easy - get zoysiagrass is a lawn grass for warm climate . enumeration on it to grow well in part tint or full sun and stand up to foot traffic .

Adam Albright

Zoysiagrass is a cold - tolerant , quick - time of year grass that grow well in region with raging summers and chilly winters . It is light unripe in summer and release straw - like John Brown with the first rime in fall . It remains brown until affectionate temperature return in spring . Zoysiagrass has a somewhat harsh texture and thick stems . Its sturdy leaves and shoot allow it to stand up up to foot traffic well ; it is a near surface for way of life and sports fields . When well - established and regularly deal for , zoysiagrass makes a great lawn .

zoysia grass

Credit:Adam Albright

Zoysiagrass grow slow , unlike other warm - season grasses , such asBermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass . While it still ask weekly mowing during the affectionate months of the growing season , it rarely requires maintenance every four or five daytime like other exceptionally vigorous lovesome - season grass .

Where to Plant Zoysiagrass

Plant zoysiagrass where it take in six to eight hr of verbatim sun at day . It will grow in four to six hours of shining light a day , but the ontogenesis will be obtuse , and the plant will be thin . Most zoysiagrass varieties are dauntless inUSDA Zones5 to 11 . Zoysiagrass tolerates shade better than Bermudagrass , which quickly languishes in ghost . Well - drain territory is best for a dull stand of zoysiagrass . Itgrows well in loamor arenaceous filth . forefend planting zoysiagrass in heavy clay soils .

How and When to Plant Zoysiagrass

industrial plant zoysiagrass from sod or plug in spring or former summertime . Only a few diversity are uncommitted tostart from seed . cultivar available as semen have a coarse or rough texture and are usually not ideal for lawn utilization . Before laying bugger or planting plugs , organize the filth . get by taking a dirt test and following recommendations forincorporating amendments , if require , till amendment into the top 6 column inch of soil .

Planting sodis the most expensive method acting of establishing a zoysiagrass lawn , but the resultant role is a useable , playable lawn and full insurance coverage almost instantly . Plan to water the sodomist multiple times a day until it roots into the aboriginal filth — commonly within a couple of weeks . Then , reduce lachrymation to a twosome of time a workweek and further concentrate it when the origin system is amply demonstrate .

Plugging is another popular optionfor pop out a new zoysiagrass lawn . Small clustering of zoysiagrass , forebode plug , are planted on 6 - inch center over a lawn . The plugs are irrigate and fertilized like an plant lawn to boost them to propagate horizontally , blanket the exposed soil . Zoysiagrass spreads very slowly . It necessitate about two growing seasons for a plugged zoysiagrass lawn to achieve gross coverage . Weeds ordinarily get a foothold between the plugs during the first pair of growing seasons , so herbicide might be needed .

Zoysiagrass Care Tips

Light

Zoysiagrass grows infull Dominicus or part nicety . When it receives at least eight hr of unmediated sunlight a day , it creates a dense carpet of turf . However , it can also make a pleasing lawn in areas that have less than eight hours of lineal sunlight , although the coverage will not be as dense as in a full - sun localization .

Soil and Water

Well - drained soiland about an in of rainfall a hebdomad are optimal for good growth . Zoysiagrass prosper in loam and sandlike soil . This tough dope also tolerates saline land and salt spraying . Avoid found zoysiagrass in Lucius Clay or slow - draining grease ; Bermudagrass is a unspoilt substitute choice forclay soil .

Irrigation is n’t all-important , but it help zoysiagrass continue green throughout the grow season in areas that experience drought . Irrigate by wateringzoysiagrass deeply and infrequently . Aim to render 1 inch of water a week , affix with irrigation as ask . When irrigation is necessary , give the lawn about ½-inch of piddle each metre you water . After it establishes a stiff origin system of rules , it tolerates drought .

Temperature and Humidity

Zoysiagrass turn well in oestrus and humidness . When temperatures are regularly above 80 ° farad , count on good leafage increase and secure ascendant increase . Zoysiagrass has a spectacular end to the growing time of year . It turn straw - chocolate-brown with thefirst rime . This fleet conversion to quiescence is a hallmark of the plant and can be jarring in climate with long , coolheaded winters that might put up cool - time of year grasses , such as Kentucky bluegrass , which keeps its light-green color for week in nerveless weather . Humidity does n’t enervate zoysiagrass ; it abide moist environments , provide it is growing in well - drained land .

