Zoysia Grass
- Thread starter huntr1
- Start date
Bogart
New Member
My tall fescue is surrounded by it in all the neighbors yards. When it comes in good it is like a thick green carpet, actually even hard to mow. Thick brown carpet in the winter like you said. Looks patchy during the change-overs. They all seem to like it but my grass looks much better in the off-season.
huntr1
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Stole this from American-lawns.comRailroad said:
Getting rid of Zoysiagrass from your cool season lawn
Whether you, a previous owner installed it, or a neighbor has it in their yard and it is now making it's way across your lawn, you know how unsightly Zoysiagrass can be in cooler areas of the country. Long before winter sets in, Zoysiagrass has already turned a straw-brown and remains that way long after the cool season grass has turned a lush green.
If you live where cool season grasses are the norm and have Zoysiagrass in your lawn and you want to get rid of it, here's a few tips that might help. But be warned, it's not pretty or easy.
In late summer, typically around early August, you have to begin the process. It requires killing the entire lawn with a non-selective herbicide. You have to be careful with this as it will kill desirable plants as well. Spray on a calm day, and FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. Apply the herbicide evenly and consistently so you don't miss any spots.
This step one should turn everything into a straw brown. Once it has died back, mow the dead lawn as low as possible (1/2" if possible). Wait for 2-3 weeks. Zoysiagrass will begin reemerging. Wait another week and reapply the herbicide again to any of the new growth. Wait another two weeks and again reapply the herbicide if you see any new growth.
After going through the herbicide and wait process 3 times, it is now time to begin the renovation process. You don't need to remove the dead grass. Leave it in place. If you have compacted soil, aerate heavily. Then re-seed and follow label directions on the seed.
If you don't have compacted soil, you can use a slit-seeder that cuts small slits in the soils surface and drops the seed into place. Run it left to right once and then top to bottom.
Another option is to remove the sod with a sod cutter. Include a small layer of top soil if possible. This will work for either small or large areas. Once the sod is removed, wait several weeks to make sure no new seedlings emerge. If they do, use high strength Roundup. After the 2 weeks, either reinstall new sod, or add top soil and till in with existing top soil. Re-seed.
If after reading this, you've decided to live with the Zoysia and all of it's nasty habits, you can always hire a professional to do the job for you. Pros have a lot of experience renovating lawns and can handle just about any problem that arises. By the end of October, you should have a beautiful lawn that will only improve next season and the season after.
I plugged it in 14 years ago and can list tons of pros and cons. In my opinion those instructions on getting rid of it would be a waste of time and chemicals the stuff is indistructable. It sends roots up to 2-3 foot deep and will even grow into red clay. I've back filled around some areas burying it up to 2 foot and it has grown right back up through the dirt and re-established itself. The only place it won't grow is in real shady areas, if its in full sun it will take over. It will also grow right through asphalt, during the summer I've got to edge it off of the blacktop and apply Ground clear (Triox) to stop it from eating it. It grows from root runners and crawlers along the surface, these are like drill bits and will pentatrate almost anything thats in its way. Right now its showing green but hasn't really started to take off and in Oct it will look the same as it does now, I see that as less work through the year. With 1.5 acres of grass on rolling uneven ground less maintenance is a good thing. I only feed it once a year, no watering and absolutely no chemicals! Z kicks azz. Fescue has a brief dormancy in the heat of summer and higher maintenance factor but it does the job in the shady areas. When all other grasses are getting stunted by the heat zoyzia is rolling and at its peak.
I've tried just about all grasses to see what they would do around here (Charles Co.) "centepede" seems to be doing real well also and is a little more shade tolerant. In a couple of full sun areas where the centipede has went head to head with the Zoyzia the centiseed has won and dominates the area. It also is a spreader and puts out massive runners it seems like in a overnite period. Some runners have shot out 4-5 before they stopped and started putting down roots about every 4 inches. Its been growing about the past 8 years so its survived through a couple decent cold snaps. Its a bigger grass with broad leaves. Both of them like a mid summer scalping, they really take off then. Come fall and winter the whole mass goes brown but I don't care I can scalp the ground down as low as possible with the cub, put it away for the winter and all the leaves can blow into the neighbors yard cause there isn't anything on the ground to catch and hold them...
I've tried just about all grasses to see what they would do around here (Charles Co.) "centepede" seems to be doing real well also and is a little more shade tolerant. In a couple of full sun areas where the centipede has went head to head with the Zoyzia the centiseed has won and dominates the area. It also is a spreader and puts out massive runners it seems like in a overnite period. Some runners have shot out 4-5 before they stopped and started putting down roots about every 4 inches. Its been growing about the past 8 years so its survived through a couple decent cold snaps. Its a bigger grass with broad leaves. Both of them like a mid summer scalping, they really take off then. Come fall and winter the whole mass goes brown but I don't care I can scalp the ground down as low as possible with the cub, put it away for the winter and all the leaves can blow into the neighbors yard cause there isn't anything on the ground to catch and hold them...
huntr1
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My only concern is the backyard. I have mature trees back there. Widely spaced, but still give pretty good coverage. Entire yard gets atleast some direct sunlight though. I think I will give it a chance. Worst case scenario, it's not any more $$ than the grass seed I keep putting down every year that washes away every time it rains.
They say April and August are the months you are suppose to plug Z. When I'm re doing a zone I just cut of a couple patches thats been established elsewhere, chop it all up and till in into the ground a couple inches, all the root mass will re-generate and start growing but if you are not planning on digging the area up than you will need to plug it and that is a royal #####. The cheap azz stomp on plugger you get when you order won't last. I made one out of 2" steel pipe I cut down and welded on a rod, heavy but stands up to wear and tear you'll think of something.
huntr1
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So you are saying that you till the "plug" material into the ground just as you would a bag of compost added to the garden? I have a tiller, and was thinking of using it to break up the ground in the high-need areas and plug like every 3-4". Wherever I plug, I will water first to soften the soil. Front yard can be concrete hard when dry.
Yes, I first work the ground up good and soft down 5-6 inches then chop up the chunks of Z into scrap pieces scatter them all over the area then go back and till down 2-3 inches. Then I overseed with some cheap seed to come up quickly and hold the mess together while the z establishes itself then it will take over. Rye or fescue works and its rather cheap
huntr1
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You're welcome.Railroad said:
Probably gonna order my plugs this week.
Going to a landscaping auction on Saturday, and depending on what I buy there, I will be ordering a bunch of boxwood "plugs" (6" tall bushes) to line my driveway with (don't care that they will be tiny to start with, they'll get big soon enough, and it's only $13.00 +/- for 6 of them) and 100 4"-8" privet plants to line the fence next to the stormwater pond (eventually they will grow together and form a solid hedge 12'-15' high to screen my house from the pond). Buddy of mine gave me 6 LARGE azaleas last night, gonna plant them in the treeline seperating my property from my neighbor's driveway.
In other words, I've got A LOT of planting in my future.