You walk outside in July, look at your lawn, and your stomach drops. It's brown. It's not moving in the breeze. It looks, for all intents and purposes, dead. But is it?

In Central Texas, this is a question that comes up every single summer — and the answer matters, because the fix for dormant grass and dead grass are very different.

What Is Drought Dormancy?

When grass gets too hot and too dry, it goes dormant as a survival mechanism. It stops growing, turns brown, and looks dead — but the crown of the plant, which sits just at or below the soil surface, is still alive. Once conditions improve, dormant grass can fully recover. This is completely normal and happens to healthy lawns every summer in Central Texas.

The Tug Test

Here's a quick way to tell the difference: grab a handful of the brown grass and tug. If it resists and holds in the ground, the roots are still attached and the grass is likely dormant. If it pulls out easily with no resistance — almost like it's just sitting on top of the soil — the roots are dead and so is the grass.

Look at the Crown

Get down close and look at the base of the grass plant, right at soil level. If the crown — the area where the grass blades emerge from the roots — is still green or has a slightly green, firm texture, the plant is alive. A fully dead crown will be brown, dry, and brittle all the way through.

Check for Patterns

Drought stress tends to affect lawns somewhat evenly, especially in areas with less shade or poor irrigation coverage. Dead patches that are irregular, circular, or follow a pattern may indicate something else entirely — like a pest infestation, fungal disease, or a broken irrigation zone.

What to Do

If your lawn is dormant, maintain it with minimal water — just enough to keep the crown alive — and wait for cooler temperatures in fall. If significant portions of your lawn appear truly dead, it may be time for reseeding or sodding in the fall.

Not sure which situation you're dealing with? Evans Lawn Care can take a look and help you figure out the best path forward. Call us today to schedule your free estimate!