Lori Lapierre holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science in public relations/communications. This allows it to fill in bare spots and choke out weeds well, Grows in bunches, less effective at filling in bare spots and choking out weeds. The problem you have is fescue is a cool season grass and zoysia is a warm season grass. Focus on maintaining the grass you want to encourage, which will naturally make the growing conditions difficult for the grasses you want to discourage. I brought in 60 yards of top soil 4 years ago and plugged Zoysia. This turf does not tolerate cold winter temperatures. Always use "SHARP" mower blades for best results. St. Augustine vs. Zoysia: Which One Is Right For Your Lawn? When switching from a Bermuda grass lawn to a emerald zoysia lawn by overplanting instead of stripping and then replanting, emerald zoysia plugs are your best option. Mowing it to a length of 1 inch is recommended to allow enough light for seed germination. Zoysia stands a better chance of choking out Fescue in unshaded hot climates. Fescues are cool-season grasses, which means they tolerate cold winters, but may suffer during hot, dry summers. It is hardy in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 11. The sod industry has made it confusing to choose between Emerald Zoysia, Zeon Zoysia, Meyer Zoysia, Discovery Bermuda, Tifway 419 Bermuda and all of the other cultivars that exist. Her past writing experience includes school news reporting, church drama, in-house business articles and a self-published mystery, "Duty Free Murder. The cold weather grass (usually tall fescue) will spring to life in winter and let the zoysia rest, only to go dormant in summer when your zoysia comes back to life. You will see planting rates recommended as low as 1 lb. You'll have to keep the fescue mowed short (1 inch) to prevent overshading … Zoysia is touted as a low-maintenance, all-purpose, wondergrass that may even eliminate the need to care for your lawn at all. Fescue vs. Zoysia Fescue or Zoysia Comparison Zoysia vs Fescue. However, it is possible that in some regions, one may invade portions of the other. Which type of grass seed you choose depends on your existing grass type. Fescues are one of the top choices for shady lawns, so direct, southern sun can leave fescue looking washed out and patchy. If you’ve centipede grass that is patchy or with bare spots on the lawn, you can overseed it with fescue or zoysia grass as the warm season comes to an end. There are three zoysia species used as turfgrass or ground covers in the U.S. Japanese or Korean lawngrass (Zoysia japonica) and its hybrids is the type primarily used for lawns. You can always take a sample of your lawn to a local nursery to determine what type of grass you have if you are unsure. Zoysia Grass Types Read our complete guide to establishing and maintaining a healthy zoysia lawn. It can thrive in shaded, cool and wet areas, but is short-lived; it does not like the wear and tear of lawn use, or the heat of summer. Extreme drought conditions can cause it to turn dormant and brown, which tempts homeowners into overseeding in the fall. But with zoysiagrass, there are other factors to consider. Short grass helps the St. Augustine seed germinate. 2. The Bermuda grass must be controlled until the zoysia can establish itself. A common choice for overseeding zoysiagrass lawns is ryegrass, which comes in both annual and perennial forms and grows quickly. You may have an areas of fescue that doesn't look good now, but if you replace it with zoysia and you are in a cooler season zone your lawn will look dead all winter. You sure can.. So it will be like tug of war but the zosia will win. Zoysia thrives in hot weather, although it will go dormant before most other warm-season grasses during droughts. Here in Oklahoma it is common to overseed the warm weather grasses with fescue so that you have a nice green grass over the winter.I actually have found that a verticutter is the best machine to use when overseeding and they can be rented at most larger equipment rental stores. In fact, Zoysia turf can survive on natural rainfall alone thanks to its deep-rooted system. Pre-emergent herbicides will prevent your Fescue seed from germinating. On the other hand, if you mow the zoysia low enough to expose the soil, the zoysiagrass is very likely to have substantial winter-kill from cold weather. Ryegrass is often used to overseed lawns in the Southwest during the colder months while our Bermuda grass and zoysia grass is sort of hibernating. Hi, I’m Ley Pickens with Super-Sod. Amazon has put together some great Home Holiday Guide Deals - save money and get your holiday shopping done! Click Here to see the latest deals (link To Amazon). Step 1 Zoysia is touted as a low-maintenance, all-purpose, wondergrass that may even eliminate the need to care for your lawn at all. Wear Tolerance. Overseeding centipede grass with fescue or zoysia grass will improve the appearance of your lawn. Repeat application of Golf Course Starter or Renovator 4 weeks later. Fescues are also susceptible to diseases in humid climates. It is the only zoysia species with seed available commercially. Zoysia grass reviews published by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) reveal that the top-rated cultivars are 'Emerald' and 'Zorro.'