Annual Grasses vs. Perennial Grasses: What to Know for Winter Lawn Care
The new year is here, and with the cold settling in, it's important to consider what that means for your lawn in 2025.
Understanding the differences between annual and perennial grasses is key to maintaining a healthy lawn, particularly during the winter months. Each type of grass reacts differently to the cold, affecting how your lawn will look and grow. Whether you're aiming to improve your lawn's health or planning for the upcoming season, knowing how these grasses handle winter will help you make informed decisions about your lawn care.
Annual Grasses
In cooler climates, annual grasses typically sprout and grow rapidly in the spring and summer. However, as winter sets in and temperatures drop, they die off. Since they don't survive the cold weather, annual grasses require reseeding every year. If your lawn has a significant amount of annual grasses, you'll need to plan for reseeding come spring to ensure your lawn remains lush and healthy.
Perennial Grasses
Perennial grasses, on the other hand, live for multiple seasons. These grasses grow back year after year without needing to be reseeded. Popular examples of perennial grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, Bermuda grass and zoysia grass.
During the winter, most perennial grasses go dormant, meaning they temporarily stop growing. Dormancy is a natural survival mechanism that helps grasses withstand freezing temperatures. While dormant, the grass may appear brown or lifeless, but come spring, it will begin to grow again. Perennial grasses typically need less maintenance than annual grasses because they continue to come back season after season.
Grass Type and Winter Lawn Care
Understanding whether your lawn is made up of annual or perennial grasses is essential for proper winter care. Once you identify the grass species in your yard, you'll know how to best care for and maintain it. Below we breakdown how each type of grass behaves during the colder months, along with the best practices for keeping your lawn healthy:
Annual Grasses in Winter
Die off in winter: Annual grasses won't survive the cold and will need reseeding in the spring.
Risk of Bare Spots: If your lawn has a high percentage of annual grasses, expect bare spots to form once the grass dies in winter.
Winterization Tips: Consider overseeding with perennial grasses, which can fill in those empty spaces and make your lawn more stable in the long run.
Perennial Grasses in Winter
Go Dormant: Perennial grasses will naturally go dormant in winter but will come back to life in the spring.
Minimal Maintenance: Because they can survive through winter, perennial grasses generally require less work in the colder months.
Winterization Tips: Prepare your lawn for winter by avoiding cutting the grass too short, as this can stress the plants. Adjust your irrigation to prevent overwatering, remove weeds to reduce their chances of taking over in the spring, and keep your lawn free of debris.
Here's the bottom line: whether your lawn is made up of annual or perennial grasses will influence how you care for it during the winter. Annual grasses will require reseeding each year, while perennial grasses will go dormant and come back in the spring. Understanding your grass type will allow you to take the necessary steps to protect it during these colder months.
At AgroPro, we are here to help you understand and maintain your lawn. Whether you need guidance on winter lawn care or want to plan for next season's grass type, our expert team can provide personalized solutions to meet your needs. Contact us today to get started on keeping your lawn healthy and beautiful!
