# Zoysia yard not level and spring green up



## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

Hi guys,

First time posting but just had some questions on lawn leveling on my Zoysia yard. First, I must say that it is has been pretty frustrating this year with my spring green up. I live in NW Florida (Destin area) and my grass type is Empire Zoysia.

In years past, I have always kept my yard at anywhere between 2.5 to 3"and it was by far the best looking lawn on the street. However, this year I really want to mow low with a reel mower. My yard is semi flat, but not anywhere level like Wares lawn. I have a lawn level rake from rrproducts, but I have some spots where a full lawn level would just kill many spots because of many uneven areas.

I guess my questions are:

1) how should I go about filling in the really low spots in the yard?

2) has anybody had/have a great looking Empire Zoysia yard cut below 1"?

3) should I just stick with the 2.5 - 3" cut height that I had great success with?

Any input/feedback/suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks guys,

Greg


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Welcome to TLF! Glad you're here!

I will yield to the zoysia folks for most of your questions, but I think you would ultimately be happier with 'reel low zoysia' if you're willing to put in the work. :thumbup:


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

This is a picture from June 2017 at 2.5"


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

Ware said:


> Welcome to TLF! Glad you're here!
> 
> I will yield to the zoysia folks for most of your questions, but I think you would ultimately be happier with 'reel low zoysia' if you're willing to put in the work. :thumbup:


So what are your suggestions on the really low spots? Gradually fill it in with sand?

Thanks


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Gregau33 said:


> So what are your suggestions on the really low spots? Gradually fill it in with sand?
> 
> Thanks


How much sand (depth) do you think it would take to fill them?


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

Ware said:


> Gregau33 said:
> 
> 
> > So what are your suggestions on the really low spots? Gradually fill it in with sand?
> ...


Maybe an inch or a tad less


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

If the areas aren't super large, less than an inch of sand wouldn't bother me - but I don't grow zoysia.


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

i am just right down the road east of you. i am doing the same as you are after cutting it about 2.5" the last few years. I thought it was just me because my green up is super slow this year. I cut mine down to 1.25" about three weeks ago and it is struggling just like yours. right now I am using my rotary mower twice a week and waiting to pull the trigger on a Swardman reel mower.

i put milo on it last weekend for the second time this season.


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

TigerinFL said:


> i am just right down the road east of you. i am doing the same as you are after cutting it about 2.5" the last few years. I thought it was just me because my green up is super slow this year. I cut mine down to 1.25" about three weeks ago and it is struggling just like yours. right now I am using my rotary mower twice a week and waiting to pull the trigger on a Swardman reel mower.
> 
> i put milo on it last weekend for the second time this season.


Haha, I'm with you man. I actually live in Santa Rosa Beach. I have been doing the same thing as you... cutting twice a week with my rotary on the lowest setting. I fertilized a few weeks earlier and you can barely tell I put down anything. That's the major negative for Zoysia in our area... very last to green up and the first to go to sleep. But when it's hot... damn, it looks good 

I'm thinking of getting a California Trimmer 20" model and try to cut at an inch and see how it goes. I figure $1,200 isn't too steep of an investment in case the reel mowing doesn't work out. What kind of reel are you going to try?


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

Gregau33 said:


> TigerinFL said:
> 
> 
> > i am just right down the road east of you. i am doing the same as you are after cutting it about 2.5" the last few years. I thought it was just me because my green up is super slow this year. I cut mine down to 1.25" about three weeks ago and it is struggling just like yours. right now I am using my rotary mower twice a week and waiting to pull the trigger on a Swardman reel mower.
> ...


Swardman Reel Mower https://www.swardman.com/us/reel-mowers/


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

I would love that. But wow, that is expensive. Let me know when you pull the trigger. Would love to hear and see your results with it


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

if you go with the California Trimmer who are you going to get to sharpen the blades? I never could find anyone around here to do that. with the Swardman you simply send in the blades and they sharpen it for you and send it back.

that is one of the reasons I am leaning towards the Swardman. Plus you can get the verticutter, scarifier and a brush attachments. so you are getting four machines in one. my boss was looking for someone to verticutt his yard and he was quoted $700! and its not a very big yard. that was the only person he could find to do it.

i don't think you can do that with the California Trimmer.


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

TigerinFL said:


> if you go with the California Trimmer who are you going to get to sharpen the blades? I never could find anyone around here to do that. with the Swardman you simply send in the blades and they sharpen it for you and send it back.
> 
> that is one of the reasons I am leaning towards the Swardman. Plus you can get the verticutter, scarifier and a brush attachments. so you are getting four machines in one. my boss was looking for someone to verticutt his yard and he was quoted $700! and its not a very big yard. that was the only person he could find to do it.
> 
> i don't think you can do that with the California Trimmer.


I was going to take it to Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort and talk to the golf mowing crew and see if they could sharpen my reel each season. I figure if I could backlap my reel every few months and one true grinding a year should be fine for my 10k sq ft yard. But you are right, those attachments and the ability to send your reel in to get sharpened is awesome.


