Got two more pallets of zoysia though some of the sod looks like a very foreign grass

[Threxx]

I'd say 95% of the sod square I got look like this:
http://www.threxx.com/yard/zoysiagrass.jpg

BUT the other 5% or so has a decidedly dull dark green color and appears very very thin and needle like in structure.
http://www.threxx.com/yard/weirdgrass.jpg

Those pictures were taken during somewhat low light conditions but were both taken within 30 seconds of each other, from roughly the same distance, and in the same area of the yard.

On some of the sod squares I see a bit of zoysia and a bit of the weird grass, and other times I see amost all zoysia and just a bit of the weird grass. But some of the sod squares are pretty much nothing but 100% 'weird grass'.

I suspect that this may be some sort of infant stage of the palisades zoysia, or a reaction to some conditions it may have been under at the sod farm. But I wanted to be sure that I'm not planting a small amount of some alien grass in with my zoysia that might cause me big headaches down the road.

[jeffinsgf]

I'm no expert, but the second picture sure looks like bluegrass or turf fescue, not zoysia. I would want verification from the sod company before I laid it.

[Threxx]

Well FWIW I called them up and they told me it must have been harvested from a younger field as that's what it looks like when it isn't fully developed.

Of course that makes me wonder why when I've seen zoysia spread I don't see the 'borders' of it looking like dark green pine needles... but eh... whatever. We'll just see what happens.:)

[SWD]

Both pictures are of the same turf. The weaker sod came from the edges of the field which aren't irrigated as well, resulting in the stressed appearance - that's all it is.
Once installed, depending on your cultural program, Zoysia recovery can take up to two months from planting stressed turf.
I recommend, when purchasing turfgrass grown from sod, that you maintain the right of refusal if sod is delivered in a stressed condition.
Provided the sod supplier will not agree to that, find a supplier who will.

[Threxx]

Both pictures are of the same turf. The weaker sod came from the edges of the field which aren't irrigated as well, resulting in the stressed appearance - that's all it is.
Once installed, depending on your cultural program, Zoysia recovery can take up to two months from planting stressed turf.
I recommend, when purchasing turfgrass grown from sod, that you maintain the right of refusal if sod is delivered in a stressed condition.
Provided the sod supplier will not agree to that, find a supplier who will.

Eh... 1 in 20 ain't too bad for me- they gave me a great price on it anyway - normally they charge 50 bucks for delivery and have a minimum 5 pallet order. I only oredered 2 and they didn't charge for delivery because my dad in law is one of the bigger home builders in the area - they like him a lot so they have to like me too.:D

[sheshovel]

I disagree looks like very different type of grass to me.

[6'7 330]

Second picture looks cool season to me .

[Threxx]

Well, as an update, almost all of the 'foreign' grass is now completely brown and dead - withered away to almost nothing. Some of the full zoysia sod squares appeared to starting to turn brown too until I looked closer and saw that it was just a mixture of that 'other' grass that had died.

So.... not sure what it is but it sure appears to be dead or just about dead now whereas all of the regular zoysia is doing great and rooting down very well.:)

[erp2863]

My new Zoysia did the same exact thing when it I installed it a month ago. See this thread for details:

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=147323

Here is a picture from today, it looks alot better. I have about 10 peices from a total of 3 pallets that look like they have no chance of recovering. I'll replace in the fall.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/erp2863/detail?.dir=9fdbre2&.dnm=7994scd.jpg&.src=ph

[Threxx]

Well I just called them and emailed them a picture and they said it was very young zoysia.

I suggested they might want to not send customers 'young' zoysia if my experience with it dying in under 2 weeks despite plenty of water and sunlight was any indicator and she apologized and said they try to avoid harvesting the young zoysia but they've just expanded into a new field on their farm and were having some issues with supply and consistant growth. I told her no big deal - 1 in 20 was just 15 bucks worth of sod and I'd just wait for their refund check in the mail...

j/k

I told her no big deal - the sod that was 'young' and ended up dying is in the middle of all the rest of the zoysia so I have no doubt the living zoysia will creep on over and take it over in the next few months.

[ThreeWide]

Both of those pics are Zoysia, but they do not appear to be the same cultivars.

The top picture looks like the Meyer family, which has many derivatives sold today.

The bottom picture is the Emerald family, and is likely a derivative such as Zeon.

You can see the difference in the blade shape and size.