[Loup20]

First post here. Been lurking for a while and kind embarressed about my situation, but turning to you guys for some serious help.

Bought my house a year ago in the Triangle area (North Carolina). The front yard had a few areas of established zeon (1st picture, highlighted in yellow). The rest was mulched because the yard was too shady for zoysia and the maple tree was sucking up all the water and killing the grass (that's what the previous owner told me).

Of course, I didn't believe him. As soon as I could I raked up all the mulch and laid a pallet of zeon down (which I got for free from a friend in the sod business) in July last year and i just didn't know what I was doing. I didn't prep the ground properly, I didn't roll it after I laid it. I over watered and cut it way too high. As you can imagine, I had some pretty bad die-off when summer rolled back around this year.

I've been reading a lot here, and wanted to try this over again. So I called in another favor and got another free 1/2 pallet of zeon. (this was about a month and a half ago)

I pulled up the old stuff that didn't take, laid down some black cow manure and raked it in (trying to keep it level). Then I laid down the new stuff. I didn't have a way to get a roller, so I used a tamp. I watered it by hand making sure I wasn't downing it, but also making sure It got enough until it started rooting. I also trimmed back a bunch of branches to get a lot more sun on it.

Most of it is rooting now, but the slope on the front seems to be having problems. It was only getting about 1 hour of direct sun during the first 4 weeks. However, I had a tree company come this past week and really trim up the trees a lot more. Now all parts of the yard get at least 4 hours of direct sunlight during the day.

I really have been following this forum a bunch and want to eventually have a beautiful zeon lawn (I have too much shade for Bermuda unfortunately). I was hoping you guys could take a look and give me any feedback possible on how I can keep this going. Of if you see any major problems with what I'm doing so far. Thanks so much.

Info:
Location: Raleigh, NC
Grass type: Zeon
Watering: Stuff that is rooted is getting watered 3 times per week. Stuff not rooted is still getting daily water.

This is my Frankenstein of a front yard. Yellow highlighted area is doing great and was there when I bought the house.

The slope. Looking pretty good, but not rooting all that great. Just started getting way more sun thanks to some tree trimming. Should this be getitng daily water still until it roots?


Closeup.


Top right is established stuff that was here. The rest is the new stuff (not doing great). Those cut in squares are where I replaced some of the Sod that was damaged when I got it.


Another areas that seems to be doing 'OK'. Again, cut in rectangle is me replacing damaged piece.


A few new pieces I just bought 2 weeks ago. Watering daily, starting to root, but not doing well by the looks of it.

 

[SCGrassMan]

Sadly that's likely going to die. It's either shaded, or full sun without enough water.

Check out my lawn journal and you can see the struggles of Zeon

 

[Loup20]

@SCGrassMan Shade isn't a problem with any of the areas that seem like they might be dying out. Actually the only problem I was worried about shade is where the grass is the greenest.

So you are guessing lack of water for the browned out area? I can really up my water on that area if you think that would help. It feels like it's pretty well rooted. Or do you feel it is too late?

 

[SCGrassMan]

@SCGrassMan Shade isn't a problem with any of the areas that seem like they might be dying out. Actually the only problem I was worried about shade is where the grass is the greenest.

So you are guessing lack of water for the browned out area? I can really up my water on that area if you think that would help. It feels like it's pretty well rooted. Or do you feel it is too late?

Poke a screwdriver in the ground there and see if it comes out muddy or not. From the pics, it looks super dried out to me. My zeon LOVES water. I will tell you that if there is any green, brown, or yellow left, it will come back - SLOWLY. If its completely white or black, its dead in those areas.

I would start watering it every day, early in the morning, until its floating basically.

 

[bladerunnerfarms]

Hi! This is Bladerunner Farms, and we developed Zeon . . . Anywhere that has roots you should put out a pre-emergent herbicide. You can get it at Lowes, Home Depot, or any big box store. Follow the instructions on the bag. Pre-emerge won't allow any weeds to germinate. Then apply a fertilizer that has the greatest amount of nitrogen that you can find. Nitrogen is the first number in the guaranteed analysis. The nitrogen will make it grow! Follow the application rates on the bag and you should be good. As long as the temperatures are not in the 60s or below at night you should repeat the fertilizer application in 3 to 4 weeks. While you're in good growing weather you should apply nitrogen, but once it starts cooling off you should back off the nitrogen because the combo with cool temperatures can create disease. The grass has been damaged and has to be recovered. It might take a few months to come back, but once the grass recovers you will not have to fertilize as often. Just for maintenance. Once your new grass takes root you should do the same process for the grass with roots. One last tip is to make sure you are watering immediately after you apply anything to the grass. To check to see if you have enough moisture in the ground you should be able to stick a screwdriver down into the grass. Not too hard, not too easy. If you have any questions I'd be happy to help!

 

[Loup20]

@bladerunnerfarms Wow, thank you so much. I will go out and get that fertilizer right now. I guess my only other questions are,

1) How much should I be watering and should I be selective with my watering? (ie. should i water the areas that haven't taken root more/less?)

2) Should I not fertilize the areas that have not taken root?

 

[Gregau33]

pre-emergent on newer sod doesn't sound like a good idea

 

[SCGrassMan]

pre-emergent on newer sod doesn't sound like a good idea

Once its rooted its fine. But my two cents would be to spot treat weeds in the fall and just focus on getting the grass fed and watered again.