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## Txag12 (Apr 22, 2018)

I feel your pain. This is my yard, Zenith Zoysia. I'm hoping with the warmer temperatures I'm about to experience it finally gets into gear.


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

Txag12 said:


> I feel your pain. This is my yard, Zenith Zoysia. I'm hoping with the warmer temperatures I'm about to experience it finally gets into gear.


Looking greener than mine :thumbup:

What height will you be cutting at this year?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Gregau33 said:


> cutting twice a week with my rotary on the lowest setting


This could be your main issue. If you are cutting twice a week at the same height you scalped at, then you are just cutting off any green that may be trying to grow. You will either need to find a way to scalp lower (reel), or raise the cut height to the second notch.


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## Txag12 (Apr 22, 2018)

Gregau33 said:


> Txag12 said:
> 
> 
> > I feel your pain. This is my yard, Zenith Zoysia. I'm hoping with the warmer temperatures I'm about to experience it finally gets into gear.
> ...


 I knocked it down to about 1" to get the soil heated up but will be raising it back up to about 2.5". I might try it out at 1.5 but Zenith doesn't really like to be below 2" so we'll see.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Sorry, not as familiar with empire. In Atlanta, our zennith, zeon, and emerald green up ahead of others.

Random musing:
My neighbor is an owner of Paradis ...been there for dinner?


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> Sorry, not as familiar with empire. In Atlanta, our zennith, zeon, and emerald green up ahead of others.
> 
> Random musing:
> My neighbor is an owner of Paradis ...been there for dinner?


I've never been there, but it is really close to us. Heard nothing but great things. I can't afford it


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## gatormac2112 (Sep 14, 2017)

My Zorro is about 80% green I would say, it's green up has been slower than my neighbors weeds


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

gatormac2112 said:


> My Zorro is about 80% green I would say, it's green up has been slower than my neighbors weeds


 :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm not even sure my neighbor HAS a lawn.


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

gatormac2112 said:


> My Zorro is about 80% green I would say, it's green up has been slower than my neighbors weeds


Gator, I sent you a PM with a few questions about your Swardman.

Thanks


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Gregau33 said:


> Ware said:
> 
> 
> > Welcome to TLF! Glad you're here!
> ...


Empire is not much different from a variety of Zoysia I am all too familiar with. Scalp and then sand. You can use an inch of sand if needed to fill in low spots. Another consideration is that slight deviations in the ground do not bother a roller driven reel mower such as a Swardman or greensmower as much as they will a wheel driven mower such as a McLane, Trimmer, or Tru-Cut. Most of my lawns are not @Ware or @Mightyquinn flat. They are as best as they can be given that dirt was brought in to where it did not belong. The GM 1000 does a nice job mowing even though the lawn is by no means countertop flat. I mow Japonica type Zoysia as low as 1/2". I will go lower in a full sun area.


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> Gregau33 said:
> 
> 
> > Ware said:
> ...


Thank you for your input. Looking forward to mowing low this year


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## Reelcrazy (Apr 27, 2018)

I'm up in Jersey rocking Meyers 52 at 1 inch. Grass is 85% green. Only done 2 light helpings of starter fert at first signs of green and 1 of Milorganite. Temps around 60 to 70 during the day 30s to 40s at night. Zoysia farm by me told me never go above 1.5 inches but maybe different down by you.


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## Gregau33 (Apr 15, 2018)

Reelcrazy said:


> I'm up in Jersey rocking Meyers 52 at 1 inch. Grass is 85% green. Only done 2 light helpings of starter fert at first signs of green and 1 of Milorganite. Temps around 60 to 70 during the day 30s to 40s at night. Zoysia farm by me told me never go above 1.5 inches but maybe different down by you.


Just curious, but why do you have a Zoysia yard up in Jersey? Wouldn't a cool season grass give you a better yard for your area? That's awesome that zoysia can thrive that far north.


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## mrigney (Jun 6, 2017)

My Emerald is probably 80% green here in N. Alabama, too (echoing @gatormac2112 ). It's ahead of my bermuda by a little at least, although I expect both to be pretty green here in another week.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Gregau33 said:


> Reelcrazy said:
> 
> 
> > I'm up in Jersey rocking Meyers 52 at 1 inch. Grass is 85% green. Only done 2 light helpings of starter fert at first signs of green and 1 of Milorganite. Temps around 60 to 70 during the day 30s to 40s at night. Zoysia farm by me told me never go above 1.5 inches but maybe different down by you.
> ...


Zoysia is indigenous to China, Japan, and Korea. All the way up to the Siberian border. It survives both heat and freezing temperatures. If anything, top kill from frost and dormancy is what keeps Zoysia from becoming a high maintenance PITA. If the climate allows growth 12 months out of the year, low mowing and thatch management become essential. High mowing with a rotary mower and not mowing low enough when using a reel are bad.


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## Reelcrazy (Apr 27, 2018)

Zoysia seems to grow very well in the southern Jersey area. Starts greening up early April stays green till October. It's kinda a funny area both season grasses grow well.


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