# sabanist st aug to empire zoysia journal



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

So last week I laid the last two pallets of empire zoysia, replacing the st augustine in my front lawn. It has been a struggle with the st aug for the past few years and so much of it had just died I decided to replace with empire zoysia. At first I laid down 2 pallets in the front, just filling in the gaps in the st aug an thought I would let the zoysia take over. While the zoysia thrived, the st aug got worse and I just said the hell with it. I killed off the remaining st aug and tilled it and removed the old dead grass. Brought in 2 truck bed full of top soil and 1 yard of compost. leveled it all with a drag mat and my riding mower. Then laid 4 additional pallets of the zoysia.

the first image is where I laid the first two pallets about a week apart. All that bumpy mess on the right was weedy and patchy st aug that just wasn't filling in. it got worse and worse.



The bottom image is when i finished the yard in zoysia. It was done over the course of a couple weeks as i was picking up the pallets in my truck and hauling them myself.

the result is alot better. still bumpy and I'll need to do some leveling as I go on. I havent put down any N on it yet, but was planning on a 16-4-8 the sod farm recommended.



questions for anyone who knows. How soon should I put down the fertilizer after laying it. Its been about a week for the last pallet.

Should I be scalping this in the spring to level? I've read some places that the zoysia shouldn't be scalped in the first spring after planting.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

If you didn't put down a starter fert prior to laying the sod I would hit it now with the 16-4-8 or IMHO, a 10-10-10 unless you have a soil test telling you otherwise.


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

OK, I'll knock that out in the morning. thanks


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Applied a 10-10-10 at 3/4lb N/k on the 13th

Mowed at 2.5" yesterday

rolled with a lawn roller this morning


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Also put down some disease ex at the preventative rate

reduced the watering to every third day, 1/2" of water


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Did some geeking out on my spraying. I got the TeeJet XR11004VS Extended Range Spray Tip,

Put it on my 3 gallon manual smith sprayer. I used it to spray some Humic acid on the new zoysia. The 3 gallons should have been good for the whole front lawn. I only got about 2/3. which means i put it down sort of heavy.

I did a bucket test at 1/2 gallon per 1:28, 1:27, 1:31. Average of 1:29/.5 gal

roughly 3 minutes per gallon.

The spray pattern is roughly 25" wide.

I


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

second mow at 2.5". Still some scalping on the high spots.

Also drew a site map of my yard with square footages of the different areas..


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Got a mole in the new sod. I sprayed with .6 oz of dominion. I'm not sure if this is a contact pesticide or what. I'll also have to get one if not. I'm also gonna buy one of the mole traps i see on amazon.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Scissor traps have worked well for me in the past.


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Redtwin said:


> Scissor traps have worked well for me in the past.


thanks, i'll grab one. I laid some pellets yesterday and didn't see any new activity today. Maybe i got him. I'll look in the morning for any new holes or tunnels. If i find one, ill order that trap.


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

third mow at 2.5". Still scalping same areas. I'm going to take it up to 3" on the next mow to see how it responds. All in all though, i'm pretty pleased thus far with the zoysia


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Got in an application of humic acid and liquid chelated iron between rains yesterday. Pretty significant change. Lawn looks noticeably greener today.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

That's looking great! Did you get that mole yet?


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Maybe. I put down poison pellets i already had and havent seen any new activity

Thanks. Cant believe how quick that chelated iron deepened the green. Only like a day.


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

St aug in the back yard looking ok. I barely ever do any fertilizing or weed killer. That oak keeps it partially shaded and healthy.


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

One week after iron and humic treatment


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Applied azoxystrobin at the preventative rate for the zoysia. On the st aug i used the curative rate. Put 3/4 lb 15-0-15 in the back yard. It had insect control built in (bifen). Man if worked great on rhe ants. I checked several beds the next morning and they were completely abandoned.

This weekend ill be puting the 15-0-15 in the front on the zoysia


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Been a minute since my last journal update

Since last one i had my yard and carport flooded by hurricane sally

Resodded my side and backyard in zoysia

In april i laid down 1/2lb of N

Then due to watering twice a dAy for 2 weeks, then once a day for 2 weeks i was left with some fungus in the front yard.

Started an asoxy and propiconozole regiment every 2 weeks

Cut front yard to 2" and that scalped some areas

Here is a pic of the yard on May 27



Then applied some sunnilans liquid iron on the 28th

Here it is today at 3" cut



Ive got some pretty uneven turf in the front and really need to sand level it. Reckon this is the right time to do it being the height of the growing season.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Nice to see an update from the panhandle. That recovered very well!


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Redtwin said:


> Nice to see an update from the panhandle. That recovered very well!


I saw you put empire in your front yard

Have you leveled it yet. I have some significant dips in mine and wasnt sure how to approach it. If i "level" it. Some areas might be buried under an inch of sand


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I have not leveled yet but getting close. It will probably take multiple times since I don't want to bury it like I have done with my Bermuda.


----------



## sabanist (Mar 28, 2019)

Rain this past week did my front lawn well.


----------

