In November, Bermuda is going dormant in the Gulf Coast & Florida and dormant in the transition zone and the North & upper Midwest — soil around 40–60°F, and the soil cooling. The jobs that matter most: keep leaves off the dormant lawn and last mow before dormancy.
Bermuda in November, by region
Bermuda growth status, mowing height and watering in November, by climate zone
Region
Growth
Mow
Water
South
USDA 9+
going dormant
~60°F soil, cooling
1–2"
weekly
Taper off. Cut back to roughly half the growing-season figure and stop irrigating as growth stops. Going into winter wet invites disease and, on warm-season turf, soft growth that freezes.
Transition
USDA 7–8
dormant
~46°F soil, cooling
Not this month — the lawn is dormant.
None needed. A dormant lawn is not growing and does not use water — water only to stop the crowns desiccating in a long dry spell, about 1 in once a month.
North
USDA 6 and colder
dormant
~40°F soil, cooling
Not this month — the lawn is dormant.
None needed. A dormant lawn is not growing and does not use water — water only to stop the crowns desiccating in a long dry spell, about 1 in once a month.
Growth status, soil temperature and the mow and water guidance are derived from each zone's soil curve together with Bermuda's own dormancy and green-up thresholds, so each row describes that region rather than an average of all of them.
November in the Gulf Coast & Florida
The Gulf Coast, Florida, south Texas and the desert Southwest. The longest growing season of the three, and the only one where many warm-season lawns barely go dormant at all.
Growth
going dormant~60°F soil, cooling
Mow
1–2"weekly
Water
Taper off. Cut back to roughly half the growing-season figure and stop irrigating as growth stops. Going into winter wet invites disease and, on warm-season turf, soft growth that freezes.
Worth doing
Last mow before dormancy
Going into winter at the right height matters: too long and the canopy mats down and holds moisture against the crowns, which is how large patch and snow-related rots start. Too short and the crowns have no insulation.
When: once growth has clearly stopped (week 4 of the month)
Steps
Cut at your normal height — do not scalp going into winter.
Clear leaves off the lawn at the same time. A leaf mat will kill patches of dormant turf.
Then stop. Mowing dormant turf does nothing but damage crowns.
NC State Extension, Bermudagrass Lawn Maintenance Calendar (Carolina Lawns)
A dormant lawn is still alive. A wet mat of leaves on top of it blocks what little light the crowns get, holds moisture against them and is where rot starts — and the patch it kills does not show up until spring, when it fails to green up with everything else.
When: as needed through dormancy
Steps
Rake or blow leaves off rather than mulching them into a dormant canopy.
Keep traffic off frozen or frosted turf — the crowns shear.
NC State Extension, Bermudagrass Lawn Maintenance Calendar (Carolina Lawns)
What you can skip in the South
×Nitrogen — too late in the year. Late nitrogen pushes soft growth that freeze damage takes first.
×Aeration — there is not enough growing season left to close the holes.
November in the transition zone
The band from the Carolinas across to Oklahoma and up through the lower Midwest, where both warm- and cool-season grasses are grown and neither is entirely comfortable. Timing here runs three to five weeks behind the south.
Growth
dormant~46°F soil, cooling
Mow
Not this month
Water
None needed. A dormant lawn is not growing and does not use water — water only to stop the crowns desiccating in a long dry spell, about 1 in once a month.
Worth doingEvery week this month
Keep leaves off the dormant lawn
A dormant lawn is still alive. A wet mat of leaves on top of it blocks what little light the crowns get, holds moisture against them and is where rot starts — and the patch it kills does not show up until spring, when it fails to green up with everything else.
When: as needed through dormancy
Steps
Rake or blow leaves off rather than mulching them into a dormant canopy.
Keep traffic off frozen or frosted turf — the crowns shear.
NC State Extension, Bermudagrass Lawn Maintenance Calendar (Carolina Lawns)
What you can skip in the transition zone
×Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut.
×Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead.
×Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
November in the North & upper Midwest
The upper Midwest, New England and the Pacific Northwest. A short season with a hard winter, so the autumn window closes earlier and matters more.
Growth
dormant~40°F soil, cooling
Mow
Not this month
Water
None needed. A dormant lawn is not growing and does not use water — water only to stop the crowns desiccating in a long dry spell, about 1 in once a month.
Worth doingEvery week this month
Keep leaves off the dormant lawn
A dormant lawn is still alive. A wet mat of leaves on top of it blocks what little light the crowns get, holds moisture against them and is where rot starts — and the patch it kills does not show up until spring, when it fails to green up with everything else.
When: as needed through dormancy
Steps
Rake or blow leaves off rather than mulching them into a dormant canopy.
Keep traffic off frozen or frosted turf — the crowns shear.
What you can skip in the North & upper Midwest
×Mowing — a dormant lawn is not growing. Nothing to cut.
×Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead.
×Regular irrigation — water only to stop crowns drying out in a long dry spell.
Good to know
Brown is not dead. A dormant warm-season lawn is alive and will green up on its own when soil temperature comes back — nothing you apply now will speed that up, and nitrogen will only feed winter weeds.
Bermuda in November: common questions
Should I fertilize Bermuda in November?
In the Gulf Coast & Florida, no. Nitrogen — too late in the year. Late nitrogen pushes soft growth that freeze damage takes first. In the transition zone, no. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead. In the North & upper Midwest, no. Fertilizer — dormant turf cannot take up nitrogen. It feeds winter weeds instead.
Is my Bermuda dormant in November?
In the Gulf Coast & Florida, not yet, but it is going dormant — soil is around 60°F at 4-inch depth and cooling. In the transition zone, yes — soil is around 46°F at 4-inch depth and cooling. In the North & upper Midwest, yes — soil is around 40°F at 4-inch depth and cooling. Bermuda goes dormant below about 50°F soil temperature and greens up again around 65°F. Take the reading at 4 inches, in a sunny representative part of the lawn, in the morning.
How short should I cut Bermuda in November?
In the Gulf Coast & Florida, 1–2 inches, weekly. In the transition zone, do not mow — the lawn is dormant and is not growing. In the North & upper Midwest, do not mow — the lawn is dormant and is not growing.
How much should I water Bermuda in November?
In the Gulf Coast & Florida: Taper off. Cut back to roughly half the growing-season figure and stop irrigating as growth stops. Going into winter wet invites disease and, on warm-season turf, soft growth that freezes. In the transition zone: None needed. A dormant lawn is not growing and does not use water — water only to stop the crowns desiccating in a long dry spell, about 1 in once a month. In the North & upper Midwest: None needed. A dormant lawn is not growing and does not use water — water only to stop the crowns desiccating in a long dry spell, about 1 in once a month.
Can I spray weeds on Bermuda in November?
No weed-control application is scheduled for Bermuda in November. With the soil cooling, a post-emergent has little growing leaf tissue to work through, so the application is wasted rather than merely slow — wait for the next window rather than spraying now.
Soil temperatures are Lawn HQ estimates for your climate zone. How we work
By Lawn HQ · Last reviewed . Extension or land-grant sources only, matched to this grass and this climate zone. Found something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it and update the date.
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