Lets Talk Zoysia

[Green Dreams]

I am in SE Texas and get the occasional request for zoysia care. What do you do for it besides fert it? Pre-ems?

RIC, please school me. Sarcasm is always appreciated too...

[i_plant_art]

usually thats bout it other than 1 shot of post-emerge for the "occasional"weed you might have in it. other than that its it other than aeration .

[ThreeWide]

My zoysia program is very similar to the hybrid bermuda program.

Pre-emergent follows the same schedule for whatever you normally do for Bermuda in your area. The key difference is that Zoysia requires less N than the Bermuda and would be safe to say 25% less per season. Too much N on Zoysia can create a heavy thatch layer.

[quiet]

From Texas A&M's Aggie Turf web page:


How much Nitrogen per thousand square feet per year

Buffalograss - 2 pounds
Centipedegrass - 2 pounds
Common Bermudagrass - 4 to 5 pounds
Hybrid Bermudagrass - 5 to 6 pounds
Kentucky Bluegrass - 4 to 5 pounds
St. Augustine - 4 to 5 pounds
Tall Fescue - 4 to 5 pounds
Texas Bluegrass - 4 to 5 pounds
Zoysia japonica (coarse bladed) - 2 to 3 pounds
Zoysia matrella (fine bladed) - 3 to 4 pounds


I don't use a preemergent on Zoysia. Haven't seen a weed in a zoysia lawn for 2 years.

[SWD]

Zoysia spp are extremely heavy thatch producers.
It is not uncommon to see over 2.5 inches in one year, particularly when using quickly available N sources.

Chinch bugs in Zoysia, here in Texas where I am at, seems to be a problem.
On the high end residential homes with Zoysia, I double my aerification
frequency followed with a verticutting, then a good sand based topdressing.

I do find the leaf tissue more dense, obviously the aerial density is higher, however the leaf is more resistant to being cut.
I use rotaries with no problem at 1.5", I start the day with a freshly sharpened set on the zoysia home. Although I have begun to encorporate a Toro 216 reel mower into my turf mowing rotation, again set at 1.5". The reason I am not using it more is it is a royal pain to get into my enclosed trailer, and plus the turf is dormant right now.

On decently irrigated sites, do not overlook the benefit of a 'light' syringe cycle when canopy/soil enterface temperatures escalate above 95*F.

[ArchiesLawns]

Have any of you ever laid zoysia(sod) when it is dormant? I know bermuda is no problem, but I have never seen a landscape company lay it this time of year when it is dormant. I know of 2 zoysia farms that only cut there sod in spring and summer. Just curious what or could happen this time of year?

Thanks,

Archie

[ThreeWide]

I don't use a preemergent on Zoysia. Haven't seen a weed in a zoysia lawn for 2 years.


Must be a function of your climate. We get broadleaf weeds and poa annua here during the dormant season. Our dormancy normally runs from November to April.

[Green Dreams]

Thanks fellas for the replies...