Atlanta Winter Lawn Care Checklist for Bermuda and Zoysia (November to February), what to do, what to stop, and what to ignore

When Bermuda and Zoysia go tan in Atlanta, it can feel like your lawn quit on you. It didn’t. It’s just sleeping. The goal of Atlanta winter lawn care isn’t to force growth, it’s to protect what you already earned during the growing season.

Winter care is mostly about smart “don’ts,” plus a few simple “do’s” that prevent spring headaches: matted leaves, surprise weeds, thin spots from traffic, and disease that shows up right as you want green.

Use the guide below from November through February, then let the lawn rest.

The best winter lawns are the ones that enter dormancy clean, evenly cut, and not pushed with nitrogen. Think of it like putting your lawn away for storage. If it goes in wet and messy, it comes out that way.

Start with leaves. Atlanta’s oak leaves can form a tight blanket that blocks light and traps moisture. That can thin turf and raise disease risk. If the layer is light and dry, mowing and mulching is fine. If it’s thick or damp, blow and rake it off so crowns can breathe.

Mowing is still part of the plan until growth slows. Keep height in the recommended range and taper down gradually, not in one big drop. A sudden low cut is where scalping happens, and scalped warm-season grass goes into winter already stressed. If you want specific height targets by turf type and season, use this Atlanta mowing height guide for Bermuda and Zoysia grass.

Watering should also taper. Bermuda and Zoysia need far less once nights turn cold. If rain is normal, irrigation can often stay off. If it’s been dry for weeks and temps are mild, a light morning watering is enough to keep roots from getting too dry. For a simple, big-picture seasonal schedule, see a year-round lawn care schedule , then adjust down for dormancy.

Fertilizer is where many winter problems start. Once the lawn is going dormant, stop nitrogen . Pushing top growth when daylight is short and temps bounce around can make turf more tender and more likely to struggle with disease and cold snaps.

If you use pre-emergent for winter weeds (like annual bluegrass and chickweed), don’t lock yourself into a calendar date. Watch soil temperatures . When soil temps trend down toward the mid-50s (and stay there), that’s usually the window many winter annuals start germinating.

By late December, most Bermuda and Zoysia in Metro Atlanta is dormant or close to it. That means your job shifts from “grow it” to “guard it.”

One of the biggest winter lawn killers is simple traffic. Frozen blades are brittle. Walking across frosty grass can crush leaf tissue and leave footprints that look like dead stripes for weeks. If you wake up to a white lawn, wait until it thaws before you let pets and people run across it.

Water is another common misstep. Overwatering in winter keeps the surface damp, and damp turf plus cool temps is where problems start, especially in shade or low areas that stay soggy. If you must water during a dry stretch, keep it light and do it early enough for the lawn to dry before nightfall. Also, don’t irrigate when a hard freeze is expected within the next 24 hours. Ice on the surface is not a favor.

Weeds are the winter “to-do” that actually matters, but with a calm approach. Broadleaf weeds often pop during mild spells. You can spot-treat on a day that’s above 50°F, with no freeze expected right after, and when the lawn is dry. Read the label closely, and remember that what’s safe on dormant Bermuda isn’t always safe on Zoysia.

What to stop in this window is just as important:

• Stop dethatching and core aeration in winter. Warm-season lawns aren’t recovering fast, and you can create open soil for weeds.
• Stop scalp mowing “to clean it up.” Save aggressive cuts for the right spring timing, and only if the turf is healthy.
• Stop chasing color with fertilizer. Dormant grass is supposed to look dormant.

What to ignore: a little tan, some thin-looking spots that always green up late, and the temptation to “do something” every weekend. Winter is the season for patience.

February in Atlanta is when winter weeds are active, soil temps begin to creep, and everyone wants to get ahead. This is where timing matters most, because doing the right thing two weeks too early can be the wrong thing.

Start by planning your spring pre-emergent for crabgrass, but again, avoid fixed dates. Crabgrass prevention is best applied based on rising soil temperatures , not your phone’s calendar. When soil temps trend upward toward the mid-50s and keep climbing, that’s when many lawns enter the risk window. If you wait until you “see crabgrass,” you’re already late.

February is also a smart time to soil test so you can plan lime, phosphorus, or potassium based on facts, not guesses. Lime without a test is like taking vitamins you don’t need. It might do nothing, or it might create a new problem.

Zoysia owners should keep disease on the radar. Large patch (a common cool-season disease of Zoysia) is tied to extended moisture and mild, cool weather. You often don’t notice it until late winter or spring when green-up is uneven and patches lag behind. The prevention side is mostly cultural: improve drainage, avoid overwatering, don’t overdo fall nitrogen, and keep leaves off the turf so the surface dries.

Use February to prep tools, too. Sharpen mower blades, check belts, clean the deck, and make sure your spreader settings are readable. A clean cut in spring reduces stress and frayed tips.

If any of these are on your list, it’s worth getting help before small issues spread:

• Herbicide selection for mixed grasses (or if you aren’t sure whether you have Bermuda, Zoysia, or both).
• Large patch diagnosis and treatment timing , especially if you’ve had repeat spring dead-looking circles.
• Irrigation checks and winterization , including leak detection and freeze protection for backflow and above-ground parts.

Atlanta winter lawn care is mostly about doing less, but doing it on purpose. Keep the lawn clear, avoid traffic on frost, water only when it truly needs it, and save nitrogen for when the grass is awake and ready to use it. Come spring, you’ll get a smoother green-up, fewer weeds, and less scrambling to “fix” problems that started in winter. Let dormancy do its job , and your Bermuda or Zoysia will reward you when warm weather sticks.