In Tennessee, warm-season grasses stop growing by mid-October, and cool-season grasses halt growing by November.
Knowing when your grass stops growing will help you decide when to stop mowing for the winter. But what causes grass to stop growing? We explain.
When grasses stop growing
Temperature is the main reason grasses stop growing. Grasses go dormant once the temperature becomes too cold for them. And the temperature threshold for dormancy differs between warm- and cool-season grasses:
- Warm-season grasses: below 50 to 55°F, which occurs in mid-October.
- Cool-season grasses: below 40 to 50°F, which occurs in November.
Below is a breakdown of when each type of grass stops growing:
| Grass | Type of grass | Temperature when it stops growing |
| Fine fescue | Cool-season grass | 50°F |
| Tall fescue | Cool-season grass | 50°F |
| Kentucky bluegrass | Cool-season grass | 50°F |
| Perennial ryegrass | Cool-season grass | 40°F |
| Bermudagrass | Warm-season grass | 50°F |
| Centipedegrass | Warm-season grass | 50°F |
| Zoysiagrass | Warm-season grass | 55°F |
Frequently asked questions
When does grass start growing in spring?
Warm-season grasses grow when the temperature consistently reaches the 60s. Cool-season grasses grow when the soil temperatures hit 40 to 45°F and the outside temperatures hit 65 to 75°F.
How does grass dormancy affect my lawn care schedule?
Don’t give your lawn much attention when it isn’t growing. Meaning,
- Wait to aerate your lawn until the grass starts growing again.
- Don’t fertilize your lawn until the growing season returns.
- Dormant grass doesn’t like heavy foot traffic, so keep off the lawn.
- Put the lawn mower away – mowing a dormant lawn stresses it out.
Read our article, Month-to-Month Tennessee Lawn Care Schedule, to learn more about how grass dormancy affects your lawn care schedule.
Hire a professional
Calculating when your grass will stop growing can make your head spin, but you don’t have to go crazy over it. Lawn Love is here to help – contact a pro who will help you determine when your grass will stop growing and how you can prepare for winter dormancy.
Main Image Credit: GPA Photo Archive | Flickr | CC BY 2.0
