CARING FOR ZOYSIA

Jamur Zoysia is a very attractive southern grass that produces a soft thin blade. Although slower growing than St. Augustine a healthy Zoysia lawn can be very dense and require frequent mowings for peak aesthetics.

In the next few paragraphs I will describe my method of caring for Zoysia, if you want the cliff notes version feel free to skip ahead to the "To Do List". At the end of this document I have attached pictures of products mentioned.

Before applying any chemicals to your lawn you should measure your lawn to ensure you are applying the correct amount. The average lawn size is 8,000-10,000 sqft, after measuring your lawn select the correct product for the size of your lawn to get the most out of the chemicals you apply.

ZOYSIA ANNUAL MAINTENANCE CALENDAR

Valentine's Day - Around Valentine's day you should apply a quality pre-emergent herbicide to prevent spring weeds like crabgrass. The pre-emergent must be applied before the weeds have a chance to germinate. Keep in mind a pre-emergent herbicide will do nothing for existing weeds. The only unwanted weeds I have experienced are crabgrass and nutsedge, I have found that both require manual pulling at the root to get rid of.

1st Mow of the Year - Around the end of March or early April your lawn will start to green up and will be ready for the first mow. To get rid of the old dead grass called thatch you should lower the mower deck by 1 or 2 settings from the normal mowing height so that the bottom of the mower deck is at or slightly below 2.5" from the ground. You want to mow the lawn as low as possible without scalping it. If you do not lower the mow height to remove thatch it will become a problem after 3-4 years and you will need to power rake your lawn to remove the thatch. Bagging the clippings from the first mow is recommended but not required.

After the 2nd Mow of the Year - Around April 15th after you've completed the 2nd mowing you will want to apply a weed and feed to help the lawn green up and kill any existing weeds. Because most herbicides work by contact you will want to apply the weed and feed in the morning when the lawn is damp for maximum effectiveness. At this point your lawn will start to green up and you will likely need to start mowing every 7-10 days (do not remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade in one mow). Sharpening your mower blade every month is recommended to avoid tearing the grass blades which could lead to lawn disease. You may need to raise the mower height by 1 setting from the first mow height (my preference is to keep the mower deck low until after the 2nd fertilizer application in June.

Power Raking - If your lawn develops thatch problems you will notice a lot of thick dead grass near the soil. The thatch will prevent sunlight, nutrients, and oxygen from reaching the grass roots and your lawn will appear unhealthy and yellowish even during peak growing season. You will need to remove the thatch with a device called a power rake. As the name implies it's basically a machine that rakes your lawn and removes dead grass. When used correctly a power rake will not harm your grass but it will make it look terrible for about 2 weeks, then as oxygen and sunlight reach the root system the appearance of your lawn will quickly improve. Removing the thatch not only allows oxygen and sunlight to reach the roots it also allows weed seeds to reach the soil, it is imperative that you apply a pre-emergent immediately after power raking to prevent weeds.

2 months after applying Weed & Feed - Around June 15th your lawn will be ready for the 2nd application of fertilizer. This application should be a high quality straight fertilizer not a weed and feed. At this point your lawn should have minimal weeds and after this application your lawn should be dense and healthy enough to choke out any new weeds. After this application you will need to mow every 4-5 days to maintain peak lawn appearance and you will likely need to raise the mower height (bottom of mower deck should be ~3-3.5" off the ground). My go to fertilizer is Nitro-phos Superturf, one application is sufficient to feed the lawn for the rest of the growing season, if using a product other than Superturf a 3rd fertilizer application may be necessary 2 months after.

Watering - Zoysia grass is fairly drought resistant but to maintain appearance during periods of drought water lawn as needed. Check lawn for "hot spots", water as needed and if possible water in the morning.

Another watering consideration is the watering in of herbicides and fertilizers, almost all pelletized products you apply to the lawn need to be watered in. I cannot overstate how important this is, the timing of when you apply a product is as important as the quality of the product you apply. You should read the instructions for the specific product you are using but in general you want to mow the lawn 2 days before you apply any chemical and the chemical should be applied 1-2 days before a light rain. Visually your application should look like this. (Note, you do not need to mow the lawn prior to applying the pre-emergent)

Improving Soil Quality - You may find that your lawn has areas of low quality soil where the grass does not grow as well. This usually happens under large trees or in areas with too much clay underneath the sod. These areas will be evident by sparse yellowish grass and very hard ground. To improve these areas apply a layer of 50/50 topsoil and peat humus, spread the soil out so that the grass blades are slightly above the new soil and then use a power rake to work the new soil into existing topsoil.

October 15th - You should apply a winterizer to strengthen the root system to promote early green up in Spring.

TO DO LIST

DUE DATE	WHAT	HOW/WHY	RECOMMENDED PRODUCT
Valentine's Day	Apply a Pre-emergent herbicide	Use a broadcast spreader. Needs to be watered in, best if applied before a light rain.	Scotts Crabgrass Preventer
April Fool's Day (1st Mow of the year)	For the first mow of the year use a mower height 1 to 2 settings lower than normal mow height. The bottom of the mower deck should be at or just below 2.5" off the ground	Helps get rid of dead grass called "thatch", excess buildup of thatch prevents oxygen and sunlight from reaching the root system. Bagging clippings recommended	NA
April 15th (After the 2nd Mow of the year)	Apply a weed and feed	Mow lawn 2 days before application. Use a broadcast spreader. Best if applied in the morning when there is dew on the lawn, this will help the herbicide kill existing weeds. Needs to be watered in 1-2 days after application, best if applied 1-2 days before a light rain.	Sta-Green Weed and Feed
June 15th (2 months after applying Weed and Feed)	Apply a straight fertilizer.	Mow lawn 2 days before application. Use a broadcast spreader. Needs to be watered in, best if applied before a light rain.	Best option for a super thick and green lawn: Nitro-Phos Superturf Best pet-friendly organic option: Nitro-Phos Sweet Green
October 15th	Apply a winterizer	Use a broadcast spreader. Needs to be watered in, best if applied before a light rain.	Nitro-Phos Fall Special Fertilizer