I would not change a thing going into dormancy. Mow it as you have all season.

 

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Zoysia Cutting Height
Zoysia likes to be short…PERIOD. Zoysia grass likes to stay between .5” and 2” for the majority of the growing season. Yes, MANY people let their Zoysia grow to 3-4 inches or even taller, but this is NOT the ideal length. The finer the blade or variety, the shorter the cut can be.
While long lengths might be good for drought conditions, it simply is not a good practice and will promote more issues such as fungus and bugs.

 

Based on advice here I cut it same height as I have done all season. I am not sure where the 3-4 inch comment came from. I was talking about increasing the cutting height from 1.2 to 1.5 inches. I read that increased height encouraged the grass to better prep for dormancy in winter.

The other thing I read is that some peeps make a cut once the grass is in dormancy to a lower setting (in my case going from 1.2 in to 1 in) to have less work to do scalping in the spring. Does anyone do that or just keep on keeping on exactly as I have done all season at 1.2?

 

Mostly personal preference, I have Zeon and I don't make any changes going into dormancy. Higher cut makes collecting leaves a pain, but your talking a minimal increase. Prob won't notice anything different.

For less work regarding scalping in the spring, I simply break the scalping into 2 sessions, 2 weeks apart.

 

thanks for the advice

 

Personally, I would keep the zoysia at 1.2-1.5 max and I would avoid letting it rise too much before dormancy. A regular cut and not too short at the end seems to me the best compromise.

 

i think i will just keep it at the 1.2 that I had it at all summer. Hopefully next year I will be able to keep it at 1 in. It isn't the most level lawn so we will have to see.

 

I've had emerald and now zeon. I cut with a reel so my cuts will be shorter. I have for years cut at the same height all year. At the end of the year I drop down to scalp and raise the cut height back up to for me is 3/4". Leaving high at the end of the season does nothing to save grass from freezing and dying as some think. Just makes it harder to scalp in the spring