# Bermuda versus Zoysia.



## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

Hello all, I'm considering sodding my current centipede/Bahia mix yard with Zoysia or Bermuda. I've come across points of contention in my decision and I'm hoping someone with actual experience will chime in.

My lawn was a disaster when I bought the house last year it is currently about 75% of perfection with centipede and some bits of remaining Bahia, but I can't stand the color and slow growth of centipede.

I will start with breaking down the pros and cons for each type why I would or would not consider each.

Caveat I don't mind work, I love to mow, and I like lawn stripes but also like a higher hoc (I know I know) also I don't want a reel mower, I'm a buy once cry once type so the extra expenses of Zoysia aren't really a deciding factor.

Zoysia pros:

I like the thinner blades of Zoysia it seems to stripe better, color and softness are ideal for my taste, can get away with a higher height of cut, shade tolerance which around my backyard tree is ideal. Also in my neighborhood I'd have the only Zoysia lawn, lastly Zoysia is less susceptible to penetration from centipede.

Zoysia cons:

Slow recovery rate, disease prone. During hurricane season we can get 30 inches of rain in a week am I to be a slave to fungicides? Expense about 10% more

Bermuda pros:

slightly cheaper, more durable (faster rate of repair) not as sensitive to fertilizer mistakes (I'm very careful use good equipment but am only human), more disease resistance, in general it's like centipede but better in every way. I like that you don't have to hunt for ages for the right fertilizer either like centipede.

Bermuda cons: dormancy will be slightly longer, neighbors have centipede which in my experience out competes Bermuda where I live, not as deep green as I'd like.

Any help or insight would be helpful. Btw long time lurker first time poster, thanks in advance for your help.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

Zoysia CON: If not maintained at or close to 1/2" HOC = thatch MONSTER. There was another recent post by a member in your area with Zoysia that is out of control after 10 plus years of mowing at about 2", it wasn't pretty.


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

ThomasPI said:


> Zoysia CON: If not maintained at or close to 1/2" HOC = thatch MONSTER. There was another recent post by a member in your area with Zoysia that is out of control after 10 plus years of mowing at about 2", it wasn't pretty.


To preface this statement I will say I have not found any other facts to prove what I'm about to say. One of my friends has a Zoysia lawn and he moves at 2" and adds 1/2" to that every other month in the growing season. His lawn after 6 years has little to no thatch. Of course there is some, but nothing you cannot control with a simple thatch rake. I have physically been to his house throughout the year and seen before and after de thatching. You'd never know. The only thing he does is obey the 1/3 rule religiously.

Also I'd tend to think Bermuda would be just as bad with thatch at a high hoc. Obviously we're delving into the realm of not maintaining the lawn correctly. Therefore I'm not trying to be pretentious by saying bermuda is better or worse based upon incorrect maintenance.

Id contrast the aforementioned with a car, is a car really unreliable due to a powertrain failure when not maintained correctly? I'd hazard a guess in saying no!

But I do like my stripes and taller grass does stripe better, and fwiw most Zoysia I'd purchase supposedly can ensure a 2" hoc. However I cannot confirm nor deny this, also any internet search will quickly reveal the benefit of low hoc and reel mowing turf, this does not escape my periphery.

Anyone who bothers to read this whole remark will probably better understand my befuddlement. Thanks for the help btw!


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I think it is possible to keep Zoysia high. However, here are the other conditions. No fertilizer. No irrigation. It is also scalped down to the dirt every spring. Other factor is the cultivar of Zoysia. The Zoysia Japonica varieties grown from seed tend to have a more open growth vs the Improved selections of Zoysia and hybrids.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

You're at least doing your diligence and can make an informed choice. There's no perfect option


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> I think it is possible to keep Zoysia high. However, here are the other conditions. No fertilizer. No irrigation. It is also scalped down to the dirt every spring. Other factor is the cultivar of Zoysia. The Zoysia Japonica varieties grown from seed tend to have a more open growth vs the Improved selections of Zoysia and hybrids.


Agreed but I also don't want to make an expensive mistake. Thanks for the help


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Irregardless of Height of Cut maintained at, Zoysia is not only disease susceptible, but also Nematode susceptible. Bermuda, especially the common Bermuda grown from seed is rather resistant to most diseases and Nematodes


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

ThomasPI said:


> You're at least doing your diligence and can make an informed choice. There's no perfect option


Thanks I like doing research, and appreciate the input genuinely. I don't like when people bypass a simple Google search it drives me crazy.


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Irregardless of Height of Cut maintained at, Zoysia is not only disease susceptible, but also Nematode susceptible. Bermuda, especially the common Bermuda grown from seed is rather resistant to most diseases and Nematodes


That was something I was considering as well. Nematodes are exceptionally difficult to eliminate as far as I have read. Unsure if that's correct but I digress. I wouldn't be opposed to extra treatments if Zoysia will fit the bill better. How do you think Bermuda would do at 2" hoc long-term?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

@Ditdr Lots of people do it. Only differential in this case is amount of sun. Zoysia gets by on less sun than Bermuda needs. if you have fences, walls, or your house blocking the sun during parts of the day, Zoysia does better.


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Irregardless of Height of Cut maintained at, Zoysia is not only disease susceptible, but also Nematode susceptible. Bermuda, especially the common Bermuda grown from seed is rather resistant to most diseases and Nematodes


 Very good points to consider and take this into consideration :thumbup:


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

ThomasPI said:


> Greendoc said:
> 
> 
> > Irregardless of Height of Cut maintained at, Zoysia is not only disease susceptible, but also Nematode susceptible. Bermuda, especially the common Bermuda grown from seed is rather resistant to most diseases and Nematodes
> ...


