# cr0ntab's Zeon Zoysia Lawn Journal



## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Hey Guys,

Location: Southern California (92881)
AG Zone: 9b
Area size: ~2000 sqft

I want put in a new lawn it will probably be some sort of Zoysia (seeded or sodded), but first I need to go about prepping the area.

I just finished installing new sprinklers based off of a design done by Rainbird. In the process I also removed a dead tree in the middle of the area.

I have been spraying some hdx grass and weed killer that I had laying around the house (The bottle says it's glyphosate) to kill off all the green in prep for my next steps.

It worked wonders on the weeds but there is still some other stuff that doesn't want to die. I have put up a post in the Weed ID thread to see if we can figure out what to use. (https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5&p=176486#p176486)

*Step 1*
The dirt is pretty hard on the top and I need to level the area. Would the best course of action be to till it then smooth it out with a drag mat or 2x4s?

*Step 2*

Checking multiple vendors, the going rate for Zoysia sod around me is right around $1.35 (https://socalsod.bigcartel.com/product/zeon-zoysia-drought-tolerant-high-traffic-grass)

This means that sodding the area will be around $3k, so not cheap.

I also have a few bags of the Scotts zoysia seed (https://www.scotts.com/en-us/products/grass-seed/scotts-turf-builder-grass-seed-zoysia-grass-seed-mulch) if I decide to go the seed route.

Using seed I do worry about weeds though, from what I understand I can't use a pre-emergent?

*Step 3*
If I go the sod route I will need to lower the height of everything by about 2" I'm guessing. All of the current dirt is level with the existing concrete.

What's the best way to do that? Bobcat rental?

Here are some pictures of the area:

Facing north (the backyard is on the east side of the house)


Corner facing south east


Corner facing north west


Corner facing south west


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

1.35 include install and delivery?

glyphosate is a slow kill. Is it a concentrate or consumer handy spray jug? Maybe you just need it stronger ?

For about lowering the height, you could pull the dirt toward the center of the yard ....if you are concerned about the transition to concrete.

Where does the gutter runoff go?

Seeded zoysia will be entirely different than zeon. Seeded is zennith I believe...if you haven't seen it u better


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Here is a machine I have used for similar projects in the past. Easier to transport, fits into back yards easier, fast and fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBW_UGe1oug


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Land plane attachment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvjfgCE47VM


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Hey All,

Sorry for the delayed response. I didn't get an email about replies. I'll have to check my settings.



jayhawk said:


> 1.35 include install and delivery?
> 
> glyphosate is a slow kill. Is it a concentrate or consumer handy spray jug? Maybe you just need it stronger ?
> 
> ...


Ha! I wish! That's $1.35 for purchase and delivery. I had planned on putting it down myself with 2 helpers.

I switched from the hand spray to the concentrate. I followed the instructions regarding mixing amounts and that is working much much better. (It's almost all dead already!) I didn't realize how "watered down" the hose attachments were.

We don't have gutters on the house so it just falls, the concrete at the patio is sloped towards the lawn.

Good to know about the difference between seeded and sodded zoysia. I'll see if I can find pictures/comparisons.



FlowRider said:


> Here is a machine I have used for similar projects in the past. Easier to transport, fits into back yards easier, fast and fun!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good idea, I didn't know they made them that small I thought I had to go full blown bobcat which just means more money.

I'll see if I can find a rental place around me that has them.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

@cr0ntab

With a lawn your size, you may want to consider getting the mini skid steer that has the stand-on sulky to ride on. It makes it easier to see where you are going, and you can always jump off and push the sulky up out of your way. I found these very easy to maneuver in tight spaces, and you can really get a lot of work done that would wear you out quickly otherwise. You can also load the sod (if you get sod, which I recommend) in the bucket and take right to where you want to lay it down.

I used to arrange to pick rentals up on Saturdays at closing. That way you get most of Saturday afternoon, all day Sunday, and can bring it back early Monday morning, and only get charged for one day. See if the rental center will allow this.... :thumbup:


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Got the notification this time!



FlowRider said:


> @cr0ntab
> 
> With a lawn your size, you may want to consider getting the mini skid steer that has the stand-on sulky to ride on. It makes it easier to see where you are going, and you can always jump off and push the sulky up out of your way. I found these very easy to maneuver in tight spaces, and you can really get a lot of work done that would wear you out quickly otherwise. You can also load the sod (if you get sod, which I recommend) in the bucket and take right to where you want to lay it down.
> 
> I used to arrange to pick rentals up on Saturdays at closing. That way you get most of Saturday afternoon, all day Sunday, and can bring it back early Monday morning, and only get charged for one day. See if the rental center will allow this.... :thumbup:


Good idea on the weekend rental, I did see one place on craigslist that advertised this I'll have to check them out

In terms of attachments is the bucket all I really need or should I look for something in addition?


