Is turf colorant one of the products in your lawn care repertoire? In communities stricken with drought, applying turf colorant has become a popular option to keep lawns looking green, as well as a healthy revenue source for landscape contractors. Many golf courses apply turf colorant to improve discolored turf, maintain a healthy green appearance on dormant turf, and to color divot sand.

Initially, I was a bit skeptical about how a turf colorant could make dormant or stressed Bermuda grass appear properly green, and how long the effect would last.

So, as any Ewing employee in doubt would do, I decided to find out for myself, with a turf colorant called Green Lawnger. Green Lawnger features a permanent green pigment, rather than a dye, so it doesn’t have any hazardous chemicals, heavy metals or other ingredients harmful to turf. I tested Green Lawnger on my own lawn, and the results were entirely positive.

Halfway through applying Green Lawnger turf colorant.

Applying turf colorant
I started my project on July 29, in the middle of a scorching Arizona summer. I cut back my watering to two times a day, just twice a week. With daily temps between 110 and 116 degrees, my Bermuda suffered stress almost immediately.

After seven days of reduced watering, my lawn looked like it had entered dormancy. That’s when I started to apply Green Lawnger. I first made some test applications in one corner of the yard to determine how light or dark the results would be.

I started my application rate at 10 ounces per gallon of water, and began by carefully reviewing the product label. I ultimately decided on a rate of 8 ounces per gallon of water, because this created a color with a more natural look that I preferred. I also tried different sprayer nozzles, and decided on a high-volume fan tip. For this application, I used the Field King Pro Backpack Sprayer.

The square footage you can cover will vary based on how quickly and efficiently you are spraying. I was spraying about 250 to 300 square feet per gallon, and finished my entire lawn in about four hours.

The turf colorant application is complete.

Solutions for discolored and dormant turf
The sight of my lawn amazed me. It looked as if it had been watered with the normal schedule I had it on. For the next couple months, my lawn looked greener than ever—and so did my wallet, with the savings I earned.

When applying turf colorant, be aware that the color will fade fastest in high traffic areas. My lawn’s color didn’t begin fading until mid-October. I didn’t mind, because by then I was prepping my lawn for winter overseeding.

Has my mind changed on turf colorants? Yes. I now recommend them to any customers seeking a solution to restoring color on discolored turf or dormant Bermuda grass. If you think turf colorants like Green Lawnger could benefit your turf, visit your local Ewing store to learn more.