The Grass Doctor

How do I get Zoysia grass established in my lawn?

Does anyone know what my soil must have (i.e. amount of lime, nitrogen, etc.) for Zoysia grass to flourish? Is Zoysia best tropical grass or is there a better more easier to maintain running type grass for my rocky dry soil?

Public Comments

1. Zoysia is horrible ugly in the spring. You will be looking at straw colored fluff while your neighbors are enjoying their greened up lawns, except of course for the straggly brown parts that escaped from YOUR yard. Think twice.
2. But in the summer when your neighbor is fighting with weeds and keeping from going dorment from heat, you will not have to worry. The most economical way get zoysia is to use plugs. These pieces of zoysia grass including roots (pretty much like sod, but in smaller chunks). In spring use a ferilizer without nitorgen or phospherus. Get a blend with only potassium, for root growth. Summer a standard fertilizer is ok. Fall again, use of nitorgen is useless. Nitrogen is to enhance color and at that point you will not need. Zoysia also needs lots of sun...I would say 90% of day. To get good blend, put Kentucky blue in shaded areas. They have similar color and blade lenght/width. You can expect zoysia to start greening Late April and early may. Remember to dethatch (or burn early spring) often. Zoysia does not just turn green, it grows a new crown every year.