I spent the morning reading The Georgia Gardener www.walterreeves.com. One post stated there is research indicating a height of 2 inches is best when growing zoysia in partial shade.mrigney said:
Regarding using a dethatcher..."Zoysiagrass does not usually form a thatch layer under the grass if it is mowed regularly. Using a de-thatcher when it is not needed can hurt the grass more than it helps. If the turf seems to be growing directly in the soil and if the thatch is less than 1/2 inch thick, don't use a dethatcher. If you have thatch, the best way to remove it is to topdress the turf with a 1/4 inch layer of clean topsoil. The microorganisms in the topsoil decompose the thatch without the need of a mechanical dethatcher. Chemicals which claim to remove thatch when they are sprayed on the lawn have not been proven effective."
"Zoysia grasses in general and the denser the growth type (i.e. 'Emerald'), the more common scalping problems occur. Zoysia grasses do not tolerate scalping like bermuda grass. As a general observation, anytime a zoysia grass is cut low enough that the black mold under the leaf canopy is visible, it will be set back. This is generally below the node of the growing leaves. This can occur at any mowing height, from as low as 0.5 to over 3 inches. Regardless of the normal mowing height, taking the grass down below the node will set it back. Generally, the higher the mowing height, the more this is a problem. Ideally zoysia grass should be cut at 0.5 to 1.5 inches. Mowing frequency is just as important as mowing height. If more than one-third of the leaf height is removed at mowing, the grass will be stressed."
Lastly...Do not fertilize until your zoysia is 90% green. Use a core aerator in late April.
I scalped last Friday as well and black mold is now visible!!!