. She is a regular freelancer for "Living Light News," an award-winning national publication. Forum discussion: Long story short, I want to move soon. Aerating the yard -- using a special tool to punch holes in the soil to allow water, air and light to reach the grass roots -- is also recommended to encourage overall lawn health. Sydney has over 15 years of experience in lawn maintenance, landscape design, and organic gardening. Zoysia is most active during the summer, while fescue tends to be more active during the spring and fall. I realize it may take time but in years past I took a really scraggly fescue lawn and made it into something nice. Zoysia grows well throughout the southeast and the southernmost areas of California through Texas. Zoysia is a yellow/green grass that creeps low to the ground, while fescue grows in tall, deep-green bunches. Zoysiagrass grows too thickly to allow ryegrass seed to penetrate to the soil and germinate. The downside to this preparation is that zoysiagrass grows better when left alone and the roots are undisturbed. If it makes a difference, you can lightly rake across your lawn to … Fescues have a bunching growth habit, which makes it difficult for them to fill in and choke out weeds. Zoysia is a warm season grass and does go dormant during the winter months in northern states. Zoysia and fescue can overlap in the middle part of the southeastern U.S. Parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi can be too humid for fescues to thrive, although they may linger in shady portions of older lawns. link to How to Keep Crabgrass Out of Flower Beds, link to 5 Tips for Creating Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Flower Beds, complete guide to establishing and maintaining a healthy zoysia lawn, Growing Tall Fescue In Difficult Soil: Renee’s Success Story, Will Zoysia Grow In Clay Soil? If you have to overseed… For 17 years, she worked for a Fortune 500 company before purchasing a business and starting a family. Fescue is a cool season grass that is most actively growing in spring and fall. I actually have some zoysia in my yard and this fall I overseeded it with fescue and it is doing great! These grasses have such different growth preferences that it is unlikely you would have a lawn where zoysia and fescue were both competing for dominance. How Long Is the Germination Time for Bermuda Grass Seed? If you hate to mow but want a grass-like ground cover for small areas, consider planting Mascarenegrass (Zoysia tenuifolia), also known as Korean Velvet Grass or Snake grass, hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11. WIll Zoysia choke out Fescue? Take a good look at your lawn. Pros of overseeding with ryegrass Crabgrass is an annoying, creeping, annual grass that can quickly invade lawns, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. Zoysia seed needs lots of sunshine to germinate and the shade cast by existing grasses prevents the sun from reaching the seed. Now that the zoysia or Bermuda grass is gone, we’re ready to start seeding the yard. You will also need to rake the yard first to remove any buildup of dried, matted grass known as thatch. Whether Zoysia is right for you depends on where you live, your lawn care goals, and how you use your lawn. in Landscape Design/Organic Produce Production from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Spreads through above-ground stolons and below-ground rhizomes. Why We Don't Like Zoysia Plugs. One of the most loved features of Zoysia grass is its ability to fill in patches and choke out weeds, which can virtually eliminate the need for chemical weed control. IF you (Homeowner or professional) can correctly prepare the site, plant at correct depths, fertilize regular, mow regular and provide irrigation to the site it is possible to obtain a successful stand with 1 lb. This helps you will have success with a wider variety of site and soil conditions. per 1000 sq. While zoysia can thrive during the hot summers of this region, it may be too damaged from cold winter temperatures to fill in or choke out fescue during the growing season. In this blog post, we’ll explore those. Mow it when it reaches 2 inches tall, and keep it around that height. In one of our previous videos we looked at starting a new tall fescue lawn from scratch by seeding into a bare seedbed. This is part of what makes zoysia low-maintenance, which is the appeal for many homeowners. Overseeding Your Tall Fescue Lawn Part 1: The Setup. ", Types of Grass That Can Be Planted in Late Fall & Early Winter, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Overseeding Your Lawn, Clemson University Extension Home & Garden Information Center: Zoysiagrass, Yardcare.com: Warm-Season Grasses | Choose the Right Grasses, Missouri Botanical Garden: Lawn Problems: Zoysia Grass, The United States National Arboretum: Turfgrass Questions and Answers, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Zoysia Grass Lawn Calendar, Clemson Cooperative Extension: Zoysiagrass Maintenance Calendar, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Rough bluegrass — Poa trivialis. Success with a wider variety of site and soil conditions bare seedbed of fescues tall... Desirable “ turf type ” fescue is a good defense tested products are actual products owned,,... Reliability, and can cause it to a length of 1 inch is.. 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