Why Is My Grass Still Brown?

The weather is getting cooler, rain was falling for the last few days, finally.

And Autumn is here. But notice the grass outside, while some grass lawns were green the whole summer, others are just changing color from brown to green. A lot of summers, grass turns brown. Why is that?

Well, for starters, let’s separate the green and the browns. Those always-green lawns are probably the result of a lot of watering from a sprinkler system or a garden hose. Chances are these properties look a little too wet, and they have the money and time to afford a green lawn all year round. That uses a lot of water that could be used to grow crops, take a shower, or fill a cup with some thirst-quenching, high quality H2O. Puddling from the constant watering also increases the risk of mosquitoes and the disease they bring. They pay more for more water, and pay more for dealing with the mosquitoes.

That guy with the orange hat in the background has been running laps for a while.

While we look the other way about all that water use, we understand that low-impact landscaping takes a different approach to watering ground cover or lawns. We use less water and more patience, for the benefit of our environment, and the water bill, too.

Whether it is simply something to look green, or a carefully curated species of grass that withstands drought, cold and hot weather alike, plants grow differently in varying weather conditions.Some plants withstand harsh long-term harsh weather conditions by going dormant. It is a time when the plants metabolism slows down to a crawl.

Grass species that turn brown during hot, cold, or drought-stricken weather are dormant. When the weather starts to change to more favorable conditions, such as temperate weather or a slow, nourishing rain, the grass tends to return to its vibrant green color. This dormancy allows the grass to survive longer, though if the conditions last too long, the grass has a higher risk of dying, or being permanently brown.

But, in the last week, we have gotten a nourishing supply of rain at a steady rate. After this, the grass is simply delighted to make themselves green again and start their growing. You’ll start to see that Fall burst of green before the leaves start turning.

Winter shall come, and so shall the brown grass. But we are seeing longer warm seasons, so plan ahead!

Where was this picture taken, and what time of year? See all that brown and green?

P.S. An interesting fact about dormancy is it’s link to other species’ behavior when weather gets bad. Dormancy is all about slowing down the chemical processes in the plant that cause it to change, or metabolism. Did you know that humans and bears also have biological functions which slow down our metabolism?

That’s right, a bear’s hibernation is for the purpose of living through the harsh cold winter. They spend the fall eating a lot more to store the fats and energies that they will use slowly over the winter when no food is available. In a similar trend, some evolutionary biologists theorize that human depression was actually an evolutionary response to winter!

Short-term depression, which is linked to lower metabolic function, was possibly a response to a cold season which required people to stay in a shelter more and conserve their energy! So our bodies share a behavioral link with other species, even plants, when responding to long periods of cold weather. Our metabolism slows down, and we move a little bit less, waiting for the spring to come, and for the sun to shine!

Others? They just like the snow and the cold. Snow removal season, right? And a chance to wear your favorite sweatshirt every day!