[Gregau33]

Hi guys,

First time posting but just had some questions on lawn leveling on my Zoysia yard. First, I must say that it is has been pretty frustrating this year with my spring green up. I live in NW Florida (Destin area) and my grass type is Empire Zoysia.

In years past, I have always kept my yard at anywhere between 2.5 to 3"and it was by far the best looking lawn on the street. However, this year I really want to mow low with a reel mower. My yard is semi flat, but not anywhere level like Wares lawn. I have a lawn level rake from rrproducts, but I have some spots where a full lawn level would just kill many spots because of many uneven areas.

I guess my questions are:

1) how should I go about filling in the really low spots in the yard?

2) has anybody had/have a great looking Empire Zoysia yard cut below 1"?

3) should I just stick with the 2.5 - 3" cut height that I had great success with?

Any input/feedback/suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks guys,

Greg

 

[Ware]

Welcome to TLF! Glad you're here!

I will yield to the zoysia folks for most of your questions, but I think you would ultimately be happier with 'reel low zoysia' if you're willing to put in the work. :thumbup:

 

[Gregau33]

This is a picture from June 2017 at 2.5"

 

[Gregau33]

Welcome to TLF! Glad you're here!

I will yield to the zoysia folks for most of your questions, but I think you would ultimately be happier with 'reel low zoysia' if you're willing to put in the work. :thumbup:

So what are your suggestions on the really low spots? Gradually fill it in with sand?

Thanks

 

[Ware]

So what are your suggestions on the really low spots? Gradually fill it in with sand?

Thanks

How much sand (depth) do you think it would take to fill them?

 

[Gregau33]

So what are your suggestions on the really low spots? Gradually fill it in with sand?

Thanks

How much sand (depth) do you think it would take to fill them?

Maybe an inch or a tad less

 

[Ware]

If the areas aren't super large, less than an inch of sand wouldn't bother me - but I don't grow zoysia.

 

[TigerinFL]

i am just right down the road east of you. i am doing the same as you are after cutting it about 2.5" the last few years. I thought it was just me because my green up is super slow this year. I cut mine down to 1.25" about three weeks ago and it is struggling just like yours. right now I am using my rotary mower twice a week and waiting to pull the trigger on a Swardman reel mower.

i put milo on it last weekend for the second time this season.

 

[Gregau33]

i am just right down the road east of you. i am doing the same as you are after cutting it about 2.5" the last few years. I thought it was just me because my green up is super slow this year. I cut mine down to 1.25" about three weeks ago and it is struggling just like yours. right now I am using my rotary mower twice a week and waiting to pull the trigger on a Swardman reel mower.

i put milo on it last weekend for the second time this season.

Haha, I'm with you man. I actually live in Santa Rosa Beach. I have been doing the same thing as you... cutting twice a week with my rotary on the lowest setting. I fertilized a few weeks earlier and you can barely tell I put down anything. That's the major negative for Zoysia in our area... very last to green up and the first to go to sleep. But when it's hot... damn, it looks good

I'm thinking of getting a California Trimmer 20" model and try to cut at an inch and see how it goes. I figure $1,200 isn't too steep of an investment in case the reel mowing doesn't work out. What kind of reel are you going to try?

 

[TigerinFL]

i am just right down the road east of you. i am doing the same as you are after cutting it about 2.5" the last few years. I thought it was just me because my green up is super slow this year. I cut mine down to 1.25" about three weeks ago and it is struggling just like yours. right now I am using my rotary mower twice a week and waiting to pull the trigger on a Swardman reel mower.

i put milo on it last weekend for the second time this season.

Haha, I'm with you man. I actually live in Santa Rosa Beach. I have been doing the same thing as you... cutting twice a week with my rotary on the lowest setting. I fertilized a few weeks earlier and you can barely tell I put down anything. That's the major negative for Zoysia in our area... very last to green up and the first to go to sleep. But when it's hot... damn, it looks good

I'm thinking of getting a California Trimmer 20" model and try to cut at an inch and see how it goes. I figure $1,200 isn't too steep of an investment in case the reel mowing doesn't work out. What kind of reel are you going to try?

Swardman Reel Mower https://www.swardman.com/us/reel-mowers/

 

[Gregau33]

I would love that. But wow, that is expensive. Let me know when you pull the trigger. Would love to hear and see your results with it

 

[TigerinFL]

if you go with the California Trimmer who are you going to get to sharpen the blades? I never could find anyone around here to do that. with the Swardman you simply send in the blades and they sharpen it for you and send it back.

that is one of the reasons I am leaning towards the Swardman. Plus you can get the verticutter, scarifier and a brush attachments. so you are getting four machines in one. my boss was looking for someone to verticutt his yard and he was quoted $700! and its not a very big yard. that was the only person he could find to do it.

i don't think you can do that with the California Trimmer.

 

[Gregau33]

if you go with the California Trimmer who are you going to get to sharpen the blades? I never could find anyone around here to do that. with the Swardman you simply send in the blades and they sharpen it for you and send it back.

that is one of the reasons I am leaning towards the Swardman. Plus you can get the verticutter, scarifier and a brush attachments. so you are getting four machines in one. my boss was looking for someone to verticutt his yard and he was quoted $700! and its not a very big yard. that was the only person he could find to do it.

i don't think you can do that with the California Trimmer.

I was going to take it to Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort and talk to the golf mowing crew and see if they could sharpen my reel each season. I figure if I could backlap my reel every few months and one true grinding a year should be fine for my 10k sq ft yard. But you are right, those attachments and the ability to send your reel in to get sharpened is awesome.

 

[Txag12]

I feel your pain. This is my yard, Zenith Zoysia. I'm hoping with the warmer temperatures I'm about to experience it finally gets into gear.

 

[Gregau33]

I feel your pain. This is my yard, Zenith Zoysia. I'm hoping with the warmer temperatures I'm about to experience it finally gets into gear.

Looking greener than mine :thumbup:

What height will you be cutting at this year?

 

[Spammage]

cutting twice a week with my rotary on the lowest setting

This could be your main issue. If you are cutting twice a week at the same height you scalped at, then you are just cutting off any green that may be trying to grow. You will either need to find a way to scalp lower (reel), or raise the cut height to the second notch.

 

[Txag12]

I feel your pain. This is my yard, Zenith Zoysia. I'm hoping with the warmer temperatures I'm about to experience it finally gets into gear.

Looking greener than mine :thumbup:

What height will you be cutting at this year?

I knocked it down to about 1" to get the soil heated up but will be raising it back up to about 2.5". I might try it out at 1.5 but Zenith doesn't really like to be below 2" so we'll see.

 

[jayhawk]

Sorry, not as familiar with empire. In Atlanta, our zennith, zeon, and emerald green up ahead of others.

Random musing:
My neighbor is an owner of Paradis ...been there for dinner?

 

[Gregau33]

Sorry, not as familiar with empire. In Atlanta, our zennith, zeon, and emerald green up ahead of others.

Random musing:
My neighbor is an owner of Paradis ...been there for dinner?

I've never been there, but it is really close to us. Heard nothing but great things. I can't afford it

 

[gatormac2112]

My Zorro is about 80% green I would say, it's green up has been slower than my neighbors weeds