GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ZOYSIA GRASSES

For Zoysia, warm temperatures, regular watering, and consistent mowing will be all it needs. It may sound like a lot, but it is much less than what other types of grass need to look and be healthy

TRANSPLANT SHOCK & HEAT STRESS

Any brownish/yellow spots on your new lawn are completely normal the first few months after installation.

Hand watering these areas with a hose in addition to running your sprinklers will help to alleviate this.

Any areas near stone/bricks, driveways, sidewalks, patios, stone mailboxes etc. will hold heat longer meaning these areas will need to be hand watered to prevent heat stress.

WEAK OR THINNING AREAS IN THE LAWN

St. Augustine & Zoysia are both shade tolerant grasses but if there is too much dense shade the grass will begin to weaken/thin in some areas.

Evaluate if you have a large tree canopy causing deep shade in this area and consider trimming the tree to let in more sunlight.

Additionally, you can get an over the counter soil drench called “Garrett Juice Plus” by Medina on Amazon and will help the lawn fill in these areas. (please be sure to apply the recommended amounts)

MAINTENANCE

(Suggested but not limited too)

In Spring and Summer, mow height can be .5″-2” ….1 ½ is ideal. In partial shade areas you can keep it a little taller-adjust as needed. Shorter heights require regular and more frequent mowing. Do not scalp. Never remove more than 1/3 of leaf blade in any single mowing. In Fall and Winter, mow every 10-14 days. Once established, your lawn should be fertilized routinely to keep it dark and growing strong. For a very thick, highly maintained lawn, fertilize with 3-4 lbs of Nitrogen per 1,000 sq.ft. per year. If you want a lush lawn, but without the high maintenance, 1 1/2 to 3 lbs of Nitrogen per 1,000 sq.ft. per year works well.

Consult your local nursery, Home Depot or Lowe’s lawn and garden department for recommendations

WATERING AND WEED CONTROL

(Adjust as needed based on your lawn and weather conditions)

Day 1: Right after installation you will do a one-time 30-40 minute (or longer depending on yard size) deep soak of the complete installation areas. For the next 2 weeks water twice per day AM (7am-9am) and in the evening 6pm-7pm) for 10 minutes-adjust as needed. Second 2 weeks water once per day morning or evening whichever you prefer for 10 minutes-adjust as needed..

Note: During the first 30-days walk and inspect your yard to see if it is getting enough water. You can increase the watering time if needed or you can hand water any dry spots or around the edge of the yard.

Regular watering: In general, you need about one inch of water per week (either via irrigation or rainfall). You may also need to take site conditions into account. High wind areas, for instance, may require more water due to faster evaporation

The absolute best time to water your lawn is the early morning, before 10 a.m., Watering in the morning keeps the turf cooler during the hottest parts of the day, which means less stress on the grass.

On average, it will take 30 minutes to get a half inch of water. So, 10 minutes per zone, three times per week will give a lawn about an inch of water.

Note: It's okay to water your lawn after you mow (but you probably shouldn't water before you mow). Realistically, as long as you're watering and mowing at all, you're doing better than most

WEED CONTROL:

The best form of weed control is a healthy, dense, actively growing lawn. To control crabgrass and other grassy weeds, apply pre emergent herbicides (which control weeds before they sprout from the ground) in the spring when the soil temperature reaches 65 ºF. Apply post emergent herbicides (which control weeds that have already sprouted) when weeds are present in established yards where the grass is healthy and actively

Special Note: For newly installed sod turf allow 60-days before applying a pre/or post emergent if weeds are beginning to bloom. New sod grass has been fertilized and treated at the sod farm as part of the growing process. Check with your local nursery or lawn and garden department at Home Depot or Lowes for recommendations.

You can also find useful information about yard care and techniques on YouTube

MOWING HEIGHT

An established Zoysia lawn should be mowed every week during the growing season with optimum mowing height of .5 to 2 inches with a rotary mower-You can play around with the mowing heights in this range to see what you like best. In partial shade, mow zoysia grass at 2” or adjust as needed. Note: It is suggested that you bag the clippings after each mowing to help prevent/slowdown thatch build up. If you choose not to bag your clippings you should thatch your yard thatch will build up.

Consider dethatching zoysia grass when the thatch layer is greater than 1 inch. This turfgrass species normally produces a hefty thatch layer, so a little thicker thatch than for other turfgrass species is acceptable. For best results, use a de-thatcher with a 2- or 3-inch blade spacing set a ¼-inch depth.

Pet Waste Management: Always pick up pest waste as soon as possible. Frequently hand water the spot/areas your pet pees to dilute the urine to prevent burning

FERTILIZER OPTIONS

Best Times For Fertilizing: Early Spring, Perhaps Again Late Spring, and Fall

Scotts Green Max Lawn Food 27-0-2

Scotts Turf Builder Bonus S 29-0-10.

Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food 32-0-4.

Scotts Turf Builder Starter Food for New Grass 24-25-4.

Note: Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed 1 should not be applied to Zoysia lawns as it could cause discoloration.