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Another consideration that I've been thinking of (though I'm not sure if it has too much bearing) is that of selective herbicides for general maintenance.

Most that I've come across, like Tenacity (https://www.domyown.com/tenacity-herbicide-p-1877.html) aren't specified for use on Zoysia.

Maybe I just haven't found them yet but are there good pre/post emergent herbicides that are Zoysia friendly? I don't want a huge maintenance headache down the line.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

cr0ntab said:


> Got the notification this time!
> 
> Good idea on the weekend rental, I did see one place on craigslist that advertised this I'll have to check them out
> 
> In terms of attachments is the bucket all I really need or should I look for something in addition?


I think you could do everything you have to do with just a smooth edge (or else, toothed) loader/scraper bucket. You can back drag the blade edge to level the soil, scrape the soil to fill in low spots, and drop the blade under weight to cut through the soil to loosen it up so you can grade it and also create loose soil for the roots to grow into quickly, and then finish grade the soil to slope it away from the foundation and create drainage swales to prevent ponding and puddling.

Also, you can haul the sod to where you need it, and if you wish to amend the soil before you lay the sod, you can haul in soil amendments to make the lawn drain well and grow healthy. The land plane makes it easy to get the soil level without a lot of hand raking. I do a lot of work on my own, so I pick labor-saving devices to make a one-man operation possible.

You could get forks to move pallets of sod and bagged soil amendments, if you go that route. But the bucket is best. :nod:

I cannot help you out on Zoysia - I know Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Centipede really well, but I never had a Zoysia lawn.

Best of luck with your renovation project, and please post pictures. Your property is beautiful, and it deserves a nice lawn! :thumbup:


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Seeding is not like fescue or cool season (relatively easy). Box stores shouldn't be allowed to sell it to gullable consumers.

Best pre is specticle Flo ....others will likely require more maintenance or supplemental treatments. You have plenty of time to figure out that game plan.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

So over the weekend I rented a dingo and I managed to level things out much better than they were before. It's still not perfect (I should've rented longer) but it's much better.

I've also decided that I'm going to sod my Zoysia, the thought of weeding for months doesn't sound great to me.

The next question I need to answer is what variety of Zoysia I want to put down.

I've narrowed it down to *Zeon* and *Zenith* Zoysia.

I feel like Zeon is the better grass of the two but I don't have any conclusive evidence of such. I've tried reading as much as I can about the two, and they're both very similar.

The Zeon can be had for $1.36/sqft + tax (I have to install, but between myself and two hired hands that's only $320 to install)

$1.36 x 2100 sqft = $2856 + tax = $3077 + Install ($320) = $3397,

*Zeon total cost = $3400* (Rounded up for good measure)

The Zenith can be had for $1.85/sqft installed ($1/sqft install fee $0.85/sqft for sod)

$1.85 x 2100 sqft = $3885

*Zenith total cost = $3900* (Rounded up for good measure)

I feel like the Zeon is a better product, but I'm not sure if I'm just paying for the "name" or not.

Both varieties seem very similar.

I want to make the decision pretty soon because I don't want grass and weeds to start growing in the newly leveled dirt.


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## LawnRat (Mar 22, 2019)

cr0ntab said:


> ...
> I want to make the decision pretty soon because* I don't want grass and weeds to start growing in the newly leveled dirt*.


Yes you do! Water it well now and get as many seeds you just moved to the surface to germinate as you can so you can kill them before sodding. Or they will come up after.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

LawnRat said:


> Yes you do! Water it well now and get as many seeds you just moved to the surface to germinate as you can so you can kill them before sodding. Or they will come up after.


Interesting!

Ok, should I spray with a pre-em or just hit it all with glyphosate?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@cr0ntab Zenith is more expensive than Zeon?? That would make Zeon an easy choice for me. The Zenith is going to be more drought and cold tolerant with slightly wider blades because it is a japonica, where the Zeon is a matrella.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Spammage said:


> cr0ntab Zenith is more expensive than Zeon?? That would make Zeon an easy choice for me. The Zenith is going to be more drought and cold tolerant with slightly wider blades because it is a japonica, where the Zeon is a matrella.


I can't find any local nurseries that sell the Zenith they all only offer Zeon, not sure why that is.