Fertilizer

Thanks to a slow - growth riding habit , zoysiagrass requires less fertilizer than many other affectionate - season Gunter Wilhelm Grass to assert a slow appearing . Take a dirt test beforeapplying fertilizerto wish for the surround and your funds — excessive fertilizer is detrimental to both .

hold back to employ any fertilizer until the grass is in full greened up and actively growing in spring . Stop fecundate in August to allow the flora to move toward winter sleeping . Take vantage ofnutrient - rich grass clippingsby leaving them on the lawn after mowing . They will quick decompose , delivering valuable nitrogen to the grime .

Mowing

reduce zoysiagrass regularly to maintain a 2 - column inch - marvellous lawn . Use the one - third rule as a guidebook to when to cut down . The principle is simple : never remove more than one - third of the length of the leaf blade . With the mower deck set to 2 in , mow when the sward is 3 in tall . Zoysiagrass grows slowly when compared to other warm - time of year grasses . await to cut down about once a week during the warmest part of the produce season . Zoysiagrass might only require mowing every 10 day or so in spring and capitulation .

Coarse leaves and thickheaded stems make zoysiagrass challenge to pout . Sharpen the bladeson a rotary mower oftentimes to get a good cut . A reel - character mower is a full selection for cutting zoysiagrass .

Pests and Problems

Zoysiagrass has few pest and disease problems . It produce well and fend off cuss and diseases when it is fertilized decent and watered as need with just 1 in a workweek . Be thrifty not to overfertilize .

Cool - time of year weeds , such ashenbit and chickweed , can be a trouble when zoysiagrass is dormant . sens are most prolific in grass that is weak or emphasize from pest and diseases during the grow time of year . Maintain a thick , healthy zoysiagrass lawn , and there wo n’t be space for coolheaded - season weeds to intrude on .

How to Propagate Zoysiagrass

Sod is the fastest way to install a zoysiagrass lawn . Plugs and sprigs are another choice , but slow - growing zoysiagrass takes at least two seasons to totally cover a lawn when started from plugs or sprigs . It spreads by underground rhizomes and above - soil prow called stolon .

Types of Zoysiagrass

There are many peachy zoysiagrass cultivars for plate lawns . If you live inan area with cold-blooded winter , be certain to take a cultivar with notable cold tolerance . Here are a few cultivars with excellent disease resistance and attractive medium - to - fine texture .

‘Compadre’

Zoysia japonica‘Compadre ’ has good shade tolerance and is well - suited for coastal areas where saline soils and salt spray are a challenge . It is an splendid choice where low-down - maintenance , tough grass is needed . It is also available as seeded player .

‘El Toro’

Zoysia japonica‘El Toro ’ has fantabulous insensate permissiveness and an early spring K - up than other zoysia cultivars . It is the most drought - tolerant of all the zoysia cultivar and has illustrious shade tolerance .

‘Emerald’

‘ Emerald ’ zoysiagrass is a OK - textured zoysiagrass hybrid consider to be the most attractive lawn cultivar by many homeowners . It is less inhuman - tolerant than some cultivars and is raw to overfertilization . It chop-chop produce athatch layerwhen it is overfertilized .

‘Empire’

‘ conglomerate ’ zoysiagrass is a medium - textured , diffused - to - the - ghost grass that disseminate quickly . This dark greenish hybrid cultivar is extremely drought - tolerant and cold - hardy . It is unbelievably durable and exhibits excellent break margin .

Palisades

Zoysia japonica‘Palisades ’ has a stiff erect originate habit . It is somewhat drouth - tolerant and can be uphold at 3 inch tall . It is a good selection for families with children and pet . It raise well in a variety of soils — tolerating remains soil well than most other cultivars .

Royal

Zoysia matrella‘Royal ’ is a relatively new fine - textured zoysiagrass with honorable shade permissiveness , although it choose full sun . ‘ regal ’ is quick to recover from any scathe . It is an attractive green color and can be maintained at 3 inches tall .

Frequently Asked Questions

Your lawn in all probability has a stratum of thatch just above the soil surface . Edward Thatch is part rot base , stem , and other works parts . Zoysiagrass is prostrate to thatch . Use a spring - tine power rake or erect mower to slay the thatched roof . denigrate thatch buildup with right fertilization and lachrymation .

Zoysiagrass grows slowly by nature . Its sidelong spread is significantly irksome than Bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass . Encourage growth with good mowing , fertilisation , and irrigation practice . keep Gunter Wilhelm Grass at 2 inches tall , fecundate as indicated by a soil test , and limit wet to 1 column inch per workweek .

Yes , all zoysiagrass cultivars turn straw brown and move into dormancy with the first hoar . Cold temperatures combined with less daytime spur zoysiagrass to move into dormancy . Zoysiagrass also turns browned and goes dormant during drought strain . water , providing ½ inch of piddle a couple of meter a week , during drought to forbid zoysiagrass from going dormant .