Dormant Sod Care: Your New Lawn's First Winter in DFW

Is tan sod dead or dormant?

Almost certainly dormant. Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia are warm-season grasses, and brown or tan grass in winter is normal for all three. Dormancy is how they ride out the cold: top growth slows below about 70 °F, stops around 60 °F, and after the first freeze the blades go tan. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth (opens in a new tab) puts the average first freeze at DFW on November 22.

Dormant sod looks the same as dead sod from the sidewalk, and the difference only shows in spring. The LSU AgCenter reminds us that dead sod will still be dead in spring, which is why a new lawn deserves a little attention instead of a shrug. If you are worried about a spot, call or text us a photo at (214) 702-0622.

How should you water new sod in winter?

This is where new sod and an established lawn part ways. Texas A&M recommends that established lawns stop automatic irrigation when temperatures drop below 70 °F and get water only as needed in dry weather, because overwatering in cool, damp conditions invites diseases such as large patch and take-all root rot. That rule is for lawns with deep roots.

New sod has no deep roots yet. Its main risk in winter is drying out, so do not just switch it off for the season. The LSU AgCenter advises watering whenever about a week passes without rain, and not to keep it soggy. Texas A&M also warns that cold winter rains can oversaturate sod that has no roots. In practice:

• Look first. Lift a corner of a piece. If the soil under it is dry, water. If it is wet, wait.
• Water by hand during dry weeks. Briefly, not deeply, and aim to keep the top inch or two of soil moist.
• Do it on a day above freezing, and early enough that the water soaks in before nightfall. Do not leave a skin of ice on the grass.
• Skip the timer. A sprinkler on a schedule over-waters in rainy weeks and under-waters in dry, windy ones.

What should you do before and after a hard freeze?

Not much, and that is the point. Dormant grass is built to handle a freeze. Before a hard freeze, make sure the soil is not bone-dry (water a day earlier on a warm afternoon if it is) and bring in hoses that could crack. Avoid watering when the temperature will drop below freezing that night.

After a freeze, leave it alone. Keep people and pets off frosty grass until it thaws, and do not rake or drag anything across it while it is frozen. If a freeze or a wet spell leaves a spot sunken or mushy, call or text us before you do anything.

Should you mow, fertilize or walk on dormant sod?

• Mowing: little or none. A lawn that is not growing does not need it, and a new, unrooted lawn should not be mowed. If you do mow an established lawn, Texas A&M suggests raising the height a bit and never going above the recommended height for your grass.
• Fertilizer: none until spring. Texas A&M puts the last nitrogen at about six weeks before the first frost. The LSU AgCenter adds that dormant sod is not growing and is poorly rooted, and most fertilizer applied in winter would be lost to leaching.
• Foot traffic: keep it off. The LSU AgCenter says to keep children and heavy traffic away until the lawn has greened up, ideally into May in Louisiana. Dogs that run the same route can wear a path in dormant grass.
• Leaves: rake them off gently, because a thick wet mat is not good for grass that cannot grow its way out.
• Overseeding: do not overseed new sod with ryegrass. LSU warns that it competes with the sod.

When does new sod green up in spring?

The average last freeze at DFW is March 12, but the date on the calendar is not what turns a lawn green. The grass wakes up as the soil warms and keeps warming. In a mild spring that comes earlier; in a cold one, later. Expect it to be spring, and give the lawn time: a lawn that spent the winter dormant can green up slowly.

Once the grass is actively growing, you can mow and start a normal fertilizing schedule. If you want a starter fertilizer, test your soil first; LSU suggests phosphorus-rich starter only when a soil test shows it is low. Avoid weed-and-feed products on new sod, and be careful with herbicides, because they can interfere with rooting.

What should you watch for through the winter?

• Dry, curling edges or gaps at the seams after a windy, dry week. Water those spots.
• Soggy or sunken spots after cold rain. Back off the water and check the drainage.
• Worn paths where people or pets walk. Redirect them.
• Winter weeds. Taller grass shades the soil and helps keep weed seeds from sprouting; pull what you can by hand.
• Fungus in cool, damp weather, which can be a sign of overwatering. Water less.

Where does GrassDFW fit in?

We are a sod supplier and installer in Dallas–Fort Worth: we deliver across DFW, you can pick up at our yard in Pilot Point, and our own crew installs. If your lawn came from us, or from anyone, and a spot worries you, call or text (214) 702-0622 with a photo. If it is spring and you need to patch an area, the sod page lists varieties and live prices.