For a raw product perspective the prices break down as:

$0.85/sqft for Zenith (This price I got from the installer, so I'm not sure what the _actual_ cost is)

$1.36/sqft for Zeon

Install costs by a _licensed/bonded/insured_ installer are $1/sqft making Zenith more expensive _installed_.

But the installers want quite a bit of money to do their thing. I realize it's hard work but I'm fine supporting my local home depot folks for just labor.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

@cr0ntab

Very nice work on cleaning up and leveling your yard with the Dingo.

I really like using those machines. One man can do the work of a crew.

How many pallets of sod are you looking at? How many sod pieces?

The reason I ask is you may be able to install it yourself, or with help from some friends. You find out who is a good friend if you have to move or lay down sod - if they show up for that, they are true friends.

I have laid sod before, St. Augustine. 11 pallets, with the help of two true friends. One guy wheelbarrowing with two guys laying the sod down.

We got done in one day. The last two pallets kicked our tails, hard.

Not sure of your own health, strength, stamina, and motivation. But if you can handle the job - stoop labor at times, you can save big money. I paid my buddies for their help, but still came out ahead.

It will beat you up physically, but you will recover. I was in my forties when I cleared some land and sodded in the area I cleared off.

On the sod, I would look it over before buying. A lot of sod farms cut their sod real shallow, to skimp on how much soil they use up. You want to have a fair amount of soil to help the roots stay protected until you get it installed onto the graded prepped soil. So try to get a look at the sod before you decide who to buy it from; don't get ripped off....

You may want to buy an aluminum landscape rake if you don't have one. It makes smoothing out the soil very workable and easy. But that assumes you are laying the sod yourself or with buddies.

Also, I spread "starter" fertilizer on the soil before I laid the sod, and then on top of the soil after it was laid, before watering it in. This gets the sod off to a great start with nutrients available right at the sod/soil interface, which helps the roots get established quicker. It is pricey, but so worth it, because you pay a lot for sod, so protect that investment....

All the best on your install - you are doing it the right way and it shows!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Here is the aluminum landscape rake I use - bought it at Lowe's. It's the silver colored (aluminum, so...) wide braced rake in the back on the left:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

The aluminum landscape rake has a reinforced straight edge on the flip side of the rake - or the back side of the rake opposite of the tines .

You can use it to really smooth out the soil, get rid of any foot/boot imprints, before you lay the sod, so you can work your way out as you lay it out smooth - helps prevent those nasty hidden ankle twisters later on....

Well worth the money. Helps raking in sand/soil and mulch beds too.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

do you have any leftover soil? the sod won't always have the same depth and i would supplement the thinner sod pieces or just cut out the weak/ravaged area of a piece.

i did and would chose the thin blade matrella.

you and a few bros can handle the install, i'd probably start the first row (fill in from there) parallel against the concrete. you want staggered seams, just like a hardwood floor.


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## LawnRat (Mar 22, 2019)

cr0ntab said:


> LawnRat said:
> 
> 
> > Yes you do! Water it well now and get as many seeds you just moved to the surface to germinate as you can so you can kill them before sodding. Or they will come up after.
> ...


No pre-M, just gly. You can use gly right up until sodding day.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Hey All,

I'm inching ever closer to the new lawn now that temperatures are starting to cool down. :nod:

Since I last posted I've:


Done a bit more leveling

Installed a hard edge on one side of the yard

Kept up on my weed killing over the last few months to make sure it's a nice patch of dirt

Added a border around the tree on the left side of the yard

I ended up going with the Zeon Zoysia, came out to $3,084 for 2100 sqft.

It's set to be delivered Saturday morning.

I'm enlisting my dad and two hired home depot hands to get the job done in a reasonable time.

I'll most some more pictures during and after the install!

A few pictures just for fun:


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Alright, we knuckled down and got all the sod in this morning.

Took 3 of us, just over 2 hours to get the job done :bandit: :thumbup:

Sure looks a heck of a lot better than the dirt patch!

Here's some pictures:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I am really glad you posted these pictures. I was wondering how your project was going (or went...).

I think your yard turned out amazing! It is clear you took pride in getting it done right, and it looks primo!

We need a picture with your back to the dog kennel looking over the lawn in the direction of the pool.

I think your property value just went up by about $10,000 U.S., which is about $20,000 in California dollars. :wink:  :rofl:


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Love the rounded edges. Keep it watered and look for signs of being stressed (discolor, blades thinner in the heat of the day).

Keep us posted


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

That's some beautiful sod!


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

FlowRider said:


> We need a picture with your back to the dog kennel looking over the lawn in the direction of the pool.








 :mrgreen:


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Stunning!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

@cr0ntab

Thanks for taking the time to post these pictures. I makes me homesick for California, that's for sure!

The middle picture above is the money shot, for sure. You have an amazing view from your yard.

I showed your yard to my bride. She said it was beautiful. And I wholeheartedly agree...! :thumbsup: :banana: :gum:


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

It's been a little over a week and the sod is filling in nicely.

There are a few spots that are not 100% happy but it's growing in - just at a slower rate than the happy spots.

All in all things look good, I'll probably be ready for my first mow this weekend (the two week mark)

I wanted to know if it is too early to start applying a pre-emergent to the sod.

I don't want to have to contend with weeds and I'd rather get the pre-emergent down than have to hand pull and spot kill.

What is the general consensus from TLF?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Personally, I would skip any pre-m this fall. You want it to take advantage of any and all rooting it can get done. Maybe in the spring...


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Definitely stay away from prodiamine, specticle or any that inhibit roots until spring

@Movingshrub has invested in the research and there may be some that are safer for new sod.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Check with the sod farm to see if you need to apply an pre-em.

If you're looking for root friendly during the first season, oxadiazon, simazine, and monument, combined. Just noticed zoysia vs bermuda. Check the label for simazine and oxadiazon to confirm compatibility.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Got it, thanks so much guys!

I read the labels for simazine and oxadiazon, they both _can_ be used for Zoysia.

However, the label recommends against newly planted grasses.

I'll hold off for a bit and tackle things manually.

Thanks everyone!


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Hey Guys,

My wife shot some photos during the day and she said the grass was turning brown.

When I get home in the evenings it doesn't look that bad, but in the sunlight it seems to look worse?

I figured I'd ask here to see if it's really a problem.

I do see growth in the same squares of sod so I figured it wasn't that big a deal.

We do have the sprinklers set to water twice a day (7am and 2pm) for 15 minutes

Last week we had the grass being watered every two hours for 6 minutes


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Rotors, right?

Afternoons, in direct sun, it can look worse than at 7pm when in drought stress.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> Rotors, right?
> 
> Afternoons, in direct sun, it can look worse than at 7pm when in drought stress.


Yeah the area is covered by rotors:

6x Rain Bird 32SA 1.5 Nozzle
3x Rain Bird 42SA 1.0 Nozzle.

You're saying I'm not watering enough? (I can certainly increase frequency)

The instructions that came with the sod said to "keep it moist" and I've only been checking the edges (haven't walked on the sod at all) and the edges were moist.

So, I assumed the center was good. Maybe not?

Here is a link to the sprinkler layout Rain Bird did for me:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wWxM2X1b7ZbmakKN9SuDHPihVtBC33CR


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

I can't really tell you how long to run rotors (I don't have any) but I know they put out much less than fans per minute - run times sound conservative for rotors.

Is the ground underneath the sod piece moist? (That's the target initially)


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> Is the ground underneath the sod piece moist? (That's the target initially)


Yes, it's quite moist.

I'm just shy of the two weeks and I decided to lightly walk on the sod to get a closer look at things.

From that excursion I found that I might actually be _over_ watering.

The ground was quite squishy as I traversed the grass, mainly in the areas that are brown.

I'm going to keep a closer eye on things through the weekend and I'm going to cut the watering times a bit to see how that affects the underlying soil moisture.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

@@cr0ntab stabilizing?


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

@jayhawk

We're getting better, but I'm currently waging war against rabbits.

What I perceived to be a watering problem earlier, I now think is a rabbit problem.

I see tons of their pellets all over the grass, and where there are pellets, the grass yellows. I have to imagine it's the rabbit urine that's killing the grass.

So, just this week I started a few counter measures:


I sprayed the perimeter of my property with this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Liquid-Fence-32-oz-Ready-to-Use-Deer-and-Rabbit-Repellent-HG-71126-2/205844055

I put out a trap with bait to catch any rabbits that ignore the repellant.

I changed my automower from running during the day to running at night, in the hopes that it'll scare the rabbits off.

I started doing all of this on Saturday, so we'll see how well my countermeasures fare.

Where the rabbits haven't done their deed on the grass it's great. Very very thick, very green, very happy.

Where they did get to the grass, it is thin, wiry and brown. Certainly not happy.

I also noticed an increased concentration of weeds in the areas that are brown. No doubt from the rabbits killing the grass and thinning it out.

