How to Care for Zoyzia Grass

Zoysia is a hardy, fast-growing, warm-season grass preferred by many homeowners in the South. The tough grass is suitable for golf courses, athletic fields and other high-traffic areas. When established, the grass competes and crowds out common weeds and thrives on minimal care and attention as compared to other turf grasses. Although a preferred choice for the summer, the grass goes into dormancy immediately after the first light frost and remains brown until spring green-up.

Things You'll Need

• High-nitrogen fertilizer
• Soil pH testing kit
• Lime
• Power rake or dethatcher
• Pre-emergent herbicide
• Insecticide
• Fungicide

Instructions

1. Irrigate the grass every 10 days to two weeks to a depth of 2 to 4 inches. The drought-tolerant grass withstands long periods of dry weather and requires less water than other grasses. Despite infrequent watering, it still remains green during the summer. Always water the grass early in the morning to prevent it from contracting fungal diseases.

2. Mow the grass down to a height of 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches. Allowing the grass to grow any taller causes it to bend over. Use a manual or powered lawn mower set at a height of 1 1/2 inches for areas exposed to full sun and 2 1/2 inches for those exposed to shade.

3. Fertilize established zoysia grass lawns with 2 lb. of 3-1-1 or 4-1-1 fertilizer for every 1,000 square feet from May to August. Test the pH level of the soil prior to application to determine other deficiencies. Zoysia thrives in pH between 6 and 6.5. Add lime to increase pH of soils that are less than 6. Avoid applying fertilizer in the winter as the grass goes into dormancy and excessive nitrogen can cause it to burn.

4. Remove accumulated thatch every other year or when it becomes thicker than 1/2 inch, preferably in late winter or just before spring green-up. Use a dethatcher or power rake to remove debris and thatch at the base of the grass, thus allowing sunlight, moisture and nutrients to reach the roots.

5. Inspect the grass for competing winter weeds that occur when zoysia grass is dormant. Although the grass is extremely competitive during summer months, henbit, chickweed and other annuals invade the dormant turf or lawns damaged by insects. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring to prevent grassy weeds from sprouting.

6. Inspect the grass for damaging pests such as grubs and nematodes. Fumigate the soil and add plenty of organic matter to prevent nematodes that thrive in dry, sandy soils. If grub infestation exceeds five per square foot, apply an appropriate insecticide to prevent the problem from getting out of hand.

7. Inspect the grass for symptoms of brown patch disease (dead patches that grow up to 3 feet wide or feature a brown ring with green grass inside), dollar spot (lesions on patches of grass) and rust (orange dusting on grass). Apply an appropriate fungicide to treat the particular disease and maintain a proper watering, fertilizing and mowing schedule to prevent the disease from occurring again.

References

• University of Missouri Extension: Establishment and Care of Zoysia Lawns
• Seedland: Tips For Maintaining Your Zoysia Grass
• Walter Reeves: Zoysiagrass -- Diseases