TurfFiles:Zoysiagrass= Lawn Maintenance Calendar (AG-432)

Zoysiagrass=20 Lawn Maintenance Calendar (AG-432)

=20

Art=20 Bruneau
Feb 22, = 2001

Zoysiagrass

March=20 through May
June=20 through August
Septembe= r=20 through November
December= =20 through February
More = About=20 Zoysiagrass
Integr= ated=20 Pest Management
Discl= aimer=20

Lawn=20 Maintenance Calendar

This = calendar of=20 suggested management practices is designed to assist you in the = seasonal=20 care of your lawn. Location, terrain, soil type and condition, age = of the=20 lawn, previous lawn care, and other factors affect turf = performance. For=20 these reasons, tile following management practices and dates = should be=20 adjusted to suit your particular home lawn = conditions.

March through May

Mowing

Mow the lawn when it first turns green = in the=20 spring using a reel mower set at 3/4 to 1 inch or a rotary mower = set as=20 low as possible without scalping the lawn. Mow before the grass = grows=20 taller than 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Recycle nutrients by not collecting = clippings unless they are unsightly or in clumps.

Fertilizing=20

Apply 1/2 pound of nitrogen per = thousand square=20 feet three weeks after the grass turns green. In absence of a soil = test,=20 use a complete (N-P-K) turf-grade fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 = ratio=20 (for example, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8). Submit a soil sample to determine = nutrient requirements, if you haven't already. (Contact your = county=20 Agricultural Extension agent for details.) Apply lime if = suggested.=20

To determine the amount of product = required to=20 apply 1/2 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet, divide 50 by = the=20 first number in the fertilizer ratio. For example, for a 5-5-15=20 fertilizer, divide 50 by 5. The result is 10 pounds of product per = thousand square feet.

Irrigation=20

Water to a soil depth of 4 to 6 inches. = Probe=20 with a screwdriver to determine moisture depth. Zoysiagrass needs = a weekly=20 application of 1 to 1 1/4 inches of water. On sandy soils, it = requires=20 more frequent watering, for example, 1/2 inch of water every third = day. It=20 is often necessary to irrigate an area for three to five hours to = apply 1=20 inch of water. (It takes 620 gallons of water to apply 1 inch of = water per=20 thousand square feet.) Because clay soils accept water slowly, = irrigate=20 these areas until runoff occurs; wait one-half hour until the = water has=20 been absorbed, and then continue irrigating until the desired = depth or=20 amount is obtained. A dark, bluish gray color, footprinting, and = wilted,=20 folded, or curled leaves indicate that it is time to water. Proper = irrigation may prevent or reduce pest problems and environmental = stress=20 later in the summer.

Weed Control=20

Apply preemergence herbicides to = control=20 crabgrass, goosegrass. and foxtail by the time the dogwoods are in = full=20 bloom. Apply postemergence herbicides in May as needed to control = summer=20 annual and perennial broadleaf weeds such as knotweed, spurge, and = lespedeza. Products containing two or three broadleaf herbicides = are=20 usually more effective in controlling several different broadleaf = weeds in=20 a lawn. Be sure the product is labeled for use on zoysiagrass. = Apply only=20 if weeds are present and wait until three weeks after the grass = turns=20 green. (See Agricultural Extension Service publication AG-408, = Pest=20 Control Recommendations for Turfgrass Managers.)

Insect Control

Check for white grubs and control them = if=20 necessary. (See White = Grubs in Turf, ENT/ORT-67, AG-366).

Thatch Removal

Vertically mow after the grass turns = green to=20 remove thatch if it is more than 1/2 inch thick. Do not attempt to = remove=20 too much thatch at one time because zoysiagrass has a slow = recovery rate.=20 It may take several years to get thatch under control. =

Renovation=20

Replant large bare areas using sod or = plugs=20 planted on 6- or 12-inch centers. (See Carolina Lawns, AG-69.) Applying a = preemergence=20 herbicide that does not interfere with root growth after plugging = helps=20 prevent weed encroachment.

Retur= n=20 to Main Index

June through August

Mowing=20

Follow the March-May mowing=20 guidelines

Fertilizing=20

Apply 1/2 pound of nitrogen per = thousand square=20 feet in late June or early July and repeat in mid-August using = March-May=20 fertilizer guidelines.

