The Grass Is Always Greener When It’s Zoysia, But It Does Take Some Effort On Your Part To Maintain Its Beauty As Your Lawn
If you’re seeking the perfect cover for your landscape, zoysia grass will do the job–and do it well, too.
This grass type is resilient, adaptable, and luxurious, withstanding elements that would kill most grasses, such as heat, drought, and heavy foot traffic.
You may have seen it planted on golf courses, outdoor sports areas, and parks.
It does take some effort on your part to maintain the beauty of a zoysia lawn. But if you’re ready to have a thick, green lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about caring for zoysia.
Zoysia is a dense, warm-season grass that thrives in California and the southern half of the United States.
This means it grows as a bright emerald green color during spring, summer, and autumn, then turns brown in the winter.
It can also survive in areas that don’t receive a lot of direct sunlight. So, if you have a shaded yard, zoysia is an excellent option that still allows you to have a lush, green lawn.
The trickiest part of zoysia lawn care is getting it started. Zoysia lawns are most commonly established by using sod. They can take up to two seasons to produce that dense carpet of grass we all know and love.
Zoysia tolerates a wide variety of soil types, even acidic ones. The only major requirement is that it drains well. The grass grows best when it receives one inch of water per week.
Dariusz Jarzabek – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Try to water early in the morning to lower the risk of fungal disease and so the grass can dry quickly. Once your lawn has been established, then you can ease up on the watering if you’d like.
To determine how much fertilizer your turf needs, have a soil test performed. Soil tests measure nutrient levels. You can take a sample and submit it to a soil testing lab for analysis.
There are also DIY home methods you can utilize for testing, but they do not produce results that are as accurate.
Typically, zoysia requires two to five fertilizations during the growing season, which equates to two to four pounds of nitrogen per one thousand square feet of turf.
Over-fertilizing can cause a layer of decomposing stems and roots to develop. Raking can help break it up if this does occur.
Finally, mow zoysia grass frequently to maintain the optimal height of one to two inches.
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