I need to send off my soil samples this week to get tested to see where my levels are at. I took a bunch of "cores" from around the yard using this: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M7RDBXD/

Here are more pictures of the grass:


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Still fighting rabbits, but I'm going to put up some fencing next weekend. The traps, chemicals, sprays etc aren't working.

So need a physical barrier.

Also, I finally got around to getting some soil samples for the grass. Here's my report:


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Educate me on the average climate of your location. I know that Zoysia does very well when night time temperatures stay above 75 and day time temperatures go above 85. The grass has issues when temperatures drop and then remain below those limits for more than a few days. If your "winter" in California is similar to winter in Hawaii, growth performance of the Zoysia will be poor. @cr0ntab


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Been super busy with work, travel, weddings, etc etc. and the lawn has gotten a bit away from me.

But there are really two updates since I haven't posted in a while.

*12/15/19*

Added 6 lbs of Espoma Soil Acidifier (30% Sulfur - 18% Free Sulfur / 12% Combined Sulfur) - In an attempt to lower pH to the optimal range. I'll do another dose in about 6 months.

Added 4 lbs of DiseaseEx fungicide (preventative rate) (Azoxystrobin 0.31%) - lawn looked very unhappy, added as a safety net

*02/06/20*

Over the months the lawn got covered in weeds from all the rabbit poop and I layed down a lot of post-em yesterday.

I added a physical barrier around the yard and rabbit volume has certainly gone down. I have a few holes I need to find because they still get in, but definitely fewer rabbits.

I sprayed all the visible weeds with Roundup For Lawns2 (3.85% MCPA, dimethylamine salt - 1.80% Quinclorac - 0.43% Dicamba, dimethylamine salt - 0.22% Sulfentrazone) - It's what I had in stock.

Went through 4x ½ gallon spray bottles (2oz * 4 = 8oz of chemical). I didn't realize I would need as much, should've just mixed one big batch. (I use the blue marker dye to see what the heck I'm doing)

Did quite a bit of reading last night and I ordered up all the stuff to do my first ever pre-em application. I'm going to go with Prodiamine 65 WDG and I bought a TeeJet XR11004-VS and a TeeJet AIXR11004-VP for my sprayer.

When the stuff comes in I'll start practicing my laps around the lawn to get 1 Gal / 1000 sf.

I want to get the pre-em down before the end of the month. Got a notice from GreenCast that soil temperatures are going up and Crabgrass is going to get happy.



Greendoc said:


> Educate me on the average climate of your location. I know that Zoysia does very well when night time temperatures stay above 75 and day time temperatures go above 85. The grass has issues when temperatures drop and then remain below those limits for more than a few days. If your "winter" in California is similar to winter in Hawaii, growth performance of the Zoysia will be poor. @cr0ntab


@Greendoc Since I last posted these have been the average monthly temperatures around here (based on my onsite weather station historical data)

November 2019
Avg High: 76.2F
Avg Temp: 62.4F
Avg Low: 49.7F

December 2019
Avg High: 63.5F
Avg Temp: 53.1F
Avg Low: 44.9F

January 2020
Avg High: 67.6F
Avg Temp: 55F
Avg Low: 44.6F

February 2020 Thus Far
Avg High: 65.6F
Avg Temp: 53.6F (I expect this to go up)
Avg Low: 42.9F

Night time temperatures have definitely been below 75F and the daytime temperatures have certainly not been above 85F here.

I'd say that night time is closer to 40-50F and daytime has been 70-80F tops for the last few months.

I've kind of come to terms with the grass and I'm waiting for it to get warmer to see what happens. My hope is that it's just dormant and sleepy due to the lower temperatures.

I have some areas that are very green and very healthy, then I have a big middle area that's very bland and "sleepy" looking. After staring at the grass over the months I think this is due to all the shade this area gets from the palms. I plan to cut back the palms this weekend to see what happens.

The green area's have certainly grown, but very slowly (this is a plus for me!) so we'll see!

I've been telling the wife that this grass goes dormant and it's not dead, so don't shoot me. Hopefully it turns around when it gets warmer haha :lol: :mrgreen:

*Lastly, pictures. Because everyone likes pictures!*

Overview


Overview


Happy Green Grass


Sad Sleepy Grass


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

*02/18/20*

Sprayed all the visible weeds (had some stragglers from the last application) with Roundup For Lawns2 (3.85% MCPA, dimethylamine salt - 1.80% Quinclorac - 0.43% Dicamba, dimethylamine salt - 0.22% Sulfentrazone)

Went through 2 ½ gallons spray bottles (2oz * 5 = 10oz of chemical)

Cut the "lawn" (mostly weeds) down to 1.625" with the scotts push mower.

