True/False: Summer is the season of greatest root growth of turfgrasses.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It depends
• D. Never

Answer: (B)

Root growth in turfgrasses follows soil temperature and moisture more than the calendar. For cool-season grasses, the most robust root production happens in cooler parts of the year—spring and fall—when soil temperatures are moderate and water is available. Summer heat and often drier soils slow root development, so roots aren’t at their peak then. Warm-season grasses stay actively rooted in heat, but even there, extreme conditions or drought can curb new root growth, with rooting often tied to periods that aren’t simply the hottest part of summer. So, saying summer is the season of greatest root growth isn’t generally correct across turfgrasses.