With the cold snap imminent, some of you are going to notice your grass turning a tawny-brown color. No need to worry, this is quite natural. Zoysia, like trees, goes dormant after the first hard frost. Instead of losing leaves, its green color fades.
Zoysia’s dormancy is a safeguard against colder temperatures, up to -30˚ F in fact! Just like trees that regrow their leaves in the spring, Zoysia will come back lush each spring once the soil reaches 50˚F. This behavior is what lets Zoysia thrive in even the hottest summers.
Most grasses go dormant at some point in the year. “Cool season” grasses do the opposite; they go dormant and brown in the warm summer months. Zoysia is categorized as a warm-season grass, so it goes dormant in the winter and is green in the summer, just when you want your grass nice and lush.
Depending on where you live, your Zoysia may not go dormant at all. If your winters are mild, your lawn will be green year round. Either way, come spring, your lawn will be back to its lush, beautiful green in no time!