I ordered a My4Sons M4 backpack sprayer, should be here Thursday so I can start practicing for my Pre-M application this weekend.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

*02/21/20*

Put down 0.84oz of Prodiamine (in 2 gallons of water) as per the calculator:



I also added:

12oz of Air8
12oz of RGS
to the 2 gallon mix as I sprayed.

I calibrated my sprayer 4 times and got it right the 3rd and 4th time.

Then when it came time for the actual spray, I walked too slowly and over applied ever so slightly.

Had to add water to the sprayer and cover the remaining area (probably about 50-90 sqft). Oh well, live and learn!

The lawn is greening up pretty quickly though, in the last week I've seen a huge visible improvement in the Zoysia. I'm really excited to see how it does during our summer heat!


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Interesting blurb from my sod provider:

https://www.sod.com/why-did-we-take-zeon-off-the-market/



> While Zeon has been successful in many states in the South, it does not appear to be as well adapted to the climate in coastal Southern California. Zeon is low water using, shade tolerant, and pet resistant, however it goes dormant and has other challenging maintenance requirements.
> 
> Customers expect high quality products from Southland. Winter dormancy that comes with Zeon, are a surprise to many of our customers. Although the grass turns green again in the spring, we have received a disproportionate share of questions and service requests.
> 
> ...


Welp, I guess that means no Zeon in SoCal :| :?


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

*03/11/20*

Added 4 lbs of DiseaseEx fungicide (preventative rate) (Azoxystrobin 0.31%) - We're transitioning to warmer weather and I don't want any disease. Really just added as a safety net.

*03/22/20*

Today I was bored (home quarantine) so I put down the following:

Round 1 - Mixed into 2 gallons

8oz of Air8
8oz of Humic12

Round 2 - Mixed into 2 gallons

10oz of MicroGreene
10oz of RGS

Lastly, the lawn situation has turned around a lot. *It's actually green!* :bandit: :banana: :dancenana: :thumbsup: :shout:





This one is by far my favorite shot - if you look back in my posts (https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=235312#p235312) you will see that this area was completely dormant a month ago.



There is one area in the back towards the pomegranate tree that is *LOVING* life. It's so thick and full back there it's amazing.



Cutting with the manually reel back there is actually semi-tough :bd:

I want the whole lawn looking and feeling like that!

I sent off for 3 soil tests today to compare results since the last round seemed to be iffy.

Waypoint Analytical
Spectrum Analytics
Soil Savvy - My friend gave me this one so it was "free", but don't plan on using them long term.

I'm itching to throw down some fertilizer but I haven't decided what to go with. More coming on that topic.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

I got my soil test results back, there is quite a difference between the Waypoint and Spectrum Phosphorus numbers.

I assume this is the testing differences that were mentioned during my first soil test.

I think I will continue testing with Waypoint over Spectrum. A big reason, cost.

This test was $50 at Spectrum and $34 at Waypoint - and the Waypoint test has more testing methods.





From this NC State information the recommendation is no more than 2 lbs of Nitrogen per year.

Spectrum recommends 4-5 lbs

Waypoint recommends 5 lbs

Not sure what rate to go with. I ask around in the other forums to see what the pros around here say.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

2-3 lb for zeon. @bladerunnerfarms


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> 2-3 lb for zeon. @bladerunnerfarms


 :thumbup:

Thanks for the reply @jayhawk

I'll probably shoot for the middle and go with 2.5 lbs/1k/yr

I'll likely split that over 5x 0.5 lb apps

 May
 June
 July
 August
 September

I'll probably end up going with CarbonX 24-0-4 to see how it goes.

Per app it's a bit more expensive than the generic Scotts Turf Builder 32-0-4

Scotts - $4.35/app
CarbonX - $6.46/app

But it only adds up to an extra $11 per year so I'm willing to try it.


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## greg_n_sd (Jul 17, 2019)

Just seeing this thread and had a similar experience a few years ago with my zenith in North County San Diego.

Yours has greened up nicely this year though! I just scalped mine last weekend and starting to get some green up but I'm closer to the coast so likely cooler temps.

This will be my second full season and "planning" to level with sand once the grass starts thriving (July-ish).

