When Does Grass Come Out of Dormancy?

After a long winter—or a dry or cold season—many homeowners start wondering: When will my lawn start growing again?

Grass naturally enters a dormant state when growing conditions become unfavorable. During this time, your lawn may look brown or inactive, but the grass plants are still alive and conserving energy in their roots until conditions improve.

The exact timing for when grass comes out of dormancy depends on several factors, including grass type, soil temperature, and location. Understanding these factors can help you properly time your first lawn care applications and set your lawn up for a strong start to the growing season.

Dormancy is a natural survival mechanism that allows turfgrass to withstand periods of environmental stress, such as cold winter temperatures or extreme summer heat.

During dormancy:

• Grass growth slows dramatically or stops

• The lawn may turn brown or straw-colored

• Energy is stored in the root system until conditions improve

Once temperatures and moisture levels return to favorable ranges, grass begins growing again and your lawn gradually greens up.

Many homeowners look at air temperature to determine when their lawn should start growing, but grass actually responds to soil temperature. As soil warms in spring, the root systems begin to wake up and push new growth.

A general guideline:

• 45–50°F soil temperatures: Grass begins slowly transitioning out of dormancy

• 50–60°F soil temperatures: Active growth begins for many turfgrass types

• 60°F and above: Consistent lawn growth and green-up

Because soil warms more slowly than the air, a few warm days don’t necessarily mean your lawn has fully come out of dormancy yet.

Cool-season grasses are common in northern regions of the United States and include varieties like Kentucky bluegrass, Perennial ryegrass and Tall fescue. These grasses typically enter dormancy during the cold winter months and begin growing again in early to mid-spring.

As soil temperatures reach the 50–55°F range, cool-season lawns start to green up and resume active growth. This is usually when homeowners notice their lawn requiring the first mow of the season.

Warm-season grasses are commonly found in southern regions and include Bermuda grass, Zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass and Centipede grass. Unlike cool-season grasses, these lawns typically go dormant during the winter months when temperatures drop.

Warm-season grasses generally begin growing again once soil temperatures consistently reach 60–65°F. Because they prefer warmer conditions, green-up often occurs later in the spring compared to cool-season lawns. It’s also common for warm-season lawns to remain brown for several weeks even after air temperatures start warming.

Whether you have cool-season or warm-season grass, there are several signs that your lawn is coming out of dormancy.

Gradual Green-Up: Your lawn may begin greening in patches before becoming uniformly green across the entire yard.

New Blade Growth: You’ll start seeing fresh blades emerging from the crown of the plant.

Faster Growth Between Mows: Once grass begins actively growing again, mowing becomes necessary as the lawn thickens.

Knowing when your lawn exits dormancy helps you properly time your early-season lawn care applications.

One of the first steps in spring lawn care is applying a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weeds like crabgrass before they germinate. Pre-emergents, like Barricade, create a barrier in the soil that prevents many annual grassy and broadleaf weeds from sprouting. Pre-emergent applications are typically timed just before soil temperatures reach about 55°F, when many summer annual weeds begin germinating.

Once your lawn shows signs of active growth and consistent green-up, it can benefit from an early-season feeding.

Combination products such as Barricade Plus Lawn Food 18-0-4 deliver both fertilizer and pre-emergent weed control, helping your lawn thicken while preventing weeds at the same time. Waiting until your lawn is actively growing helps ensure the grass can effectively use the nutrients.

Your first mow should occur once grass reaches about 3–3.5 inches tall.

Maintaining a mowing height around 3 inches or higher helps protect the grass crown and encourages deeper root development.

It’s important to remember that lawns rarely wake up overnight. Dormancy break happens gradually as soil temperatures rise and daylight increases. Different areas of your lawn may green up at different times depending on sun exposure, soil conditions, and moisture.

By waiting for consistent soil temperatures and steady growth, you’ll know your lawn is truly out of dormancy—and ready for the growing season ahead.