You may look at your lawn this time of year and wonder: “Why is my grass brown?”. If that’s the case for you, it’s usually healthy and just gone dormant.
Dormancy is its way of hibernating for the season. When temperatures dip and daylight shortens, your lawn naturally slows its growth. Instead of putting energy into green blades, it stores food and energy in its roots until spring returns.
Why grass goes brown in winter
Grass, like any plant, reacts to its environment. In cold Canadian winters, soil temperatures fall below the range that supports active growth. As a result:
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Grass blades lose colour and turn brown or straw-like.
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Growth above the soil slows almost completely.
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Roots conserve energy so the lawn can bounce back when it warms up.
This change is completely normal.
Brown grass doesn’t always mean dead grass
It’s easy to mistake dormancy for damage, but there are key differences:
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Dormant lawn: Even if the blades are brown, the crowns and roots remain alive underground. With spring warmth, green growth will return.
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Dead lawn: If grass pulls up easily, or whole areas stay brown well into the spring while other patches have greened up, those spots may not have survived winter.
Mountainview Tip: Gently tug on a patch. If the roots resist and hold firm, the grass is alive.
Protect your lawn before and during winter
While you don’t need to fix brown winter grass, you can help it come through winter stronger with a few simple steps:
Use the Right Fall Fertilizer
In fall, choose a fertilizer that’s low in nitrogen (the first number) and higher in phosphorus and potash (the last two) to strengthen roots and help your lawn bounce back faster in spring.
Rake up leaves and debris
Mulch or remove leaves before snow. Piles of leaves trap moisture, causing rot and even dead patches come spring.
Mountainview Tip: You can drop off your bagged paper leaves at our farm! We compost them as part of our regenerative soil program, turning community yard waste into living compost that helps feed next year’s sod.
Final mow before snow
Aim for 2-3 inches on the last cut, shorter than your summer height, but don’t cut too short.
Limit winter traffic
Walking or shovelling paths across frozen grass can break crowns and leave bare spots in spring. Stick to walkways and driveways when possible.
Watch salt use
Road salt and de-icers can damage grass near driveways and walkways. Use them sparingly and sweep up excess.
What to expect in spring
As soil warms, growth resumes. Your lawn will gradually green up, usually starting in sunny spots and spreading outward.
So, the next time you see a brown lawn in the winter, don’t worry! It’s just resting. With the right fall prep and a little patience, your grass will be back to green when spring arrives.