I've struggled to find a good fert plan for zoysia so certainly interested to see what you go with.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

I've done a piss poor job of updating the thread but I've done much better at keeping my google doc lawn journal up to date:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ggbGzF5Xiz7FEKH29y6xQ0bUNRaNK8tepWaogXyy3sQ/edit?usp=sharing

Today I put down 0.4 lbs/1000 sqft of 24-0-4 Carbon X fertilizer (This works out to be 3.3 Lbs of product). The #4.5 setting worked well to distribute this product.

*2020 Fert Tally*: 1.2 lbs/1000 sqft

I think this will be my last application of fertilizer for the season. We're going to get another solid heatwave coming through in the next week or so. Then, putting on my weatherman hat, I predict that we should start to cool down. I've already seen the evening temperatures start to drop.

Mixed into 2.5 gallons, up from 2.25 gallons, somehow still ran short - might need to increase the walking speed :lol: 

0.84 oz of Prodiamine
16oz of D-Thatch (Soil) 7.5oz/1k
16oz of Air8 (Soil) 7.5oz/1k
Metronome 85
TeeJet XR11004

Watered everything in for 10m

Earlier in the season I told myself that I wanted to split my Prodiamine apps up for better coverage, I'm not sure I need to. The Zoysia chokes weeds out pretty well and the one app I did had me covered for the summer.

I put down another 6mo application, we'll re-evaluate over the winter time if I need to split it up or not.

My phone crapped out so I don't have recent pictures of the lawn, but it is THICK and loving life.

I definitely understand how/why this particular grass needs to be dethatched, even after one season the thatch layer is pretty thick. I waited a bit too long to dethatch this year (I think) so I'll wait to the beginning of next season.

The "carpet" is definitely the envy of the neighborhood and the kids always like to play barefoot on this lawn.

I know it's not the most popular option, but my Automower has been keeping the lawn perfectly flat on it's own. It's a great thing!

The latest photos are from 9/9/20:


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## SeanBB (Jul 11, 2020)

@cr0ntab where did you find the zeon? i hunted all over socal for it to no avail. Ended up going paspalum. If the zeon performs better with some shade I may end up having to switch!


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

SeanBB said:


> @cr0ntab where did you find the zeon? i hunted all over socal for it to no avail. Ended up going paspalum. If the zeon performs better with some shade I may end up having to switch!


I got my Zeon Zoysia through SoCalSod Farms who resells for Southland Sod farms. Unfortunately I think you're SOL on getting Zeon Zoysia from them because earlier this year they posted this:

https://www.sod.com/why-did-we-take-zeon-off-the-market/

For me, I'm totally ok with it going dormant so it's a non issue. It does look like they might have replaced the Zeon with De Anza, but i'm not certain:

https://socalsod.bigcartel.com/product/zoysia-de-anza

My Zoysia effectively gets full sun from sunup to about 4pm. There are a few shade areas but they move as the sun does.

Edit --

Looks like it was march: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=240810#p240810


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

Awesome looking, glad see it's performing and the envy of many. #bang. 
Automower? Wait ... you don't use a reel, and back lap every week?
You are so right....you can use a half *** preEm and maybe see some spurge but most weeds have little chance.

1.2 lbs N - thumbs up


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> Awesome looking, glad see it's performing and the envy of many. #bang.
> Automower? Wait ... you don't use a reel, and back lap every week?
> You are so right....you can use a half @ss preEm and maybe see some spurge but most weeds have little chance.
> 
> 1.2 lbs N - thumbs up


 :lol: I do have a manual reel that I use for the edges and to "get it out of my system" but this grass is so damn thick that even the edges get washboard, and the edge is only about 4-5" wide.

While this grass does require some involvement, with the automower I think it's the right balance for me.

The wife and I like the grass tall, it feels so good to get the blades between your toes, love laying on this "carpet" more than my own house! :mrgreen:

This forum has been the best to help me get the lawn of my dreams, I hope to keep it up. It's a fantastic hobby!


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## SeanBB (Jul 11, 2020)

Dude, it looks great you have done a great job. Automower is epic. lol


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Very few updates these last months, but mainly because the grass is dormant. Overall the lawn is looking pretty sleepy, i'd say 85% dormant.   

*01/10/21*

Spot sprayed for weeds. I also flagged the weeds so I can "watch the kill" as Certainty and Celsius do their thing. (This is my first time using those two)

There seems to be a high concentration of weeds on the south side of the lawn near the palm trees.

I'm guessing it's because the grass is pretty thin over there. I'll likely need to up the N during the growing season to fill it in and do a slightly heavier application of prodiamine on that side.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

Sorry folks, the lawn journal did go silent.