Irrigation=20

Follow the March-May irrigation = guidelines.=20

Weed Control=20

Apply postemergence herbicides as = needed to=20 control summer annual and perennial broadleaf weeds such as = knotweed,=20 spurge, and lespedeza. Do not apply postemergence herbicides = unless weeds=20 are present, grass is actively growing, and the lawn is not = suffering from=20 drought stress. Crabgrass, goosegrass, dallisgrass, nutsedge, = annual=20 sedges, and sandbur can be controlled with postemergence grass = control=20 herbicides. Two or three applications 7 to 10 days apart are = required for=20 effective control. Zoysiagrasses are sensitive to these compounds = so=20 select the application carefully. (See Agricultural Extension = Service=20 publication Pest Control for Professional Turfgrass = Managers,=20 AG-408.)

Insect Control=20

Follow the March-May insect control = guidelines.=20 August is the best time to control grubs because they are small = and close=20 to the soil surface.

Thatch Removal=20

Vertically mow in June using the = March-May thatch=20 removal guidelines.

Retur= n=20 to Main Index

September through=20 November

Mowing=20

Mow the lawn using the March-May=20 guidelines.

Fertilization=20

Fertilize with 1 pound of potash = (K₂O)=20 using 1.6 pounds of muriate of potash (0-0-60), 2 pounds of = potassium=20 sulfate (0-0-50), or 5 pounds of sul-po-mag (0-0-22) per thousand = square=20 feet.

To determine the amount of product = required to=20 apply 1 pound of potash per thousand feet, divide 100 by the third = number=20 in the fertilizer ratio. For example, for a 6-6-12 fertilizer, = divide 100=20 by 12. The result is 8.3 pounds of product per thousand square = feet:=20

100/12 =3D 8.3

Irrigation=20

Follow the March-May irrigation = guidelines.=20 Dormant zoysiagrass may still need to be watered periodically when = warm,=20 windy weather prevails.

Weed Control=20

Apply preemergence or postemergence = herbicides as=20 needed to control winter annual and perennial broadleaf weeds such = as=20 chickweed and hen bit. Preemergence herbicides will not control = existing=20 perennial weeds. Apply postemergence herbicides only when weeds = are=20 present. (See Agricultural Extension Service publication Pest Control for Professional Turfgrass = Managers,=20 AG-408.)

Insect Control=20

Follow the March-May insect control = guidelines.=20

Return = to=20 Main Index

December through February

Mowing

Follow the March-May mowing guidelines. = Zoysiagrass need not be mowed when dormant.

Fertilization=20

Do not fertilize.

Irrigation=20

Dormant zoysiagrass may need to be = irrigated=20 periodically to prevent desiccation especially when warm, windy = weather=20 prevails.

Weed Control=20

Apply broadleaf herbicides as necessary = to=20 control chickweed, henbit, and hop clover. Selective herbicides = can be=20 applied in November or December to control annual bluegrass = (Poa=20 annua) and several annual broadleaf weeds. Apply postemergence = herbicides only when weeds are present. (See Agricultural = Extension=20 Service publication Pest Control for Professional Turfgrass = Managers,=20 AG-408.)

Retur= n=20 to Main Index

More = About=20 Zoysiagrass

Zoysiagrasses are very low, slow = growing,=20 sod-forming grasses that make a very dense, wear-resistant lawn.=20 Zoysiagrass grows well in full sun or partial shade. It requires = less=20 mowing but is tougher to mow and easier to keep out of flower beds = than=20 bermudagrass. It is very slow to establish when plugged (typically = two to=20 three years) and slow to recover from injury.

Zoysiagrass is well adapted to the = Piedmont and=20 Coastal Plain and is usually vegetatively planted, although = procedures are=20 now available for seeding common zoysiagrass. However, treated = seed is not=20 readily available. (Contact your county Agricultural Extension = agent for=20 more information.)

Once zoysiagrasses is established, it = can become=20 thatchy (fluffy due to an accumulation of dead, decaying plant = residue at=20 the soil surface), especially when mowed high and infrequently or = when=20 heavily fertilized. Thatch needs to be removed every two to three = years,=20 but care should be taken because the recovery rate of zoysiagrass = is slow.=20 Zoysiagrasses perform best when mowed with reel mowers, however, = good=20 performance can be achieved using a rotary mower with sharp blades = set as=20 low as possible without scalping. Uneven terrain may prevent = zoysiagrass=20 from being mowed as short as desired.

