# Best topper for leveling Zoysia in SoCal?



## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

I've seen a lot of people using a sand or sand mix for leveling, and others using compost. What would be best for zone 10a?


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## wardconnor (Mar 25, 2017)

Sand is your best friend when leveling.


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## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

wardconnor said:


> Sand is your best friend when leveling.


Just straight sand? Not mixed with anything?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Yes, I think the thought being that compost is organic matter that will continue to break down - leaving you back where you started.


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## wardconnor (Mar 25, 2017)

vanawesome said:


> wardconnor said:
> 
> 
> > Sand is your best friend when leveling.
> ...


Yes. Straight sand. What Ware said above.

Get sand in bulk and not from big box stores. Mason sand or any sand that does not have larger pebbles or stones.


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## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

wardconnor said:


> vanawesome said:
> 
> 
> > wardconnor said:
> ...


Thanks guys. About how many yards do you think I'd need for my 700 sq" Zoysia yard. It has some pretty severe depressions and bumps. I guess I didn't do as great of a job leveling when I prepped the soil for seed... Or it could be that I weigh too much and walking on it before it firmed up (pulling weeds) caused most of the lumps. It feels almost dangerously uneven now. Like a broken ankle waiting to happen.


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## wardconnor (Mar 25, 2017)

1 would start with one yard of sand. Folk around here generally say about 1 yard per 1000 ft. You might have a little extra but that is okay because you can use it later. If you do not use it make sure to tarp it or it will blow away.


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## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

Are there any good start to finish leveling with sand videos out there?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

vanawesome said:


> Are there any good start to finish leveling with sand videos out there?


Here is time lapse I did - it was a pretty heavy leveling...


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## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

Ok. Here is what I did to my mostly Ryegrass with some Zoysia coming in from when I half-assedly overseeded in the spring. wondering if it was a good way to go.

1. Scalped the rye
2. Scarified and de-thatched
3. Put a little bit of zoysia seed down. 
4. Leveled with sand, (mostly needed around the border)
5. Put more Zoysia seed down
6. Covered with 1/8" top dressing
7. Raked it in and went over lightly with push broom.
8. Applied starter fertilizer. 
9. Watered.

Thoughts?


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## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

Also, I ended up using this sand



I noticed that it has silica in it, which I don't know if that's good or bad. Hopefully I didn't screw the pooch too hard. It's very fine sand, like what you would find on a white sand beach in Hawaii.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

vanawesome said:


> Ok. Here is what I did to my mostly Ryegrass with some Zoysia coming in from when I half-assedly overseeded in the spring. wondering if it was a good way to go.
> 
> 1. Scalped the rye
> 2. Scarified and de-thatched
> ...


I don't know your climate intimately but keep it (seeds) moist from what I've read here from warm season seeding.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Like jayhawk said, you have to keep the seed moist. I watered my Bermuda so much that even the seed sitting on top of the ground germated.

My watering schedule was 7:00am, 10, 11, Noon, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 10 for 5-8 minutes depending on the zone. As soon as I saw pooling I stop the sprinklers. It might have been a little overkill but I'm more than happy with how the lawn has turned out.


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## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

Good call on that. I have it set to this. 
6
8
11
12:30
1:45
3:30
6

I'm in San Diego which is zone 10a... I think.


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## vanawesome (Jul 17, 2017)

Mowing on this daily watering schedule is a bit tricky. Ad the ground is just too wet at any given time to run the mower through it without sinking or chewing everything up. Any advice? The rye I scalped is getting pretty long again and I don't want it blocking sun to the seeds i'm trying to get germinated. Tomorrow I'm just going to not run the morning watering schedule and let it dry up a bit and mow around 11AM, then immediately return to the watering schedule.

No germination yet 8 days out. I should start to see it this week within the next few days I hope.


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