Zoysia Grass

[krichardson]

I've seen ads in Home Improvement magazines for zoysia grass and how it requires virtually no care (watering and mowing) and is just virtually greatness. They said that Meyer Zoysia Grass was created by the US Government and the US Golf Association.

Anyone have experience or an informed opinion about Zoysia? They're selling 1" plugs in the magazine

[jeffpcox]

This is from Howards Website posted today under the Dallas Morning New Section.. funny you asked today and he answered today in the paper..


Q. Saw an ad for zoysia that made it wound hard to believe. Is zoysia a grass you would recommend for North Texas? – A.A, Dallas

A. Zoysia should only be purchased from local growers and retail suppliers. It shouldn't be planted any way but solid sod. Any other method (sprigs or spot sod) will give you a weedy mess. Zoysia is a beautiful, lush grass that needs little mowing or edging compared to other summer grasses, but it’s a grass to look at rather than use. Because of its slow growth, it does not rebound well from wear and tear. And by the way – you shouldn’t believe those mail order ads.

[/quote]

[krichardson]

Thanks for the info Jeff.

I rarely believe mail-order ads. I think I'll stick with my bermuda...with the organic weed control methods I'm learning I think it'll be a better fit.

[JimKing]

We have Zoysia grass and absolutely love it. It is great in the sun and shade. I have 3 kids and a dog and it does very well. It is very slow growing but recovers for lack of water very quickly. It has not rained in San Antonio in 7 weeks and my yard is green. I did not water the air condition area and it was very brown / dead looking. 48hrs after watering it....greener.

The parts that get AM sun only and no traffic has needed very, very little water. (AC area gets hot afternoon sun)

The only place that was worn thin is at the gate were we all walk and the dog jumps....it is slowly coming back with attention.

MUCH MUCh better the bermuda MUCH

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

JimKing,
What kind of zoysia did you use?

Did you buy sod or plugs?

How long before you thought it was "established?"

What is your soil like?



Just for my $0.02 (and you are definitely getting what you pay for on the subject of zoysia), I see neighborhood zoysia lawns torn out and replaced with St Augustine about once a year. This year I saw two torn out, so that evens out the average from last year when I didn't see any. The ones I've seen torn out seemed to get a fungus that the owners (or their yard people) didn't want to deal with. I believe corn meal would be a simple solution, but the anticipation of the slow refilling of 200 square feet of area can be extremely disheartening to someone who wants a green lawn. Getting the right variety of zoysia for your application seems to make a big difference in the success or failure of the turf.

There is a great stand of zoysia at the San Antonio Zoo between the Komodo dragons and the monkeys (adjacent to the new butterfly house).

[JimKing]

David,
I am not sure what type it is - the sod was put in 2.5 years by the previous owners and per the neighbors it took very easily. However, they put it only in the back yard. The previous owners were so anti-organic, in fact left some weed-n-feed for us. So kind :roll: !

They put one square in the front yard. Since we started watering well and using organic that front spot in one year has grown to 4 x 8. I hope it continues to take over the front.

The back yard has 6 trees, 4 of which are live oaks. The St. Augustine would have problems back there.

I did apply some corn meal last summer after all of the rain.

Our soil is (was) worse than bad. It was rock hard clay with limestone ROCK just inches under the surface with 3 yrs. of twice a year of only weed-n-feed. It also had 30+ fireant condos.

We applied beneficial nemotodes last summer, applied GreenSense fert. twice, and water deep. Things are improving.

Sorry I don't know which type.

?? Last fall I up alot of the leaves very fine and spread them about the yeard. Does this add anything to the soil or was it just a dusty waist of time?

Thanks

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I like to think mulching the leaves into the turf helps. I've been doing it for 10 years - long before I started using organic fertilizer.

The nutrients that make up those leaves come from deep in the soil. When the leaves drop, those nutrients are redeposted on top of the soil to be recycled. If you rake them up and send them to the landfill, you are losing the recycling benefit of the tree. So I think mulching them has to be better than sending them away.

Having said that, I'll tell you I like to look to Mother Nature for guidance in organic gardening. Although Mother Nature likes to leave layers of leaves on the ground, she does not have a mulcher in her animal kingdom. Still I don't have a problem with using mine.

By the description of your soil, it sounds like you live in my neighborhood. Typical of San Antonio, I guess.

[dustoff79]

When I moved to San Antonio, my front yard had been St Augustine but most had died due to the "house selling process" (they did not water). I tore out my St Augustine in the front yard, this was 5 years ago, and replaced with Jamur Zoysia Sod. the cost was not much more than St Augustine. I have not done anything to it since except water and use Medina Soil activator. I mow it high and do not bag. It is a beautiful green in the summer and I like the thicker blade. I wait until it begins to fade and turn before watering. Zoysia will go dormant due to lack of water and late in the winter when it gets cold. It will look dead but greens up really fast. The first year I "Scalped" :oops: the yard as that was what I thought I should do. I now do nothing, and I really like it. I had tried the plugs once back in 1983 through the mail and in colorado springs. I used the plugs in the existing grass. It was slow growing but eventually took over (similar to bermuda). there are many types of Zoysia some grow slower (more expensive) and some faster like Jamur (but not as fast as St Augustine) :oops: .

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

Thanks to Jim and Dustoff. I so rarely see any good reports about zoysia. Maybe we can arrange a San Antonio 'parade of lawns' sometime.