# Good Lawn Noob Here! Zenith Zoysia in Atlanta



## pasjr1972 (May 7, 2018)

Good evening everyone,

I am new to having a "real lawn" and have some questions after searching the forums.
I finished building our house in June 2016 and put down 10 pallets of Zenith Zoysia in our front yard. 
During that years' growing period, the sod started filling in and everything looked great! You can see those results on the instagram link I posted.

During 2017 the yard started to look a bit different. The grass is very dense and didn't appear to be as fully green as when the sod was first put down. I was scared to use any fertilizer or pre-emergent the first year so I didn't. I was also cutting the lawn around 2.25" because it wasn't as level as I would like it to be.

This year I decided to vertical cut/power rake/dethatch the lawn. I rented a Classen TR-20HD and WOW, it's amazing how much thatch was brought to the surface. I must have had two truck beds full of thatch. I did this 3 weeks ago, 4/21/18 and went to Super Sod where I purchased the sod and the girl at the front desk sold me 5-10-30 + Iron starter fertilizer instead of the Total Lawn Food 16-4-8 + Iron that I went to purchase initially, she said it was what she recommended.

So I am seeing new growth at the edge of the yard where the sod is and it looks excellent, just like the fresh pallet I put down the other year but the the primary area appears to still be dormant. I am seeing new growth but very little and the existing grass still brown.

I know I am using a terrible mower at the moment, just a rotary push mower. I did put a new blade on but it still appears to rip the grass, you can see that in the images.

Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Phillip Smith

New sod, first year:

__
http://instagr.am/p/BKq7RRQhoFf/


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## gatormac2112 (Sep 14, 2017)

Man that rotary is beating the snot out of your grass!

Its been a slow green up for most everyone this year. My zoysia isn't fully greened up yet either. I suggest you get a reel mower sometime in the near future though.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Not my lawn. It is a customer's. El Toro at 0.5". That is why I Iike greensmowers on Zoysia


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Yes, don't apply high N ....a 1-2-2 + is close enough for govt work.

A rotary is what it is. Sharpen more than average freq but it's still going to rip.


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

just got to give it time and keep that blade sharp.


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## pasjr1972 (May 7, 2018)

Thanks for the info guys, appreciate it very much.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I have Zeon Zoysia - slow green up as well. I wouldn't be afraid to put down some Milorganite as well, personally. Do you have irrigation and or water it by hand?

If you're stuck with rotary, perhaps look into a DIFFERENT rotary? I have a Honda quadra cut and it cuts pretty nice, although I do all my mowing with a reel mower now.


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## Txag12 (Apr 22, 2018)

I have Zenith Zoysia and the biggest difference I have noticed with it is moving away from the rotary mower. I switched to a push 7-blade reel and cutting it at about 1". I haven't seen my Zoysia look as good as it does since switching.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Heck of an example of the rotary damaging some grass.

Not that you have to have a reel to maintain a good yard, it just certainly helps, and something people should keep in mind when you come to a website with all these wonderfully striped lawns with no trees and flatter than a basketball court. It's all relative, and doesn't happen overnight.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I see a ton of thatch as well - but I'm not sure what you're supposed to do this time of year as far as if dethatching helps or hurts. That's probably part of what you're seeing as far as the damaged blades go.


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

I use a $40-50 dremel and the sharpening attachment for lawnmower blades and I can pop off my rotary blade and sharpen it in under 10 minutes easy. Makes all the difference in the world on grass with thicker blades.


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