Life + automower + PreEm = low maintenance

A few updates since my last post:


 I noticed that the Certainty/Celsius combo wasn't really working so I ended up over dosing and burning the lawn in the few areas that I hit it. Took a while to recover and even after a full sun summer it's still a little noticeable :bd: 
 I've only put down 0.4#/1000 sqft this year, I should probably do one more dose but I think the constant mulching of the automower keeps things happy.
 The lawn is growing in super thick this year, I think I will definitely have to dethatch or something before the next season.

Things are still looking great though, my backyard carpet is the constant envy of all the neighbors.


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## rntaylo (Aug 8, 2017)

Looks awesome. What automower height setting do you use?


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

rntaylo said:


> Looks awesome. What automower height setting do you use?


I set my cut height to 3


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

@cr0ntab love the view still

At that hoc, I know the cushion is like a kids' padded playground surface.

How often does robo mow ...and surely it has a pet name?


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> @cr0ntab love the view still
> 
> At that hoc, I know the cushion is like a kids' padded playground surface.
> 
> How often does robo mow ...and surely it has a pet name?


Ohhhh yeah it's _plush_

We have a new baby coming in November, so I'm looking forward to much time next summer in the grass.

During peak growing season I send it out every day for 8 hours, in the shoulder seasons I back it off to 3 times a week, winter time the mower gets a siesta.

His name is Juan - the Juan mower :bandit:

I could probably benefit from some PGR so it doesn't have to mow _every_ day, but since I'm not doing the mowing - not my problem :lol:


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

I've been keeping up in my google doc with the lawn journal but not here 

I'm going to do a quick dump of the last few months for me.

02/14/22
With a new baby in October I took a chance and I didn't put down the fall app of prodiamine last year (was pretty busy with baby stuff). That really bit me in the butt, the lawn has all kinds of things growing in it 

Now I gotta remediate, but to stop the bleeding I'm going to put down 0.84oz of Prodiamine (in 2 gallons of water) as per the calculator:










Next Year i'll do a split app into:
0.41 oz at 55F
0.41 oz 3 months later (5/21)
0.84oz 3 months later (8/21)

I also added:
12oz of Air8
12oz of RGS
to the 2 gallon mix as I sprayed.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

06/11/22

New dad life strikes again. I got out to reel mow the lawn yesterday (the automower takes care of most things) but man it felt good to get that out of my system. Lawn looks SO much better with the reel vs the automower.

I also dug out the scarifier for the first time and ran one pass through the lawn. A lot of muck came up. It was battery powered so I had to macgyver a secondary power source to get the job done.

I ended up filling 3.5 !!! :shock: :shock: trashbins with all the junk that came out. I definitely need to start doing this annually.

I'm getting rid of the battery powered version and purchased a corded dethatcher/scarifier, the zoysia is just too big a job for the battery powered.


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

06/12/22

Put down 0.4 lbs/1000 sqft of 24-0-4 Carbon X fertilizer (This worked out to be 3.3 Lbs of product) The #2 setting on the Ryobi worked well to distribute this product. Watered in for 10 minutes.

*2022 Fert Tally*: 0.4 lbs/1000 sqft

Even though I'm a month off pace, I plan to put down 2 lbs over the course of the year and I'm going to break it up into 4 "treatments"

May, June, July, August


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

06/18/22

After running through with the dethatcher I decided to scalp the lawn since some areas were REALLY thick and others pretty thin. I wanted to "reset" everything after the dethatch.

I ended up using my Sun Joe reel mower (with my custom power supply) to scalp the lawn. It worked but it was REALLY REALLY slow going. The mower just doesn't have the power to do a deep scalp on zoysia.

I actually ended up burning out the motor on the mower  Sun Joe was good about it though and they sent out a replacement.

I'll need to figure out a different solution long term for scalping the lawn. I don't really want to purchase a gas mower just for this job as I don't want to deal with gas and oil changes and such.

In the end though, the lawn was MUCH more even all around. I hope the scalped areas grow back in relatively soon, it is peak growing season after all!

Album with all photos


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## cr0ntab (Oct 14, 2018)

07/20/22

Put down 0.4 lbs/1000 sqft of 24-0-4 Carbon X fertilizer (This worked out to be 3.3 Lbs of product) The #2 setting on the Ryobi worked well to distribute this product. Watered in for 10 minutes.

*2022 Fert Tally*: 0.8 lbs/1000 sqft

Some areas that I scalped are growing in great, there are a couple of spots that still need a little bit of help.

The Zoysia is LOVING this heat though. It's growing super thick and the color is deeeeep green green green :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Album with all photos


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