What is that yellow grass??

GardenGuyZone6a

12 years ago

Hello, all.

In my neck of the woods (central CT), many of

my neighbors have yellowy tan (dormant) grass.

Does anyone know what variety it is?

Better yet, why in the world would a homeowner

sow this seed, knowing it turns this color

when dormant?!?

Looks aweful!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

grasshole
12 years ago
Probably Zoysia, but who knows without seeing it. I guess they made the choice to have an easier to care for lawn during the summer/spring, but brown in the fall/winter. Some, probably most in your area, choose the opposite. I haven't talked to your neighbors lately, so can't be entirely sure of their reasoning. LOL!
tiemco
12 years ago
I'm in CT too, and I see Zoysia all the time and I agree it looks terrible. If you look at the ads for Zoysia in things like Parade they make it sound like the greatest grass in the world, with no flaws. They briefly mention that it turns tan in the winter, but it is one sentence and by the time you read it you are so impressed by the other claims, you pretty much ignore it.
Related Discussions
St. Augustine Grass didn't fully return and what did is yellow
Q
Comments (2)
I am going to hijack this a bit. I also am in the dfw area with same issue. there is growth but seems to be quite a bit of dormant/dead layer still there. should i go out there and try and rake up the dead/dormant stuff? putting down about 1" of water per sprinkler cycle every 5 to 7 days. used the calloways lawn food in early april when first started greening up. put 17 lbs down in approximately 2500 sf. those number might be a little off but i used the texag extension publications to calculate the amount. might have been a little soon
...See More
yellowing/dying grass
Q
Comments (12)
Check the weather for the next week. A lot of the area is going to have another week of rain that might help. A simple hose end timer and sprinkler setup is pretty cheap and will water the seed for you. Do a search for sprinklers for small lawns and you can find some examples of what I'm talking about. GrassFast and products like that which are sheets are expensive and really meant for for slopes where you don't want the seed to run off with the rain or irrigation. There are other products like paper mulches you can buy for much less. There are also specially coated seeds like Scotts new water saver stuff but none of those items will let you go a week without watering. I never heard of grass fast but I've seen pennington seed mats at home depot. As everyone else has said, fall is the best time to seed in this region but if you don't mind spending some money on seed and a sprinkler you'll need anyway you might get it to fill in a little bit but you'll probably need to do it again in the fall. It's not like we're talking about the whole lawn and hundreds of dollars worth of seed here. I'd throw some down and see what happens.
...See More
New grass turning yellow . . .
Q
Comments (10)
You'd be better off watering less frequently and watering more deeply when you water. Watering often encourages shallow roots and also helps germinate weeds. If you've been applying starter fertilizer regularly, you could be upping the P and K above where it should be and that could be interfering with the uptake of some nutrients. Did you apply more fertilizer in the area that is yellowing? If so, that could be a contributing factor. Another thing that could be happening is that the pH may be higher near the driveway because of leaching from the concrete. One problem with trying to diagnose a lawn over the internet is that a symptom like yellowing can be caused by many different things. Too little water, too much water, too little iron, high pH, low pH are all things that can cause grass to turn yellow. As you can see, some of the causes can be opposites, so without more information, we could tell you to do something that would make it even worse. Have you had a soil test done? That would probably be the first step. Find out if the University of Wisconsin does soil testing. If so, get the soil test kit and follow their directions. However, one change I'd suggest is to actually get two tests. For one, mix soil from various places around the lawn where the grass is doing well. For the other, get all the soil from the area where it is yellowing.
...See More
Yellow flowering grass?
Q
Comments (9)
But bulbine flowers aren't 2"-3" - they're more like 1/2" & in spikes - I have some blooming right now. African or walking iris? Wondering how tall the plant is? How wide are the leaves? Are they flat or round?
...See More
dchall_san_antonio
12 years ago
It could also be dormant Kentucky bluegrass. Fescue is about the only grass you can rule out. It remains green all winter.
GardenGuyZone6a
Original Author
12 years ago
Dchall,

KBG turns full yellow over winter?

I did not know that.
jordanz
12 years ago
I have tall fescue and it turns brown over winter. All of my neighbors have the same TF grass and they turn brown for a few months. It's not 100% brown, but at least half of it is dormant. I'm sure it wouldn't if we all continued to water it. But it's nice to have a break from lawn care for a few months...
ZoysiaSod
12 years ago
Fine fescue will also turn brown during "open winters," which are winters without much snow cover, like this past winter.

If there is enough protective snow cover, they'll just turn to a lighter shade of green. Paul Tukey in The Organic Lawn Care Manual makes this observation for cool season grasses in general. And I saw it for myself in my backyard this past winter with little snow cover.

The fine fescue browned in the latter part of the cold weeks. It looked like the fescue was making a valiant effort and would remain green all season, but near the end of the colder weeks, it started browning--right near the end. Of course, this was a mild winter here, where I think the coldest temp this year was only about 13* F. Usually, it gets down to minus 3 to 6 below zero, but not this unusual year. Makes me wonder if the fescue would have browned earlier had this been a regular winter. But then again, if there had been enough protective snow cover like in a regular winter, it may have stayed green.

The variety of the fine fescue is probably Boreal.

Related Stories

FLOWERS AND PLANTS This Sunny Yellow Flower Helps Fall Pollinators and Landscapes

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Oligoneuron riddellii’s distinct grass-like leaves and bright flowers jazz up the garden in the upper Midwest and Central Plains

Full Story

DECORATING GUIDES Walls Have a Field Day With Grass Cloth

By Lisa Frederick

Rustic or refined, richly textured grass cloth provides a burst of natural freshness to your interior decorating

Full Story

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: Lively Fountain Grass Thrives Just About Anywhere

By Paintbox Garden

Enjoy fountain grass for its exuberant form, long-lasting color and texture for borders and more

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Meet the Grass-Carrying Wasp, a Gentle Pollinator of Summer Flowers

By Pollination Press LLC

These fascinating insects nest in wood cavities and hollow plant stems

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Gorgeous Plant Combos With Low-Water Ornamental Grasses

By Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Use a variety of plant heights, textures and sizes, as well as leaves and flowers in varying colors, for a pleasing design

Full Story

PLANTING IDEAS Create High-Impact Container Gardens With Grasses

By Olander Garden Design

When it comes to adding drama, texture and panache to a pot, these strappy species are hard to beat

Full Story

INSPIRING GARDENS Inside Houzz: A Waterfront Property Ditches the Grass for a Garden

By Annie Thornton

New drought-tolerant plantings and outdoor gathering spaces help this California backyard take in the view without wasting space or water

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES How to Fix Bare and Yellow Lawn Spots

By Christine Tusher

Restore your turf’s good looks by reseeding unsightly patches

Full Story

COLOR Color of the Week: Spring Blossom Yellow

By Jennifer Ott Design

Tired of winter yet? Bring on spring with our featured color of the week

Full Story

DECORATING GUIDES Lighten Up — or Brighten Up — With Yellow

By Natasha Saroca

You can use this versatile color to create a buttery backdrop, add a zesty accent or make a bold design statement

Full Story

What is that yellow grass??

Comments (6)

grasshole

tiemco

Related Discussions

dchall_san_antonio

GardenGuyZone6a
Original Author

jordanz

ZoysiaSod

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

What is that yellow grass??

Comments (6)

grasshole

tiemco

Related Discussions

dchall_san_antonio

GardenGuyZone6aOriginal Author

jordanz

ZoysiaSod

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

GardenGuyZone6a
Original Author