Zoysia grass is a dense, lush, bright green turf that grows easily across much of the Central and Southern United States. This low-maintenance turf is popular as a home lawn option but is also frequently found on golf courses across the warmer states.
Like other warm-season grasses, Zoysia grows best in the spring and summer. This turf prefers full sunlight but tolerates light shade.
During the growing season, blades of zoysia grass are light to medium green in color and range from thin and fine to a more medium width in size. As it goes dormant in the winter, the grass will turn brown but it stays green longer than many other warm-season turfs.
While zoysia lawns are slower to establish from seed than some other grasses, once the roots take hold it creates a thick carpet of turf in your lawn. Zoysia can also be grown from plugs or sod. Once established, Zoysia spreads and fills in bare spots in a lawn using two mechanisms—by growing above-ground stems called stolons, and underground shoots called rhizomes.
Zoysia grass does not require a great deal of water, which helps it defend against drought conditions more easily than other grasses. Zoysia needs one inch of water per week from rainfall or irrigation. Because it retains moisture well, watering zoysia grass in the morning allows the turf time to dry during the heat of the day, reducing the risk of fungus growth.
You should mow your zoysia grass lawn on a schedule that allows you to keep the blades between 1 and 3 inches tall. Zoysia grows relatively slowly but can grow faster in ideal conditions. Because of this potential for change, the timing between mowing may shift through the season.
Fertilizing your lawn can help keep your turf healthy and strong. Check your soil with an at-home soil test kit to determine which nutrients your lawn needs before you select a fertilizer. Zoysia requires 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year. You should fertilize your zoysia lawn starting in the spring after the last frost, every 6 to 8 weeks during the growing season through early fall.
Zoysia lawns can become dense and compacted over time. Dethatching and aerating will help the soil breathe and the grass roots receive nutrients. For good zoysia grass health, aerate your lawn soon after the last freeze of the spring.
Thicker turfs like Zoysia will also naturally crowd out many other competing weeds in a lawn but weeds can always find their way into any grassy area.
To combat these potential invading weeds, apply a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring after the last frost to prevent weeds from germinating. Follow up with a post-emergent herbicide, or weed killer, for any weeds that do grow during the spring and summer. You can also apply a pre-emergent herbicide application in the fall before the weather cools and the ground freezes.
The density of zoysia grass helps fight weeds but offers a rich target for lawn diseases such as brown patch and dollar spot. Applying a preventative fungicide that’s labeled for use in zoysia grass will help control potential fungal diseases in your lawn.
The warmer climates where zoysia is often found also allow lawn pests like mole crickets and grubs to thrive. If you see evidence of these pests around your lawn, applying an insecticide labeled for use on the pest you’ve identified can provide control of an active infestation or prevent new pests from appearing.
When applying fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, pest control, or other lawn care products, make sure the product you select is compatible with zoysia grass before use and follow all label instructions.
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