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How climate change may impact your fall lawn care

Warming temperatures are changing everything from what kind of grass a homeowner may choose to making their lawns susceptible to disease.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are many factors that impact when you should start fall lawn care and one of those changing factors is climate change.

Warming temperatures across the globe have led to some seasons getting longer and some getting shorter. In the Carolinas, the most notable are fall and winter. 

With summer temperatures creeping later into the year, it is shortening the traditional fall. On the back end, spring starts sooner and so does summer.

Craig Brokaw is the owner of Brokaw Lawn Company. He said longer summers cut into the time they should be aerating and seeding lawns.

"We could pretty much count on a full two months of this," Brokaw said of aerating and sending lawns. "Now, a lot of times we're hoping that we can get all this done in six weeks."

With the first frost still coming around the same time in early-mid November, lawn companies work much harder to get the work done in a condensed time frame. If there’s a late-season hot stretch or significant rainfall – like a tropical system – after the aeration and seeding are done, you have issues.

"If it feels like summer in October, then we run the risk of the new seed, the new grass, not being able to withstand those temperatures," Brokaw explained. "It's still young and immature, it can't stand a summer blast. And sometimes you just gotta go back and you gotta start the process over again."

This leads to many homeowners spending more money to maintain their lawns. In fact, Brokaw said it’s now a year-round project.

"It's now a 12-month issue we're dealing with. From the growing season starting earlier in the year, typically used to be, we wouldn't start mowing lawns until the first week of March. This year, we were mowing by Valentine's Day. So you're seeing 23 weeks early on the front end."

If an earlier spring arrives, grass begins growing sooner – putting extra stress on your lawn. This makes them more susceptible to diseases, pests and drought.

"Basically, these lawns are becoming petri dishes for disease that just kind of fire up and suddenly a homeowner can be calling up saying, 'What's going on with my lawn,' Brokaw recounted the customer's question. "If that disease isn't treated, that disease can basically wipe out a lawn in a matter of days if you're not careful."

RELATED: Warming climate increases threat of flooding events

We’re also seeing rainfall events produce heavier rain. which can wash seeds away. On the contrary, more considerable droughts can cause lawns to go dormant.

RAISE YOUR WEATHER IQ: Difference between a 1,000-year rain and a 1,000-year flood event

Brokaw explained any turf needs five things for its sustainability: 

  • sun
  • water
  • food
  • air movement
  • protection. 

A lack of water kills the grass first. 

This may cause homeowners to make changes, too – like choosing a grass that works better in a warmer, more tropical climate – such as Bermuda grass.

Brokaw said many new housing developments across Charlotte are switching to Bermuda grass due to the higher resilience when compared to the classic fescue grass.

"People like fescue because it's a dark green," Brokaw explained. "It stays really green, really healthy in the fall in the winter."

However cool-season grasses require more maintenance, which ultimately means more money out of your pocket.

Contact Brittany Van Voorhees at bvanvoorhe@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.

🌩️ If you like weather, watch the WCNC Weather Impact Team on their Emmy Award-winning Weather IQ YouTube channel. 🎥

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