Things You'll Need:
- Lawn mower
- Sprinklers
- Empty coffee can or small plastic container
- Metal or wooden 12-inch ruler
- Fertilizer
- Pre-emergent weed controller
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Step 1
Mow your zoysia lawn to a height of between 1 and 2 inches. If you water and fertilize your lawn regularly, mow it once or twice a week; if you don't, then you can get by with mowing it every seven to 14 days.
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Step 2
Give your zoysia an inch of water per week. To determine how much water the grass is getting, put an empty coffee can or small plastic container in an inconspicuous spot on the lawn, where it will collect water from the sprinklers. Each time you water, measure and record the amount of fluid in the container with a ruler. Adjust how much and frequently you water throughout the week accordingly.
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Step 3
Increase watering if the leaves of the grass start to curl up.
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Step 4
Fertilize and treat your lawn with pre-emergent weed controller. In the early spring, apply fertilizer and weed controller specifically designed for zoysia according to the package directions. Ask your local nursery personnel to recommend products that will work best on your lawn.
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Step 5
Apply 2 to 4 pounds of 16-4-8 plus iron fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn in both the late spring and early summer. In the fall, apply 2 to 4 pounds of 5-10-15 fertilizer plus iron per 1,000 square feet of lawn and treat with pre-emergent weed controller to discourage weeds from coming up again in the spring. Space all your applications out by at least 60 days.
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Step 6
Remove thatch from the lawn. Every other year in the late winter, just before the grass starts to green out again, remove thatch from the lawn with a motorized thatch remover. Discard the thatch.