 

[Greendoc]

Out of all of the grasses I have worked with to date, Zeon is the slowest to take root and establish when sod is laid. Underwatering it the first 45 days after it has been laid can make it fail to take root. When Zeon is installed in my state, light waterings 2-3 times per day are done the first 2 weeks. Saturating the area one time a day does not work the same. Water goes past where the roots are. This is one of those grasses that quickly shows non uniform coverage from irrigation systems.

 

[SCGrassMan]

Out of all of the grasses I have worked with to date, Zeon is the slowest to take root and establish when sod is laid. Underwatering it the first 45 days after it has been laid can make it fail to take root. When Zeon is installed in my state, light waterings 2-3 times per day are done the first 2 weeks. Saturating the area one time a day does not work the same. Water goes past where the roots are. This is one of those grasses that quickly shows non uniform coverage from irrigation systems.

Amen. QUICKLY. And it should be said drought tolerant means it will live through hot dry weather, but it will dry and brown up in a couple of days easy.

I love mine, but honestly if I have to redo it, I will probably choose a Bermuda variety or a different Zoysia like Empire or Palisades.

My neighbor has just some kind of generic Bermuda, and I have been mowing his at the same 0.5" as mine, and two fert apps and 3 rounds of weed spray, and he has a dark, uniform, deep blue-green turf that some days looks better than my lawn which gets a LOT of attention.

 

[jayhawk]

@Ware you've arrived ...bladerunner, rainbird, reelrollers are all online.

@bladerunnerfarms i have been following...and the great guys such as Ken M & NG Turf (where i bought from) ...intrigued by L1F or Trinity but probably can't keep up the mowing requirements w/my travel schedule (even if i could acquire)?

 

[jayhawk]

@Ware you've arrived ...bladerunner, rainbird, reelrollers are all online.

@bladerunnerfarms i have been following...and the great guys such as Ken M & NG Turf ...intrigued by L1F or Trinity but probably can't keep up the mowing requirements w/my travel schedule (even if i could acquire)?

 

[jayhawk]

@Lo@Loup20 i just installed it for our HOA recently ( and my place 5 years ago). in this heat, when it goes down, i watered 3-4 times a day briefly (and on a slope, which i hoped for less runoff too). initially, there are no roots beyond the piece so it needs frequent watering....it'll give you hints by curling, turning off-color under drought stress.
Maples are beautiful but tend to have big surface roots.....i'd be removing the visible roots because grass won't grow on a rock for long ...but i'm not an arborist either.

 

[Loup20]

Thanks for the input everyone!

I threw down fertilizer and been hitting it with major water and it's already looking much healthier.

I think my problem was lack of water (even though i was getting over 1 inch down per week). Maybe it was a combination of the extreme heat (been in the upper 90s) and the maple tree roots trying to compete.

I guess I'm confused. Bc I keep hearing that i need to not overwater or the roots wont go deep, but at the same time. If I dont keep a ton of water on it, it starts stressing.

 

[SCGrassMan]

Thanks for the input everyone!

I threw down fertilizer and been hitting it with major water and it's already looking much healthier.

I think my problem was lack of water (even though i was getting over 1 inch down per week). Maybe it was a combination of the extreme heat (been in the upper 90s) and the maple tree roots trying to compete.

I guess I'm confused. Bc I keep hearing that i need to not overwater or the roots wont go deep, but at the same time. If I dont keep a ton of water on it, it starts stressing.

For the first 30-45 days, keep watering it like that every day. After that you can water a little less. But honestly when it gets hot out and goes a few days with no watering, mine tends to look crappy. It is a beautiful, but VERY fussy grass.

 

[SGrabs33]

@Loup20 Great to have another person in the Triangle on here :thumbup:

Also happy to hear that your Zeon is recovering well.

 

[jonthepain]

We manage several zeons in the triangle, and I agree that it is beautiful but fussy.

Got an email from a client complaining about his zeon Monday, went out there and it was classic drought and heat damage. Hasn't rained in weeks, and it was 99° monday. Turf is mostly on south facing slope. Turf in ditch ok, turf on bank and along street in various stages of curling, browning, thinning. Had to educate customer about irrigating zoysiagrass.

 

[Loup20]

@SGrabs33 I see you're in Apex. I'd love to drive by and check out your lawn. I grew up near the high school and my parents still live there, so I'm there every weekend almost. I now have a family and live in Raleigh (historic Oakwood), so I'm constantly fighting shade issues with pruning and trial and error irrigation practices.

PS. Finally got some good rain yesterday!

 

[SGrabs33]

SGrabs33 I see you're in Apex. I'd love to drive by and check out your lawn. I grew up near the high school and my parents still live there, so I'm there every weekend almost. I now have a family and live in Raleigh (historic Oakwood), so I'm constantly fighting shade issues with pruning and trial and error irrigation practices.

PS. Finally got some good rain yesterday!

Happy to have you over some time to check out the lawn. Oakwood is a very nice area. I love all of the older trees in that area.

Yep, we got a little rain too. Not enough to not water the lawn this morning though. It's been so dry lately.

 

[Colonel K0rn]

I just found it really cool that the farm that created the grass type that y'all have installed created an account just to specifically answer an end-users problems. @bladerunnerfarms :thumbup: