# What is Wrong with my Zeon Zoysia



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

Hi Everyone,
Hope someone can help me out.
I got Zeon Zoysia sodded last year, the contractors did a terrible job and I spent a year reviving, and making sure it was thriving.
My Lawn was thriving except for some areas that had large gaps due to the bad installation.
Starting around end of June, early July, I started getting large brown streaks in the lawn.
We had plenty of rain here in Dallas and I've watered my lawn regularly twice a week. 
I am not sure what is causing the brown streaks, and if its due to my zoysia going dormant, or if it was dead. I did have higher then normal foot traffic due to contractor working on a patio renovation.
Can someone take a look at the pictures and let me know what is going on and what I can do to resolve?
Thank you so much in advance!


----------



## Automate (Aug 14, 2020)

Welcome to TLF. Looks like your post fell through the cracks. Maybe @Redtwin can help you out.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I saw the post but not much of a Zeon expert and basically I'm an overall Zoysia newbie, but what strikes me as odd are the straight lines with the brown areas. Did they have a vehicle on the lawn or maybe a heavy wheelbarrow? What apps have you applied? It could be overlap.


----------



## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

Redtwin said:


> but what strikes me as odd are the straight lines with the brown areas. Did they have a vehicle on the lawn or maybe a heavy wheelbarrow?


I saw this when it was first posted and the first thought that came to my mind was "nothing in nature makes a straight line."


----------



## atlzoysia (May 31, 2021)

Is there something buried underneath the brown parts? Maybe check with a screw driver to see if something in the soil is off?


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

I did the poke test but the soil is very soft. Most likely since the sprinklers were running this morning. I don't feel or see anything under the soil.
Other then foot traffic from the contractors going back and forth, there wasn't anything odd on the lawn. The Left side of the lawn is where the foot traffic from the contractors were but the Right side of the lawn is having the same problem and it had zero foot traffic.

Aside from a regular fertilization and weed control schedule from my Lawn Company and Core Aeration that we did in the late Spring, the only other app was milorganite.

My neighbors told me yesterday that they have been getting similar streaks and it is due to a Grub Worm/Army Worm infestation that is going around here. I put down a Grub Worm killer this morning and I do see some dead Grubs on top of the lawn now but not 100's of them. Maybe 20 at most. I haven't looked up Army Worm so I am not sure if that is the cause.


----------



## drewwitt (Jun 25, 2018)

I *think* Army Worms don't attack Zeon...

My first thought was "nothing in nature makes a straight line" as mentioned by @Amoo316

I think if it was organic in nature, it would be a random pattern or have an organic shape to them. Makes me think this is manmade. Either something under the area like construction debri - 2x4s (basically buried treasure at this price point!)

The blades look dead, not dormant....mmm...this is puzzling me.


----------



## Automate (Aug 14, 2020)

LCL put out a video just today on Army Worms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKeOL2J5eW0

He says they attack in order

1. Bermuda
2. St Augustine
3. Zoysia

Do not attack Centipede

So Zoysia is not as common but could still happen.


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

drewwitt said:


> I *think* Army Worms don't attack Zeon...
> 
> My first thought was "nothing in nature makes a straight line" as mentioned by @Amoo316
> 
> ...


I doubt any construction debris is in the lawn. The contractors used the driveway and the dumpster was also in the driveway. The backyard driveway has direct access to the patio.
The only thing the contractors did was lay/sit on the lawn to eat their lunch or go back and forth to their cars. No equipment or construction materials were hauled through the lawn.

If you look at the first picture, that is the Right side on the front lawn. The right and the left is separated by a concrete pathway. The contractors did not walk on this part of the lawn because it does not have access to the backyard patio. But it has the same streak damage. This is very puzzling to me as well.


----------



## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

Eliminate the doubt and dig and find out if it's pests IMO. One of the simplest things to do.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Automate said:


> LCL put out a video just today on Army Worms.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


When I got them really bad a couple of years ago, they destroyed my bermuda but didn't touch the SA or the centipede.


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

If the streak spots are dead, what can I do to revive it? Since it's zoysia, will it grow back in the fall or will I have plug the area? 
Since I already threw down the grub/insect killer, it should take care of the grub/army worm problem, if that was the issue.
Looking to see what I should be doing going forward to get my lawn back to the way it was.


----------



## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

If you don't mind entertaining me for a moment:

What exactly did you put down and how much? How large of an area were those 20 or so grubs concentrated in?


----------



## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

It almost looks like the pattern follows the sod seams mostly. When you say they did a poor job leaving large gaps I'm wondering how your drainage is in relation to plenty of rain? Just a thought.


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

Amoo316 said:


> If you don't mind entertaining me for a moment:
> 
> What exactly did you put down and how much? How large of an area were those 20 or so grubs concentrated in?


I put down BioAdvance Grub Killer, it was the only thing I could find at my local lowes. I followed the bag instructions. The 20 or so grubs were in the area of picture I've attached by the brown streaks.


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

FlaDave said:


> It almost looks like the pattern follows the sod seams mostly. When you say they did a poor job leaving large gaps I'm wondering how your drainage is in relation to plenty of rain? Just a thought.


I've had no issues with drainage except on the lower part of the picture about 4 sod squares going straight down. I've had fungus problem there last year due to drainage issue. After the aeration was done, I didn't have that issue anymore.


----------



## rvczoysia (Jul 18, 2021)

I have zeon and although I'm not sure what your exact problem is, there seems to be quite a bit of zeon topics on this forum. From my one year experience with it, it's def on the high maintenance end of the spectrum. It terms of fungus that is.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

IMHO, it's still fairly new sod so I would just continue to let it get established before putting anything else on it. As others have said, keep a close eye on it for insects or fungus but let it do what it does. Some dead/dry areas are normal for any sod install but especially if you had to pull it and reinstall. Maybe do a light balanced fertilizer if you haven't already and give it time to settle in.


----------



## AlaTex (Mar 27, 2019)

Were these areas healthy and green at one time or have they always struggled?

Are those brown spots high points? Some of it looks a little like scalping.


----------



## Darth_V8r (Jul 18, 2019)

I would suggest you pull up a little bit right where the grass goes from dead to green and see if you can see anything under there. Also, do a pull test (grab the turf and pull up) to see how well anchored it is. Most of the time, if it pulls right out, you'll see the roots don't look right, and you can figure out from there is something is eating the root hairs or if it's a fungus or a nematode attack.

I think it is significant that your neighbors are saying there is a grub / army worm epidemic in your area. My best guess is that the wide seams in the sod installation left a large gap for an infestation, and that is why the symptoms are a straight line. As it spreads, it'll become more randomized. If Carbaryl is legal in your area, that will kill grubs and worms during all life cycle stages, so that is likely your best bet until next spring. Mix carbaryl with bifenthrin, and pretty much any insect that even looks at your lawn for the next three months will get sick and die. The good news is, both are pretty cheap

Zeon will recover. It's a marathon, not a sprint, but it'll get there.


----------



## drewwitt (Jun 25, 2018)

Zeon is high maintenance the first year, AND if you sling fert. If you keep to under 2 LB /N/M a year, you won't have nearly the fungus problems.

Also, my Zeon looked stellar the second growing season and beyond.

If you've put out grub killer, and you don't see fungus, I would just mow often and make sure it has enough water as we Texans enter the hottest part of the year. In April your Zeon will wake up and take off and be way ahead of the game.

I agree that with Zeon it's a marathon!


----------



## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

elidlee said:


> I put down BioAdvance Grub Killer, it was the only thing I could find at my local lowes. I followed the bag instructions. The 20 or so grubs were in the area of picture I've attached by the brown streaks.


Was it this bag








or this bag









20 or so Grubs the next morning is actually a pretty decent amount to find that fast.

I'm asking this because you may have already found the answer to your question even with your reluctance to dig. Your neighbor said they have Armyworms and Grubs and their marks look the same as yours. I'm just trying to make sure you put down the right thing to go after Armyworms AND Grubs. Once we've been able to determine you used what you needed to use to eradicate BOTH, then we can talk about things like getting back to regular maintenance, maybe doing a boost fertilizer app to help the grass grow out of the stress these pests caused....etc.