Trust me I am. My want is Zoysia but I'm thinking my need might be Bermuda.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

If you maintain Zoysia how it needs to be maintained under your conditions, it will not be very green. Remember what I said about no fertilizer. That is key to maintaining Zoysia under high mow conditions


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> If you maintain Zoysia how it needs to be maintained under your conditions, it will not be very green. Remember what I said about no fertilizer. That is key to maintaining Zoysia under high mow conditions


So basically the light break down. The sun goes over my house diagonally. Roughly Front lawn gets sun 12 hours a day rear lawn 11 hours a day and sides get about 6 hours of sun per day. Which is why I considered Zoysia. My centipede retreats in my rear and side yards about 3 feet from the house where the shadow is. Are any consumer available nematode treatments viable? What you say makes sense as my friend with Zoysia only puts down 1 app of fert a year. His lawn is pretty green but he does bathe in micros often.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

@Ditdr Exteris Stressguard, Nimitz Pro G, Nortica WP. Exteris is also a fungicide labeled for treatment of most common turf diseases. The AI in it, Fluopyram is also in Indemnify Nematicide. That is $1700 a bottle. The Exteris is about $300 a bottle.


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> @Ditdr Exteris Stressguard, Nimitz Pro G, Nortica WP.


Thanks! I'll add these to my spreadsheet for estimated maintenance costs. What would you do? Bermudaor Zoysia given my wants?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

If Centipede does not grow, I would not expect Zoysia to grow either. Bermuda is simpler to maintain and deal with over all.


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## Ditdr (Jun 28, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> If Centipede does not grow, I would not expect Zoysia to grow either. Bermuda is simpler to maintain and deal with over all.


It's not that my centipede is not growing, my lawn has basically doubled or tripled in quality in 1 year, actually 11 months. I have the last 25% to go until the polishing commences ie leveling etc. The last bit I'm waiting for the grass to spread on its own but my impatient nature Is getting the Better of me. And after all my hard work I'm not happy with my lawn due to its color and texture and sensitivity despite the improvement. Like baking or cooking something that's not enjoyable. Alot of work for a result that's disappointing if that makes sense.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Got it. Centipede is a leave it alone and mow it low kind of grass actually. More you push it to grow or be greener the worse it gets. It does like a reel cut at 1/2". Otherwise it responds to being pushed by dying.


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

@Greendoc man you hate you some Zoysia haha


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

@ksturfguy When it is planted wall to wall across the entire state even where it does not belong then you have to change its diapers..........

When it has to be treated for Large Patch and Sting Nematodes when it was advertised as disease and pest resistant.............

When it wears out reels and bedknives like no other grass...........

When Armyworm goes to it, eats it up and it takes forever to grow back.............


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## ThomasPI (May 18, 2019)

Ditdr said:


> Greendoc said:
> 
> 
> > @Ditdr Exteris Stressguard, Nimitz Pro G, Nortica WP.
> ...


Given your needs etc, I'd go Bermuda. In our location it would not thrive so we are going with El Toro Zoysia.


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## Zimmerman (May 20, 2019)

I'm in Tennessee, and between my yard and my parents, I have Bermuda (common, Tiftuf, and riviera), tall fescue, and Meyer zoysia. The zoysia is the nicest for the amount of work it gets. I follow the nc state turf files program (for fertilization) for the zoysia which gets about 1.5lbs/1000sqft N/year and rotary mowed between 1.5" and 2". I also use a pre-emergent from Scotts every fall and spring and I have approximately 2 (two) weeds in the 450 sq ft of grass test plot which was laid in 2017. ( I hand pulled them last week) It also stripes decently with a rotary mower. I've personally not had ANY problems with disease except in cool season grasses where I am. I love Bermudagrass, I have Tiftuf, but only because the sod farm didn't have any zoysia ready when I needed sod.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Zimmerman said:


> I'm in Tennessee, and between my yard and my parents, I have Bermuda (common, Tiftuf, and riviera), tall fescue, and Meyer zoysia. The zoysia is the nicest for the amount of work it gets. I follow the nc state turf files program (for fertilization) for the zoysia which gets about 1.5lbs/1000sqft N/year and rotary mowed between 1.5" and 2". I also use a pre-emergent from Scotts every fall and spring and I have approximately 2 (two) weeds in the 450 sq ft of grass test plot which was laid in 2017. ( I hand pulled them last week) It also stripes decently with a rotary mower. I've personally not had ANY problems with disease except in cool season grasses where I am. I love Bermudagrass, I have Tiftuf, but only because the sod farm didn't have any zoysia ready when I needed sod.


It being on that hill has a lot to do why your experiences has been good with the grass. In standing water or poor drainage, it is a different grass to deal with


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Yes the Doc has his biases 

Looks like your opening salvo was pretty spot on....and I can appreciate someone who has done some homework (rather than being lazy).

I had Bermuda and nuked it for zeon. We have lawn jockey maintained instances everywhere in GA. Just looks better 3 " or 1", particularly late in the season when others don't. Less likely to have those lovely crop circles.

Fungal...is it the grass or the fact that it's often grown in lawns with trees? Shade just makes it complicated.

Nematodes ....is that a problem in NC? I have seen armyworms destroy Bermuda only, but I'm not omnipotent.


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