Looking for feedback comments on Zoysia grass?

ejtaylor822 · Apr 25, 2006

Anyone out there have any comments or suggestions for zoysia grass?

Have been considering getting some plugs for some rough areas around the side and back of the house. Front yard and one side I am happy with, but, the back and other side yards need some work. Past couple of falls I spend most of my time on the front yard (about 2 acres) dethatching, overseeding, etc. By the time I get it done the season is passed for the rest.

Past weekend I ordered a few plugs to experiment with. Anyone have any experience with this stuff? Any recommendation for planting? Going to follow the recommendation of sqft per plug. The areas where it will be planted is pretty much "medium" clay soil surrounded by trees. Probably medium to full sun.

Any tips, suggestions or ideas are welcome and appreciated - including if I have wasted my money.

Thanks,
Eddie

billbill1 · Apr 25, 2006

I bought some years ago and didn't have the time to properly plant it when it arrived. I planted it all in one big area without separating the plugs. It spread like mad after it got growing. A friend planted it and it was trying to grow across a narrow sidwalk. It greens up later in the spring and went dormate earlier than fescue, it gets like a very thick carpet of grass when it takes off, comforatable to walk on barefooted. I'm thinking of trying to get somemore. I liked it.

jeffinsgf · Apr 25, 2006

There are now seeded varieties of Zoysia, which are easier to establish than plugs. I planted my front yard with Zoysia "Companion" from Seed Research of Oregon last summer. Very pleased so far. Earlier green up and stays green later in the fall than other Zoysia varieties.

automech · Apr 25, 2006

I had a lot of it at my old house, and quite a bit at our new house but lost some at the new house with a giant septic install. It grows in super thick and chokes out most competition. I definatetly know when I drive the mowers into it though. Takes more horses to cut thru it when it's growing good. I cut plugs with a homemade cutter, like what golf courses use to make their greens holes with, and spread it where i want it. It does great in the sun. It will send it's feelers into mulched areas and grow there too if you let it.

Panache · Apr 26, 2006

I would recomend one of the bermudas over Zoysia. Very similar but the bermuda covers faster and is more resistant to most lawn chemicals except fusilade.

BlueRidge · Apr 28, 2006

( It will send it's feelers into mulched areas and grow there too if you let it. )

Will it stay out of my gravel driveway? Or will it become The Grass From A Really Unpleasant Place as it tries to go everywhere? How do you keep it where you want it?

How well does it do under trees?

BigDamnFool · Apr 29, 2006

The front yard of my house has a Zoysia and I really love it. It chokes out any weeds that it may get, Don't have to mow it very often and I have never had to water it. The only things I don't like about it are, It takes over into planting beds if you don't keep on it, and it greens up a little late and goes dormant a little sooner than I'd like. But I live in Michigan, The climate in NC might be a bit more tolerant of it's growth cycle. While all my neighbors are mowing their Blue grass mix right now, I still have a straw yellow colored front lawn that wont need mowing until June. And when everybodys grass is heat stressed and burned up in August, I have a beautiful <font color="green"> green </font> lawn. Just my opinion, Hope it helps.

Tiny

ejtaylor822 · Apr 29, 2006

Hey guys, thanks for all the feedback. Sounds like this may work pretty good for me. Have some concerns about the "creeping" as this will be right up against mulched areas and woods that I have been clearing out.

BlueRidge, not sure of your questions, but, here is where I got the grass from: Zoysia farms. This should answer some of your questions, but, it's a sales pitch. Hopefully someone here can answer with real life experiences.

I was hoping the plugs/sod would be here this week so I could plant today. But, it's just as well. Sure is a beautiful day here in NC. Hate to waste a pretty Saturday working /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif may need to go entertain the fish a while before I start the chores /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif. When the grass does get here I will get some before/after pics.

Thanks again for the feedback.

BlueRidge · Apr 29, 2006

Thanks for the link, ej. I'm still hoping for more of that real-life experience. I really like learning from other people's experiments rather than my own! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif