There are two popular varieties of Zoysia: Meyer and Emerald.

BENEFITS: Meyer Zoysia forms a dense carpet that is extremely wear-resistant. It is often used in lawns and golf courses. It has a bluish-green color and a medium blade texture. Meyer Zoysia has better cold and drought tolerance than Emerald Zoysia.

Emerald Zoysia is a hybrid variety with a dark, emerald green color and a finer, more wiry blade texture. Emerald Zoysia is moderately shade tolerant. It has a low growth habit which requires less mowing and also stands up well to foot traffic.

When properly maintained, both varieties of Zoysia form a dense turf that virtually chokes out weeds. Both go dormant and turn a straw color in the winter, providing good color contrast in the landscape.

DETERRENTS: Zoysia seed germinates very slowly, so most Zoysia in our part of the country is available only in sod. Unless you are very patient, you should cover the entire planting site with Zoysia sod, because it can take up to 12 months for sprigs or plugs to merge and cover an area. Zoysia is especially slow growing if planted in too much shade. Zoysia requires frequent watering. It is less drought tolerant than some other types of turf grasses. Zoysia will develop an excessive layer of thatch if over-fertilized. Occasional edging is needed to prevent invasion into your planting areas.

LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Full sun to moderate shade. Of the two types of Zoysia, Emerald performs best in light to moderate shade. Deep shade will cause both Meyer and Emerald Zoysia to thin out.

WATER REQUIREMENTS: Water Zoysia sod every day or every other day until it is well-rooted into the soil. Thereafter, provide 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water per week.

WHEN TO PLANT: For best results, plant Zoysia sod from mid-May until mid-August.

MOWING HEIGHT: Maintain Zoysia at one to two inches in height. You can allow it to grow slightly taller on slopes.

FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS: Apply a slow-release, high nitrogen fertilizer to Zoysia in the spring when it is coming out of its dormant state and is about 50% green. Apply a second application about eight weeks later. In mid to late October, apply a winterizer to your Zoysia lawn to help prevent winter injury.

WEED CONTROL: To prevent winter weeds like poa annua, apply a crabgrass preventer to Zoysia grass in early October. Apply a second application in mid to late February to prevent crabgrass and certain other weeds. A healthy, well-maintained Zoysia lawn will rarely develop a weed problem because the turf is so dense that the weeds don't have much room to grow. If weeds do manage to get through, remove them by hand or apply a lawn weed killer to your lawn according to package directions. Read the label and make sure that the weed killer you select can be safely used on Zoysia grass. Also, don't wait until the hottest part of the summer to apply the weed killer. Herbicides work best when temperatures are 85°F or less.