Lawn Care After Drought in Georgia
Middle Georgia droughts can turn a green lawn brown fast. Here is how to assess the damage and bring your lawn back — without making things worse.
Overview
What You Will Learn
Middle Georgia regularly experiences drought periods, especially during late summer when temperatures stay above 95°F for weeks with little to no rainfall. Warm-season grasses handle drought better than cool-season grasses, but they still suffer. Bermuda is the most drought-tolerant, going dormant and bouncing back quickly. Centipede and zoysia are more vulnerable and may sustain real damage during extended dry spells. This guide covers how to assess drought damage, when and how to start recovery, and common mistakes that make things worse.
Dormancy Versus Death: How to Tell
The first question after a drought is whether your grass is dormant or dead. Warm-season grasses naturally go dormant during severe drought — the above-ground blades turn brown, but the crowns and root system stay alive. To check, pull on a section of brown turf. If it resists and stays rooted, the crowns are likely alive and the grass is dormant. If it pulls up easily with no resistance, the root system may be dead. Another test: water a small brown patch deeply and wait 7 to 10 days. If you see any green regrowth, the grass is viable. Bermuda can survive 3 to 4 weeks of complete dormancy. Centipede and zoysia have shorter windows — 2 to 3 weeks without water can cause permanent damage.
Pull test: if brown grass resists pulling, it is likely dormant and will recover.
Water a test patch and wait 7 to 10 days for green growth as a viability check.
Bermuda is the most drought-resilient. Centipede is the most vulnerable.
How to Restart Watering After Drought
When rain returns or you resume irrigation after a drought, ease back into watering gradually. Dumping a large amount of water on drought-stressed turf can shock the grass and promote fungal disease — especially on clay soils that have hardened during the dry period. Start with half an inch of water every other day for the first week. Then increase to your normal watering schedule (1 to 1.25 inches per week) as the grass shows signs of recovery. If the clay soil has developed a hydrophobic crust (water beads up and runs off instead of soaking in), use the cycle-and-soak method: short watering bursts with rest periods in between.
Ease back into watering — do not flood a drought-stressed lawn.
Half an inch every other day for the first week is a good starting point.
Watch for clay soil crusting — use cycle-and-soak if water runs off.
Fertilization and Mowing After Drought
Do not fertilize drought-stressed grass immediately. Fertilizer stimulates growth, and stressed grass does not have the energy or root capacity to support a growth surge. Wait until you see consistent green regrowth before applying any fertilizer — typically 2 to 3 weeks after adequate watering resumes. When you do fertilize, use a balanced slow-release product at half the normal rate. For mowing, do not cut drought-stressed or recovering turf too short. Raise your mowing height by half an inch to leave more leaf surface for photosynthesis and moisture retention.
Wait for consistent green growth before fertilizing.
Use half-rate slow-release fertilizer for the first post-drought application.
Raise mowing height by half an inch during recovery.
When to Consider Reseeding or Resodding
If large areas of your lawn fail to recover after 3 to 4 weeks of consistent watering, those sections may need reseeding or resodding. Dead spots larger than a few square feet will not fill in on their own within a single season — bermuda might spread to cover small gaps, but centipede and zoysia spread too slowly to fill large bare areas. The best time to reseed or resod in Middle Georgia is late spring through early summer (May to June) for bermuda, or fall for zoysia. Before reseeding, address any underlying issues — soil compaction, drainage problems, or shade — that may have contributed to the damage.
Give recovering grass 3 to 4 weeks of consistent watering before deciding to reseed.
Bermuda fills gaps faster than zoysia or centipede.
Fix compaction and drainage issues before reseeding or resodding.
Key takeaways
What to Remember
Pull test and water test help determine if grass is dormant or dead.
Resume watering gradually — do not flood drought-stressed turf.
Wait for green regrowth before fertilizing, then start at half rate.
Raise mowing height during recovery to support photosynthesis.
Allow 3 to 4 weeks of watering before deciding to reseed dead areas.
Bermuda recovers fastest from drought. Centipede is slowest.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my lawn come back after a Georgia drought?
Most warm-season grasses recover from drought once consistent watering resumes. Bermuda is the most resilient and usually bounces back fully. Centipede and zoysia may sustain permanent damage if the drought lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks without any water.
How long does it take for grass to recover from drought?
With consistent watering, bermuda typically shows green regrowth within 7 to 14 days. Zoysia and centipede may take 2 to 4 weeks. Full recovery to pre-drought density can take one to two months.
Should I fertilize my lawn during a drought?
No. Never fertilize drought-stressed grass. Fertilizer stimulates growth that stressed roots cannot support. Wait until the grass is actively growing again and shows consistent green color before applying fertilizer.
Why does water run off my lawn after a drought?
Extended drought causes clay soil to harden and develop a hydrophobic surface layer that repels water. Use the cycle-and-soak method — water in short bursts with rest periods — to gradually rehydrate the soil.
Can I prevent drought damage to my lawn?
Deep, infrequent watering throughout the growing season encourages deep root growth that helps grass survive dry periods. Maintaining proper mowing height and annual aeration also improve drought resilience.
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