Emerald zoysiagrass has very fine = leaves, good=20 winter hardiness, shade tolerance, and wear resistance, a moderate = rate of=20 spread, and a dark green color. Meyer zoysiagrass has a medium = leaf=20 texture, is less shade tolerant, and lighter in color than = Emerald. Meyer=20 establishes more quickly than other zoysiagrasses and is the most = cold=20 tolerant. Zoysia matrella (manilagrass) is intermediate in = leaf=20 texture, density, cold tolerance, and low-temperature color = retention=20 compared to Emerald and Meyer. Little published research is = available on=20 the new cultivars, Belair, Cashmire, El-Toro, and Z-26. =

Zoysiagrasses are subject to diseases = such as=20 rust, brown patch, and dollar spot, and are susceptible to = nematode=20 injury. Nematode damage results in shallow-rooted plants that do = not=20 respond to water and fertilizer, resulting in open areas invaded = by weeds.=20 If nematodes are suspected, submit a soil sample for analysis to = Agronomic=20 Division, Soil, Plant, and Nematode Testing, North Carolina = Department of=20 Agriculture, Raleigh, NC 27611. (See Diseases of Warm-Season Grasses, AG-360, = and=20 Ornamentals and Turf Insect Note No. 70 for insects that = feed on=20 zoysiagrass.) Contact your county Agricultural Extension agent for = assistance.

Retur= n=20 to Main Index

Integrated Pest=20 Management: The Sensible Approach to Lawn Care =

Many pest problems can cause your turf = to look=20 bad--diseases, weeds, insects,, and animals. If you are really = unlucky,=20 you may have all of them at one time.

So what do you do? Use a pesticide? Or = make=20 changes in cultural practices? Both methods, and some others as = well, may=20 be needed. The balanced use of all available methods is called=20 Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

The idea is simple. It involves the use = of all=20 available prevention and control methods to keep pests from = reaching=20 damaging levels. The goal is to produce a good turf and minimize = the=20 influence of pesticides on man, the environment, and = turf.

IPM methods include:

Use of best adapted grasses.
Proper use of cultural practices = such as=20 watering, mowing, and fertilization.
Proper selection and use of = pesticides when=20 necessary.

Early detection and prevention, or = both, will=20 minimize pest damage, saving time, effort, and money. Should a = problem=20 occur, determine the cause or causes, then choose the safest, most = effective control or controls available.

When chemical control is necessary, = select the=20 proper pesticide, follow label directions, and apply when the pest = is=20 susceptible. Treat only those areas in need. Regard pesticides as = only one=20 of many tools available for turf care.

To learn more about integrated pest = management,=20 pest identification, turf care, and proper use of pesticides, = contact your=20 county Cooperative Extension Center.

Retur= n=20 to Main Index

DISCLAIMER: Recommendations = for the use=20 of agricultural chemicals are included in this publication as a=20 convenience to the reader. The use of brand names and any mention = or=20 listing of commercial products or services in this publication = does not=20 imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension = Service nor=20 discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. = Individuals who use agricultural chemicals are responsible for = ensuring=20 that the intended use complies with current regulations and = conforms to=20 the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about = usage=20 regulations and examine a current product label before applying = any=20 chemical. For assistance, contact your county Cooperative = Extension=20 Service agent.

Prepared by: = Arthur H.=20 Bruneau, Crop Science Extension Specialist, Turfgrass

Fred Yelverton, Extension Specialist, Turfgrass = Weed=20 Management

Henry C. = Wetzel, Extension=20 Plant Pathology Specialist, Turfgrass

Charles H. = Peacock,=20 Turfgrass Research and Teaching

Rick L. = Brandenburg,=20 Extension Entomologist

Daniel C. = Bowman, Turfgrass=20 Research

Richard J. = Cooper,=20 Turfgrass Research

Cale A. = Bigelow, Extension=20 Associate, Turfgrass

Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension = Service=20
Publication Number: AG-432 Revised: December, 2000 =
This=20 Electronic Version: January, 2008

=C2=A9 2008 = TurfFiles

KEYWORDS FOUND IN THIS=20 ARTICLE:=20

bermuda= grass=20	knotweed=20	pesticide<= /A>=20	variety =
chickweed<= /A>=20	large=20 patch	potassium<= /A>=20	watering=20
crabgrass<= /A>=20	lawn=20 care	seeding =	wear=20
fertilize= r=20	law= n=20 maintenance	sod=20	weed=20 control
fungicide<= /A>=20	lespedeza<= /A>=20	spurge=20	weed= =20 management
goosegras= s=20	managemen= t=20	s= ummer=20 annual weed	white=20 grubs
grub=20	mowing=20	take = all patch	w= inter=20 annual weed
herbicide<= /A>=20	nematodes<= /A>=20	thatch=20	yell= ow=20 nutsedge
insec= t=20 control	nitrogen=20	turfgrass=20 weed control	zoysiagr= ass=20
irrigatio= n=20	perennial<= /A>=20

Copyright =C2=A9 2000-2009 North = Carolina State=20 University. All Rights Reserved.
= =20	TurfFiles is = funded by=20 the Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & = Education=20 (CENTERE) through public and private grants.=20