Early April Update from Erich’s Lawn Desk
April is a transition month for our warm-season grasses such as Centipede, Bermuda, Saint Augustine and Zoysia. The lawns are waking up and coming out of dormancy. The lawns are NOT fully green and growing aggressively.
Weather plays a huge roll in the green-up of our lawns. Warm-season lawns do not care what date or month it is. Warm-season lawns respond to warm temperatures. We need consistent warmer temperatures to increase the soil temperatures. This will make the grass to grow.
The first week of April has high temperatures in the 60’s to low 70’s. Our low temperatures will be in the 40’s the second weekend of April! Warm-season grass will not aggressively grow in these temperatures.
Spring weather and warm-season grass will try homeowner’s patience! It’s spring according to the calendar. The big box store is selling summer flowers. It’s Easter. The expectation is the lawn should be green. NO! That is not the case with warm-season grass here in North Myrtle Beach and Brunswick County, NC. We must be patient.
Cool-season lawns look great in April! Cool-season lawns respond to the mild springtime temperatures. Cool-season lawns can be found in Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond, and all points northward. Many homeowners are used to cool-season lawns. We CAN NOT grow cool-season lawns here in coastal Carolina. It is entirely too hot in the summertime. We must be patient.
Early fertilization, high-nitrogen “quick-green” products or turning up the irrigation will not help your lawn. It may actually be harmful. We need warmer weather. Warmer weather will arrive.
Patience my friends.
More information and helpful lawn tips can be found at:
