# Zeon Zoysia vs......????



## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

OK guys,

See my other thread on how my experiment went wrong and I ended up having to rip out the Zeon Zoysia on a part of my lawn.

I'm beginning to think maybe I should have a backup Bermuda type sod in case I can't get Zeon Zoysia quickly this week. This part of the yard is on the other side of the driveway from where my Zeon Zoysia is, so they will not be right next to each other.

Is there an easy to get, fine blade (to mimic the Zoysia) Bermuda I should consider? This spot gets 100% sun and I'm looking for a hearty grass that is drought tolerant. I mow at 0.48".


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## zoysialover (Jul 24, 2018)

Checkout Tiftuf hybrid bermuda. Drought resistant and requires less water and stays green longer when compared to other bermuda grasses. I think I am going to do a lawn renovation with it within the next few years. I am tired of messing around with my zeon zoysia.


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

zoysialover said:


> I think I am going to do a lawn renovation with it within the next few years. I am tired of messing around with my zeon zoysia.


@zoysialover Just curious as to the pros and cons of the Zeon?


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## TampaBayFL (Jul 24, 2020)

zoysialover said:


> I am tired of messing around with my zeon zoysia.


Empire here.....but similar sentiment (and Ive only had it this year.....)

Dare I say I miss the St Augustine?


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Just got a call from my sod guy. TifTuf Bermuda is on order!


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## DFWLawnNut (Jul 7, 2020)

Emerald zoysia is thin bladed. I have it in the back and bermuda out front. 








I may be switching back to bermuda in the back though. Got hit with fungus this summer and the Bermuda has started creeping back in everywhere the zoysia has died. I'm going to give it one more year and try out some fulsilade to see if I can get the zoysia to fill back in.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

@DFWLawnNut those are spring pictures?


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

It's interesting to see people want to get rid of their Zoysia. I've had good luck with my and here is a pic of it in its current state.

Sure I need to do preventative applications for fungus, but I did with St Aug also, and in fact I lost my St Aug to s fungus back with I was uninformed.

In full sun the Zeon is just amazing. In the shade areas, it's a bit tougher but I have gotten it to grow in fairly thick also.


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## zoysialover (Jul 24, 2018)

ENC_Lawn said:


> zoysialover said:
> 
> 
> > I think I am going to do a lawn renovation with it within the next few years. I am tired of messing around with my zeon zoysia.
> ...


Pros: esthetics- I love the fine blade look, the density of it (looks like carpet compared to common Bermuda and because of that has less weed competition), color when it's healthy and well fed, lower nitrogen needs.

Cons: prone to fungal disease (brown patch and dollar spot for me), have to manage thatch closely, will go dormant quicker on hot summer days quicker than bermuda, damaged areas are slow to recover and fill in (those damaged areas always seem to have bermuda invade it), my lawn often looks chlorotic because of my soil pH, hard to mow (dulls my reel/bedknife fairly quickly)and lastly you can't overseed it (I think???). I love perennial rye grass and I can't overseed in the winter.

And that's why I'm thinking of doing a lawn renovation to TifTuf. What are your thoughts?


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## DFWLawnNut (Jul 7, 2020)

jayhawk said:


> @DFWLawnNut those are spring pictures?


The front yard picture is from yesterday. The emerald zoysia pictures are from a couple of months ago. Bermuda is rocking it this year. I'm going take the zoysia low next year and see if it's easier to maintain since fungus burns off easier.

This is today on the zoysia.


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## Jbird95 (Jun 24, 2020)

I have Zorro Zoysia, a fine blade. Does great in 50% shade. Sourced at King Ranch.


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## TampaBayFL (Jul 24, 2020)

DFW_Zoysia said:


> It's interesting to see people want to get rid of their Zoysia.


I love the look of it to be sure, but in my area anyway, or at least in my yard, the St. Augustine was pitifully easy to keep looking really really good. Just basic care was all
it took. The zoysia seems very sensitive and temperamental and its appearance seems like it can turn on a dime. It is also very very slow to recover compared to Saint Augustine or Bermuda.

But, in my neighborhood the only grasses we are allowed to have our Bermuda or zoysia, so since Bermuda won't grow well at all in the shadier parts of my yard (this is what I had originally, and removed it since 25-50% dirt was not very aesthetically pleasing, LOL), so zoysia it is!


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

TampaBayFL said:


> DFW_Zoysia said:
> 
> 
> > It's interesting to see people want to get rid of their Zoysia.
> ...


I wanted bermuda but didn't feel I had a chance of success with the shade issues in part of my lawn so I went with the Zoysia.


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

zoysialover said:


> ENC_Lawn said:
> 
> 
> > zoysialover said:
> ...


@zoysialover I have about 14,000 square feet of Bermuda and although it looks great...I am over it.

I have 2 ditches on my property one in the front and one along the back...and at 14,000 square feet...I get tired of mowing every 2 to 3 days.

I don't like chemicals or spraying "just personal preference" so I don't apply PGR.

So with no PGR...I feel like I am always mowing.

I have always had Centipede before Bermuda and I was used to mowing once a week and the lawn looked great...so the Bermuda mowing schedule has been a big change for me when you factor in career / life / kids schedule etc.

So in my case I would prefer to not have to cut as often if I didn't want to. That means going with a slightly higher HOC and in my opinion I don't like the look of Bermuda above about 1 inch tall.

Centipede and Zoysia lawns in my neighborhood all look great from reel low to 2 to 3 inches. And they are mowed only about once a week...so I envy the options of Zoysia of going reel low or choosing a slight higher HOC if wanted / needed.

Also at 14,000 square feet and having 2 ditches I end up using my John Deere Rotary some and no matter how many sand levelings I do....the lawn is going to scalp some with Bermuda especially around the ditches.

I also have right many flower beds around my house and again the Bermuda is very hard to keep out of the beds.

And also the HOC resets.

The HOC resets are not a deal breaker...but I would prefer to not have to worry about them. Again another pro IMO of the Zoysia.

So if you can't tell...I love the look of the Bermuda....its beautiful...but I am over the high mowing frequency and constant edging.

Now that being said...I want to go the Zoysia route...but I have to admit...a lot of the forums members caution against it and that makes me nervous as well.

It seems the Zoysia is very tough blade of grass to cut even with a powerful rotary or reel mower?

So I am not sure if that would be more aggravating than the Bermuda...???

This is just me 2 cents... 

All of the above being said...I have seen TifTuf at Sod Solutions in person and it is beautiful. I think it is a great choice of Bermuda if you decide to go that route.

If I had 10,000 square feet of Zeon like you do...I would try my best to keep it...because to me it is one beautiful grass!

Not sure if I was any help


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## SC Grass Loon (Jun 7, 2019)

I like my zorro. I sodded it last spring and maintain at just under .75". It is a little temperamental but I have a bunch of shade. It is slow to recover especially with PGR. With the PGR I am mowing once a week and I am well within the 1/3 rule. I have put down a bunch of fungicide this year as I had a couple of issues last year. I would sod with it again if I had to make the choice again.


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## zoysialover (Jul 24, 2018)

@ENC_Lawn lawn- Do I think zoysia would be more aggravating than bermuda? I would say yes. Zoysia may save you by only having to mow 1X a week but you have to seriously limit the amount of nitrogen you give it and how much water you give it. And, expect to have fungal issues that you are going to have to treat. I spray preventative fungicides (armada, exteris stressgard and propiconazole/azoxystrobin rotation) in spring and fall and I still have issues. Nematodes can be a problem as well. I do love the esthetics of my lawn when its healthy and thriving but it is a heck of a lot of work. I think PGR is your best bet in my honest opinion. Good luck!


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## marcjw (Aug 28, 2020)

I have centipede/st augustine mix in my back yard and zeon in the front. My experience the centipede does more of a 180 the other direction than the zeon. The sod farm that grew my zeon even agreed with me when we discussed the topic. Centipede doesn't like preemergents. Guaranteed every spring it will turn yellow during green up due to the pre-e. I've had centipede just randomly die off from causes I still don't know.

First year owning zeon has been great. At least what ever issues may arise it looks good compared to st aug/centipede.


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## TampaBayFL (Jul 24, 2020)

zoysialover said:


> but you have to seriously limit the amount of nitrogen you give it and how much water you give it. And, expect to have fungal issues that you are going to have to treat. I spray preventative fungicides (armada, exteris stressgard and propiconazole/azoxystrobin rotation) in spring and fall and I still have issues.


^^^^This has been my exact experience as well this year. I way overfed mine initially, and this coupled with high temperatures and humidity, and the fungus has been rampant, even with treatment.

All this aside, the lawn still does look pretty good. Its just that the effort seems nearly constant compared to my neighbors with Bermuda (Celebration).


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

The fungicides and nematicides I stock are applied to Zoysia 99% of the time. My need to replace a bedknife on my reel mower more than once a year and the reel annually is related to the fact that the majority of what I mow is either El Toro or Zeon Zoysia. If it were some kind of Bermuda, my reel and bedknife replacement might be 1/2 or less what is currently required.



> I have centipede/st augustine mix in my back yard and zeon in the front. My experience the centipede does more of a 180 the other direction than the zeon. The sod farm that grew my zeon even agreed with me when we discussed the topic. Centipede doesn't like preemergents. Guaranteed every spring it will turn yellow during green up due to the pre-e. I've had centipede just randomly die off from causes I still don't know.


 I can confirm that normal pre on Centipede does not work the same as it does on other warm season grasses. I avoid the likes of Prodiamine, Dithiopyr, and Pendimethalin on Centipede. I also avoid Spectacle on Centipede. It can be much safer to control grassy weeds postemergently or to use label rates of Simazine or Atrazine as the Pre.


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## marcjw (Aug 28, 2020)

Greendoc said:


> The fungicides and nematicides I stock are applied to Zoysia 99% of the time. My need to replace a bedknife on my reel mower more than once a year and the reel annually is related to the fact that the majority of what I mow is either El Toro or Zeon Zoysia. If it were some kind of Bermuda, my reel and bedknife replacement might be 1/2 or less what is currently required.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info Doc.

I looked at the issue the gentleman was having with his lawn that started this topic and it started with removal of a bump in his lawn. That basically led to the idea of wanting to get rid of the zoysia cultivar all togther..lol. Looked like a gorgeous lawn to me. One of the best lawns on this forum is a zeon lawn. It's in the lawn journal section the guy is zeonnix or something like that. I may experience the fungus issues myself one day but so far it's been some beautiful turf.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

marcjw said:


> I looked at the issue the gentleman was having with his lawn that started this topic and it started with removal of a bump in his lawn. That basically led to the idea of wanting to get rid of the zoysia cultivar all togther..lol. Looked like a gorgeous lawn to me. One of the best lawns on this forum is a zeon lawn.


Yeah - I totally flubbed the plan on trying to remove the hump and ended up destroying that section of my lawn.

Thanks for the complement on how the lawn looked prior to that!

The reason I'm not replacing it with more Zeon is I get bored and like to change things up and try new things. I think it would be fun to try Tiftuf Bermuda and see how it compares.

I think I enjoy the journey more than the outcome and the idea of getting to know a new type of grass is appealing.

Having said that my neighbors tell me that if they didn't see me mowing it every three days, they'd be convinced it was a carpet/is fake as it is so dense. I couldn't be happier how I have the lawn looking with the help from the members of this forum!


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## marcjw (Aug 28, 2020)

@DFW_Zoysia I agree trying different things is fun. Learning during the process is too! Keep up the good work man your home is beautiful btw.


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

How often are you guys putting down fungicides?

Is this twice a year?

Once in the Fall and once in the spring....or monthly?

Thanks


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

ENC_Lawn said:


> How often are you guys putting down fungicides?
> 
> Is this twice a year?
> 
> ...


I do early spring, summer, and later fall and then monitor in between. I found spring/fall wasn't enough in my case.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

ENC_Lawn said:


> How often are you guys putting down fungicides?
> 
> Is this twice a year?
> 
> ...


Two apps in Spring and two in the Fall are typically enough for the DFW weather, but we're typically very dry throughout the Summer months. I do stay on top of the weather forecast though just in case conditions get ripe and a quick preventative app is needed at other times.


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

Thanks @Spammage

Are these typically granular or liquid sprayed?

I'm starting to see where the lack of mowing you get to take all that free time and spray fungicide...lol


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

ENC_Lawn said:


> Thanks @Spammage
> 
> Are these typically granular or liquid sprayed?
> 
> I'm starting to see where the lack of mowing you get to take all that free time and spray fungicide...lol


Liquid, but don't buy into the "less mowing" BS either. If you are using growth regulator and cutting reel low, zoysia japonica cultivars will outgrow bermuda by at least two to one. Matrellas and Emerald are possibly less than bermuda under regulation, but I wouldn't count on that.


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

:thumbup: @Spammage


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

marcjw said:


> @DFW_Zoysia I agree trying different things is fun. Learning during the process is too! Keep up the good work man your home is beautiful btw.


Thank you!


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

ENC_Lawn said:


> zoysialover said:
> 
> 
> > ENC_Lawn said:
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Its tensile strength means it wears out the cutting edge sooner but anything with an engine ....i don't know 'hard to cut' unless you are taking too much off (for various reasons) /it tall n thick (ready to bale)
You want it 1.5" every 7-10 days ...fine, still dominates in July and none of that reset nonsense or praying your deck dips 1/4 inch and rips the remaining green off ....yes, we can walk up and see it was rotary cut but 99% won't know.

I posit that you CAN mow it less frequent (...this community is a bit 'ocd' ), nor forced to in avoiding 'reset' or looking like a govt lawn

(Context of matrella and emerald)

I have shade and tight spaces that may not help air movement ...So yeah, it's not a hands off situation
Q) if your matrella is in full sun, you see much patch? Dollar spot didn't discriminate this year here


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

P.s. a neighbor has the original bermuda but for whatever reason plopped a zeon (or emerald) sod piece or two in the middle ...(all sun) ....grass is grass right? 
Zeon does vertically outgrowing each week


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## ENC_Lawn (Sep 9, 2018)

jayhawk said:


> You want it 1.5" every 7-10 days ...fine, still dominates in July and none of that reset nonsense or praying your deck dips 1/4 inch and rips the remaining green off ....yes, we can walk up and see it was rotary cut but 99% won't know.


@jayhawk ^^^This right here. I personally wish I had a grass cultivar that looks good at 1.5 inches and the Bermuda just does not look that good to me at that height. And I am over the scalping.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

ENC_Lawn said:


> jayhawk said:
> 
> 
> > You want it 1.5" every 7-10 days ...fine, still dominates in July and none of that reset nonsense or praying your deck dips 1/4 inch and rips the remaining green off ....yes, we can walk up and see it was rotary cut but 99% won't know.
> ...


I originally thought "low" would be when I hit .75".

Then I kept going lower, and lower, and lower.

The lowest I hit was 0.35 but found my Zeon in my yard is happiest at 0.48". I will say above 1.25" and I think it looked to shaggy.


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