-is-grass-paint\/\">Grass paint<\/a> (a non-toxic pigment) offers a healthier alternative, providing green color for 2-3 months.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"15-when-to-call-the-pros\">When to Call the Pros<\/h2>    <p>Not sure if those brown patches are dormant grass or dead grass? A <a href=\"https:\/\/signup-web.lawnstarter.com\/cart\/contact-info?intent=fertilization\">lawn treatment pro<\/a> can diagnose the problem and treat it in time. Get a free quote from LawnStarter\u2019s local pros and set your lawn up for a strong spring green-up.<\/p>   <div class=\"wp-block-ub-content-toggle wp-block-ub-content-toggle-block\" id=\"ub-content-toggle-block-6321fbff-282e-4e20-bb25-9ba1f293d0d2\" data-mobilecollapse=\"false\" data-desktopcollapse=\"true\" data-preventcollapse=\"false\" data-showonlyone=\"true\"> <div class=\"wp-block-ub-content-toggle-accordion\" style=\"border-color: #f1f1f1; \" id=\"ub-content-toggle-panel-block-\"> \t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-ub-content-toggle-accordion-title-wrap\" style=\"background-color: #f1f1f1;\" aria-controls=\"ub-content-toggle-panel-0-6321fbff-282e-4e20-bb25-9ba1f293d0d2\" tabindex=\"0\"> \t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-ub-content-toggle-accordion-title ub-content-toggle-title-6321fbff-282e-4e20-bb25-9ba1f293d0d2\" style=\"color: #000000; \"><strong>Sources:<\/strong><\/p> \t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-ub-content-toggle-accordion-toggle-wrap right\" style=\"color: #000000;\"><span class=\"wp-block-ub-content-toggle-accordion-state-indicator wp-block-ub-chevron-down\"><\/span><\/div> \t\t<\/div> \t\t\t<div role=\"region\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"wp-block-ub-content-toggle-accordion-content-wrap ub-hide\" id=\"ub-content-toggle-panel-0-6321fbff-282e-4e20-bb25-9ba1f293d0d2\">  <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/dfwturf.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bennett Barrier<\/a>, a homeowner and the CEO of DFW Turf Solutions, Dallas, Texas. Personal interview.\u00a0<\/li>    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/ati.osu.edu\/people\/ed-nangle-phd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ed Nangle<\/a>, turfgrass specialist and associate professor at Ohio State University\/ATI, Wooster, Ohio. Personal interview.<\/li>    <li>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.extension.purdue.edu\/extmedia\/ay\/ay-334-w.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facts About Phosphorus on Lawns<\/a>.\u201d By turf science specialists Cale A. Bigelow, William T. Tudor, and Jared N. Nemitz. Purdue University.<\/li>    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ifas.ufl.edu\/hillsboroughco\/author\/szcrmchz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Susan Haddock<\/a>, Extension agent IV at the University of Florida Extension in Hillsborough County, Seffner, Florida. Personal interview.<\/li>    <li>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ifas.ufl.edu\/hillsboroughco\/2024\/02\/08\/prohort-why-does-my-turfgrass-turn-brown\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why Does My Turfgrass Turn Brown?<\/a>\u201d by Susan Haddock, Extension educator. University of Florida.<\/li>    <li>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/extension.msstate.edu\/newsletters\/turf-tips-newsletter\/2012\/what-causing-the-camouflage-patterned-spots-lawns-11-05-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What is Causing the Camouflage Patterned Spots on Lawns<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.msstate.edu\/newsletters\/turf-tips-newsletter\/2012\/what-causing-the-camouflage-patterned-spots-lawns-11-05-12\">?<\/a>\u201d By Wayne Wells, Extension professor and turfgrass specialist. Mississippi State University.<\/li> <\/ul>  <\/div> \t\t<\/div> <\/div>   <p>Main Image: Dormant brown grass during winter. Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/stock.adobe.com\/images\/dry-grass-on-lawn-in-winter-as-nature-background\/125914597\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nd700<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dormant grass turns tan evenly and bounces back; dead grass stays brown in patches and won\u2019t recover. 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