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

AlaTex said:


> Were these areas healthy and green at one time or have they always struggled?
> 
> Are those brown spots high points? Some of it looks a little like scalping.


These are not high points. Lawn is pretty level with a down grade to the sidewalk. The area was always healthy, that is why I am concerned.


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

Amoo316 said:


> elidlee said:
> 
> 
> > I put down BioAdvance Grub Killer, it was the only thing I could find at my local lowes. I followed the bag instructions. The 20 or so grubs were in the area of picture I've attached by the brown streaks.
> ...


I put down the bottom bag, "Season Long" version. That was the only one available when I panic purchased at my local Lowes.


----------



## everytuesday (Jul 8, 2021)

I would also add that you could be putting down RGS + Humic 12 every 3 weeks to help those roots to really grow. I agree with what has been said above. The damage looks related to the sod install and you most likely dodged a bullet in terms of grub damage and getting the heads up from your neighbor. Ideally you should be putting grub control down in late may as preventative I think. After green up next year, if the lines appear, def something down in the ground.

Cheers


----------



## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

elidlee said:


> AlaTex said:
> 
> 
> > Were these areas healthy and green at one time or have they always struggled?
> ...


So I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you put down the season long grub control, and you saw 20ish grubs on the surface, your problem is at minimum Grubs. Sadly with insecticides, it's not just a "Oh I put down X so I'm good now." You definitely have grubs, un-dertermined on Army Worms. Different products have different methods of action, kill things in different stages blah blah blah (more then willing to fill in the blahs if requested)....2 options IMO

1. Go dig and find out
2. You need to find a 24 hour grub killer and actually kill off the adult grubs in your lawn.

Again, we're not treating the potential army worm issue also, but the bag of "season long" grub control, is not what is necessary to take out an adult grub population munching that much grass.

IMO you are not out of the "Oh I put grub control down so I'm good" phase yet. You are still in the, "I have grubs, need to immediately kill them and might have army worms also phase". Until you figure that out, again by simply going out and digging, you can put all the fertilizer and nutrients and humic and etc money can buy and you're yard will still look like this until you treat the problem.

All of that is just my opinion/experience, but I don't think you're out of the woods yet with your grub/army worm issue. $0.02


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

Amoo316 said:


> elidlee said:
> 
> 
> > AlaTex said:
> ...


Thank you Amoo. I am just afraid to dig up the turf after spending so much money on sod and trying to revive it after the terrible installation. Looks like I have no choice now so I will dig up a section and check tomorrow.

Quick question, Can I put down the 24 hour Grub Killer on top of the seasonal I put down if I do find grubs from the dig?


----------



## elidlee (Jul 27, 2021)

everytuesday said:


> I would also add that you could be putting down RGS + Humic 12 every 3 weeks to help those roots to really grow. I agree with what has been said above. The damage looks related to the sod install and you most likely dodged a bullet in terms of grub damage and getting the heads up from your neighbor. Ideally you should be putting grub control down in late may as preventative I think. After green up next year, if the lines appear, def something down in the ground.
> 
> Cheers


I have a bottle of Essential 1-0-1, can I out that down instead of RGS? Can I mix that with Humic? Thanks!


----------



## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

elidlee said:


> Thank you Amoo. I am just afraid to dig up the turf after spending so much money on sod and trying to revive it after the terrible installation. Looks like I have no choice now so I will dig up a section and check tomorrow.
> 
> Quick question, Can I put down the 24 hour Grub Killer on top of the seasonal I put down if I do find grubs from the dig?


Yes, that would be ideal.

Also, I want to be clear about "digging up the turf". Find a bad spot that borders a good spot and dig out a shovel width and depth. If you "cut it" into a square or circle you can keep the sod in tact and simply lay it back in place when done. You're essentially removing a piece of the sod then putting it right back down after you've inspected the area. Damage should be extremely minimal.


----------

