In a poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, it was found that 29% of Americans prefer summer over any other season. And for good reason! Who doesn’t love laying in the sand on a hot day at the beach or watching that little drop of their favorite ice cream slide down the side of a waffle cone?

Did you know that some grasses “feel” the same way? Well maybe not the part about the ice cream, but warm-season grasses thrive during the summer and need extra care once the fall rolls around. Typically, one will find that their warm-season grass goes dormant near the first frost and does not revive until April. In North Carolina, the first frost typically comes in late November in the Raleigh-Durham area, and in mid-November for the surrounding area. Is your grass a warm-season grass? Check this list to find out!

• Bermuda grass
• Buffalo grass
• Centipede grass
• Bahia grass
• Zoysia grass
• Kikuyu grass
• St. Augustine grass
• Seashore paspalum

While everyone loves to see the leaves of trees turn beautiful oranges, yellows, and browns in the fall, most people forget that blades of grass are leaves too. Unfortunately, when the first frost hits your yard, your warm-season grass will also typically turn brown and will not green up again until the warm weather of spring returns.

At this point, you might be asking yourself, “why did I plant a grass that is only green for two-thirds of a year?” In warm-weather climates such as North Carolina, we must have a grass that can survive the near-100° heat of summer. Unfortunately, this also means that it has trouble keeping its vibrant green color through the winter.

If you are interested in installing warm-season grass, the months of August and September are your last chance. You won’t regret it by next summer, when your lush green grass is perfect for those summer backyard barbecues!