# How Low Can Zenith Go?



## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

I know the general consensus on zoysia is around 1.5" - 2.5", but with a reel, how low can I expect to cut my Zenith zoysia and it still look nice?


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

I have seen Zenith Zoysia cut at .75 with a reel mower and it looks great!


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

ENC_Lawn said:


> I have seen Zenith Zoysia cut at .75 with a reel mower and it looks great!


Wow, that's lower than expected, so that's good news! I'm on the verge of buying a Jacobsen Triking, so I'm hoping to cut both my bermuda and zoysia at the same height to avoid constantly changing.

Thanks @ENC_Lawn!


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I have some Empire Zoysia that is creeping into my bermuda from my neighbor. It got cut at .5" last season and looked pretty darn good. I'll edit this post with a picture when I get back to the house.

Edit: Added photo. This area has been abused and neglected since it is on the property line and tucked behind my raised-box garden. It just got scalped to .25" about 10 days ago.


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## Arnezkanizzle (Jun 12, 2019)

I have read several articles where golf courses in the transition zone have renovated fairways and tees with Zenith zoysia. They mowed fairways at .75" and tees at 7/16".


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

Sounds like a win!  Thanks for the replies. In another post of mine, @Greendoc suggested I get my bermuda down to 5/8", so it sounds like I might even be able to go that low with the Zenith. I might chicken out slightly and just set it at .75" and forget it, we'll see lol.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I personally think Empire would look great at .75".


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Redtwin said:


> I personally think Empire would look great at .75".


Japonica varieties(Empire, El Toro, Jamur, Zenith) look great at 0.5-0.75"


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

El Toro at less than 0.75


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

Whoah! Well now I'm even more excited for this growing season  . I'll be doing a complete reno of the backyard with Zenith (It's not totally zoysia yet), and continuing the grow-in of Yukon in the front. I'll have to post in warm season photos this year I think .


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

Redtwin said:


> I have some Empire Zoysia that is creeping into my bermuda from my neighbor. It got cut at .5" last season and looked pretty darn good. I'll edit this post with a picture when I get back to the house.
> 
> Edit: Added photo. This area has been abused and neglected since it is on the property line and tucked behind my raised-box garden. It just got scalped to .25" about 10 days ago.


@Redtwin i got a couple of zoysia spots popped up in my Bermuda lawn.

What's your plan of attack on the zoysia creeping into your Bermuda?

I'm trying to figure out if zoysia "inside Bermuda can be eliminated "?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Tenacity+Sencor(Metribuzin)


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> Tenacity+Sencor(Metribuzin)


 @Greendoc Thanks :thumbup:


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

ENC_Lawn said:


> Greendoc said:
> 
> 
> > Tenacity+Sencor(Metribuzin)
> ...


I haven't gone after it chemically yet. Mowing low looked to really stress it out and I thought I was onto something but it has come back and looks even better. The bermuda is taking some ground back but not really chasing out the zoysia.


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

Redtwin said:


> ENC_Lawn said:
> 
> 
> > Greendoc said:
> ...


 :thumbup:


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## andymac7 (Oct 30, 2018)

Hey all, so I've had a horrendous start to the season, to say the least. BOTH of my mowers have been down (rotary and TriKing). I've had to order parts, make repairs, service, etc. etc. Then the stupid late freezes/frosts came. And I mean late. it's been frustrating.

So, I'm finally getting my TriKing out today to try and take down my zoysia and bermuda. My Zenith is very tall- maybe over a couple inches right now.

With all of that said, and I know this has been asked many times, but is it too late to go ahead and scalp it down now? I want to try and cut both the Zenith and Yukon at .75" this year. So, is it crazy to set my TriKing down on about .5" and then let it green back up from there?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

andymac7 said:


> Hey all, so I've had a horrendous start to the season, to say the least. BOTH of my mowers have been down (rotary and TriKing). I've had to order parts, make repairs, service, etc. etc. Then the stupid late freezes/frosts came. And I mean late. it's been frustrating.
> 
> So, I'm finally getting my TriKing out today to try and take down my zoysia and bermuda. My Zenith is very tall- maybe over a couple inches right now.
> 
> With all of that said, and I know this has been asked many times, but is it too late to go ahead and scalp it down now? I want to try and cut both the Zenith and Yukon at .75" this year. So, is it crazy to set my TriKing down on about .5" and then let it green back up from there?


No worries, though I usually try to scalp closer to .25".


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## Tmank87 (Feb 13, 2019)

Palisades reel low


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

andymac7 said:


> Hey all, so I've had a horrendous start to the season, to say the least. BOTH of my mowers have been down (rotary and TriKing). I've had to order parts, make repairs, service, etc. etc. Then the stupid late freezes/frosts came. And I mean late. it's been frustrating.
> 
> So, I'm finally getting my TriKing out today to try and take down my zoysia and bermuda. My Zenith is very tall- maybe over a couple inches right now.
> 
> With all of that said, and I know this has been asked many times, but is it too late to go ahead and scalp it down now? I want to try and cut both the Zenith and Yukon at .75" this year. So, is it crazy to set my TriKing down on about .5" and then let it green back up from there?


I do not freak out about early, late etc unless I have control over the weather regarding temperatures. Doing things like scalping to Zoysia very early in the year when temperatures are not ideal for the grass to grow back causes panic in the form of wondering if the grass will grow back. In turf management, I do not look at calendars. Mention of a "schedule" may cause me to scream depending on what kind of mood I am in because a schedule presumes I have total control over the weather.


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## gkaneko (Dec 11, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> El Toro at less than 0.75


Thats nice! I really need to level my lawn!


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Brown on the lower left corner is nematode damage. Lawn is not level, that is the finish left by a Toro Greensmaster. I would not be able to do that with a Tru Cut or Mclane


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## gkaneko (Dec 11, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> Brown on the lower left corner is nematode damage. Lawn is not level, that is the finish left by a Toro Greensmaster. I would not be able to do that with a Tru Cut or Mclane


Why is that? Out of curiosity?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

A Toro Greensmaster rolls on front and rear rollers. A Tru Cut and Mclane are rolling on the side skinny tires. A front roller accessory is not sufficient


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> A Toro Greensmaster rolls on front and rear rollers. A Tru Cut and Mclane are rolling on the side skinny tires. A front roller accessory is not sufficient


My GM1000 makes my bumpy yard look pretty smooth as well. My favorite quote is "It looks good from afar, but far from good."


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