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At Green Living Made Easy, we are always on the lookout for products that reduce maintenance, use of toxic chemicals, and provide a better quality of life for homeowners. While Zoysia Grass definitely does meet all of this criteria, there are certain drawbacks you should be produced aware of. We have put together a listing of advantages and disadvantages with the use of this turf and you should use this list to determine if it will work in your area of the country:

Advantages:

Fantastic option for areas with hot summer months as it maintains its green color.

It can be mowed very short without any consequences, ranging between 1/2" to 1-1/4".

Once it is established, it has a very thick, dense turf.

As a outcome of the dense turf, it crowds out weeds and crabgrass.

Very heat stress resistant.

With proper soil management, it will grown in most soil types.

It required very little fertilizer once established.

Disadvantages:

It promptly looses its color upon the first bout with cool weather. This can mean it will become 'straw colored' from about the middle of October to the Middle of May.

The most cost efficient manner of propagation is by means of either plugs or stolons, but this tends to be very labor intensive.

You can grow it from seed but the the seed is very slow to germinate and the texture of the leaves tends to be somewhat course.

It takes a long time to get established. Under ideal circumstances you may acquire complete coverage with plugs or stolons in one growing seasons, but it may take 2 or even 3 seasons for complete dense growth.

Once established, it can become invasive, especially in planting beds.

During dormancy, it can be a fire hazard if not kept away from flammable wood structures.

It will not tolerate shade.

It can sustain a considerable amount of damage due to heavy traffic during its dormant stage.

Northern Climate Varieties:

Even though some varieties for cold weather climates have been developed, such as Zoysia 'Meyer' and Zoysia 'Emerald', and Zoysia Japonica, is is not recommended that any of these grasses be planted in northern climates. Upon the initial arrival of cold weather in the fall, even the cold tolerant varieties will turn yellow. Not many people want a brown lawn from September through May.

A Guide to Establishing This Turf:

It is best planted from about the middle of May though the end of June. If you wish to acquire a full, lush turf in the first growing season, this is your best bet.

Preparation of the Planting Bed: Have the bed well prepared, leveled and free from weeds and weed seed.

Planting with Grass Plugs: If you use seed, be aware of the extremely slow germination rate of the seed, which can be several months. A much better option to the grass seed, may be planting plugs or stolons, but this is much more labor intensive. Sod is an expensive alternative, but you will get an instant lawn in the process.

Plug Planting: If you divide sod into plugs, a 12" x 12" square of sod will yield 36 2" x 2" plugs. Accepted spacing is between 8" and 12" on center throughout the planting area. Match the plug size to the hole size to ensure that the plug has good contact with the surrounding soil. Plant the plugs in such a way as to have the top of the plug slightly above the surrounding soil level.

Some of the Problems:

Thatch: While you may have less mowing to deal with, it does have a tendency to have a thatch problem. You have to stay on top of this issue, which can be very labor intensive. One way to minimize thatch build-up is through the regular aeration of the turf.

Invasive: This is a very invasive grass. It can be very difficult to eradicate when it spreads beyond its boundaries, such as you planting beds or neighbors lawn.

Shade: If you wish to add a shady area to your turf area, do not plan on Zoysia Grass filling in that responsibility. It will die out or not even fill-in in shady areas.

Damage Recovery Time: If you develop damaged areas in your turf, the recovery time will be quite long due to its slow growing character.

Fertilizing Techniques:

One of the many benefits of this turf, is that once it is established, it is relatively maintenance free. Minimized mowing and fertilization is required. Follow these fertilizer application recommendations to keep your turf in great looking condition.

Place a slow release, high nitrogen fertilizer in the spring, just as the grass in emerging from its dormant state.

After waiting 8 weeks, determine if a subsequent application is required.

In the fall you can employ a winter fertilizer, which will reduce over-winter stress on the grass during dormancy.

Although it is possible to grow Zoysia Grass in cold climates and it will survive, it is predominantly a warm weather grass and has fewer problems when grown in a more temperate climate.

Article Source: GardenGap.com

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If you found the information in this article useful, you can get additional information by visiting Zoysia Grass. Also, more information can be obtained at Facts about Zoysia Grass.