Why Does Grass Grow Better After You Burn It? (Important to Know)

For several years, people have found a way to yard beautification and revitalization by burning their lawns.

People find this method a good way to upkeep their lawn/grass. But, is it good practice?

Does grass grow better after your burn it? If so, why? In this article, you will get to understand why the grass can grow better after you burn it and in what situations.

Does Grass Grow Back After The Burning?

If the annual grass carries a sizeable bank of seeds that they germinate right away in the burnt section – they gradually take over the perennial grass.

Burning cannot be considered to be a reason for a better after-growth of grass but the competing elements for nutrients are taken off. This way the grass grows and takes over.

So when is burning grass right?

Grass can get encroached by trees or shrubs and some weeds as well. Over time, you are left with no grassland.

Before burning grass, try mowing the lawn to make the grass very minimal. This can ensure root access to the sun and other nutrients.

Sun can warm up this lawn and this will enhance a healthy lawn. When other methods to grow a healthy lawn have failed, you can burn the grass in a controlled fashion.

This can be done in batches.

When Is The Best Time To Burn Grass?

Burning grass is recommended in early spring for cool-season grass types while for warm-season grass type, it is early summer or late spring.

Burning is prescribed early in the cycle of growth to make sure that the root system of the grass retains its food reserves.

They help the grass bounce back to growth post-burn. These prescribed burns are often recommended once a year.

Precautions to be taken when burning grass:

• Ensure the fire is not getting out of control. When handled properly, it will prevent the risk of property damage or hurting anyone and yourself.
• Ensure burning glass is not restricted or banned in your city or neighborhood. Otherwise, you can get into legal issues. Check with the local fire department.
• Burning causes pollution and harms habitats and creatures. 

Some primary reasons why burning the grass is beneficial are:

• Burning grass is easy and inexpensive. There are no huge tools or accessories involved. You don’t need anything additional to purchase.
• Organic matter becomes a breeding ground for disease and harmful bugs.
• If you want to eliminate unwanted grass and overgrowth of grass, burning is helpful. 
• It also keeps bugs away. 

Why Does Grass Grow Better After You Burn It?

Some good reasons why grass grows better after you burn it are:

• Burning eliminates dead leaves, grass blades, organic matter, and other materials that lay on the grass. This permits nutrient absorption properly into the soil.
• The organic matter holds onto essential nutrients and becomes a hindrance not letting reach the soil.
• Burned, charred, and the darkened lawn is warmed up by the sun quickly thereby enhancing the soil temperature benefiting your grass.
• The grass that is surviving and active even after burning grows better as the plant material dead around it turns into nutrients. The surviving grass takes maximum advantage of this aftermath.
• When grass is burnt, there is more exposure to sunlight. It promotes grass growth.
• Some larger grass types like phragmites tend to compete with shorter grass varieties and shade them. A phragmite can be about 20 plus feet tall. Burning weakens these larger grass species and gives room to shorter varieties.
• Burning grass also lowers the fuel load and lets the nutrients be available to the surviving grass. This is because other creatures competing the nutrients and hiding under an overgrown lawn are no more there.
• Burnt vegetation mixes back into the soil and returns several nutrients to the soil. The concept is similar to swidden agriculture. In this, the harvested contents and uncultivated fields are burnt to return the nutrients to the soil.
• Burning cuts down the overburden on the soil. The land is cleared exposing the land to sunlight. This permits the growth of grass which was shaded earlier. This gives a well-behaved yard or lawn.
• Fire is a landscape cleanser. Burning cleans the landscape and permits the grass to grow more vigorously. It is often prescribed to sustain grasslands as it occurs naturally.
• Post burning, the grazing animals or creatures are drawn to the new regrowth of grass. This also rejuvenates the soil, land, and moisture along with the growth of grass.

Grass Types And How They React To Burning?

• Perennial grass- this grass type often withstands fire. The grass top growth impacts or dies, however, its roots lie deep into the soil. Hence, fire cannot touch the root. These grass types grow back well and abundantly post burning.
• Annual grass- This grass type suffers severely when burnt. Once they are burnt, they do not regrow or rejuvenate. However, if there’s a sizeable seed tank, annual grass seeds can germinate in that area and take over post-burning.

When you see grass growing back after burning, you should eliminate moribund grass. If your lawn or yard is full of moribund grass, burning will not help to grow the grass better than before.

Instead, moribund grass takes over as it grows fast. It will rob all the nutrients and choke the lawn grass.

How Much Time Does it Take Grass To Grow Back After Burning?

It generally takes about 15-20 days to get the grass growing and over a month to get it all back in form. However, it depends on the weather and location as well.

The growth depends primarily on the following factors:

• How hot the fire was
• The time of the year
• The amount of moisture remaining in the soil after burning
• Weather conditions

The growth speeds up with warm and sunny weather. If the soil is moist enough with survival grass intact, it should not take more than a couple of weeks to get it growing.

The grass grows better after you burn it and it has been a way to rejuvenate, cleanse and reform grasslands. Your grass recovers back once it is burnt. However, ensure that the grass is burnt is not very bad which can let the grass die in those spots.

These leave bare spots with no regrowth. Hence, when done right, it can trigger lush regrowth of grass brightening your yard or lawn.