STOP KILLING Your Lawn in 2023 // Building Healthy Soil

Charlotte, NC Zone 7b
Zenith Zoysia from SEED - 35,000 square feet
How to stop killing your lawn in 2023. That's pretty dramatic and not really relevant. Or maybe it is?
I do believe that building a healthy soil profile goes a long way in turf management. Having a healthy lawn in 2023 is achievable in many ways, but I have found that some ways are easier than others.
Good cultural practices and healthy plants ultimately leads to less chemicals, time, and money.
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[@ZoysiaRUs]

How to stop killing your lawn in 2023. That's pretty dramatic and not really relevant. Or maybe it is? I do believe that building a healthy soil profile goes a long way in turf management. Having a healthy lawn in 2023 is achievable in many ways, but I have found that some ways are easier than others. Good cultural practices and healthy plants ultimately leads to less chemicals, time, and money.

[@Troy-Echo]

I feel self-spreading lawns like Zoysia, Bermuda, Kentucky Bluegrass and others that spread via stolon or rhizome are key so you can avoid overseeding and patching or minimize it. #1 most important is proper watering. #2 is proper mowing. Those are from a horticulturalist. I'd guess the next are (once you have an established lawn) proper pre and post emergent applications of herbicides/fungicides/insecticides, and then fertilization, aerating and dethatching.

[@ZoysiaRUs]

@@Troy-EchoI agree

[@Troy-Echo]

@@ZoysiaRUs I just had to do a Frankenstein maneuver on part of my backyard. Drought and heat killed a 600 sq. ft. Rye/KBG test bed and since I wanted Zenith Zoysia, I didn't have time with vacation to fallow the lawn and reduce weeds, and since it was seed down and watering on 8/3, I tossed down some KBG hoping it would get through the winter. Hurricane/Tropical Storm Debbie dumped 3.5 inches of water (on top of my irrigation while on vacation) in 36 hours and washed out areas of seed so I had to put down some Rye to try and quickly establish unplanned bare patches. A true Frankenstein lawn in the making. I'll wager it will be a pretty good Zoysia only lawn by this time next year though.

[@jebrown1980]

How's the back yard doing in its 2nd growing season? Also, were you going to be seeding another area of your property by the road? Thanks for all the videos!

[@ZoysiaRUs]

Looks awesome. Just did an update on it that I’ll get posted today or tomorrow. Yes I do, just haven’t had time to finish the seeding.

[@Gkrissy]

Love the content and its a remember of what I need to accomplish. My empire zoysia has been struggling this so far. I am scheduling for core aeration this week because I notice the compaction on my clay soil with recent rain.

[@ZoysiaRUs]

Thank you! Hopefully that helps. Don’t think it’ll hurt!The spring temperature swings we’ve been having has set mine back a few times.

[@Troy-Echo]

How did things go this year? I planted Zenith Zoysia almost exactly 5 years ago (yes, late in the season for too many reasons to list), and it's thriving very well. I've never done core aeration, but I do make sure to mow it down to 1 inch each fall after it goes dormant so neighbors with blowing leaves don't have leaves stuck in my lawn. They blow on, then blow right back off. I use my Sun Joe dethatcher kind of like a power rake to remove the lawn debris so when the Zoysia comes out of dormancy it has full access to sunlight without competing with lawn clippings from the previous year to get that sunlight.

[@samknox8502]

For help with wwater soaking into dry ground try grabbing some sapenoria extract, that as a wetting agent should help tremendously

[@ZoysiaRUs]

Wetting agents will help. May be shorter lived than aeration but if that’s all you have or want to supplement with it then it def isn’t a bad idea!

[@TheSoloAsylum]

I have a bermuda grass invasion, just as I got the lawn looking good...

[@ZoysiaRUs]

Bermuda is a tough one. It’s a constant battle every year just to keep it suppressed. Don’t think it’s possible to kill it.

[@nathanmcdonald5550]

A brand new product, Syngenta Recognition mixed with Fusilade II has shown excellent results to kill bermuda grass out of zoysia. Shows excellent safety for the zoysia

[@christopherburkett7502]

Little off subject, but what do you typically keep the height of cut on your zenith zoysia? You probably mentioned it in one of your past videos.

[@ZoysiaRUs]

I’ve cut it as low as 1” and as high as 2.5”. Both look good once you get the brown stalks hidden. I like the 1.5” cut pretty good bc it doesn’t scalp areas as easily and it doesn’t require as frequent of mowing.

[@geerubb]

Do you ever dethatch the zenith, or aeration all you need?

[@ZoysiaRUs]

I’ve never dethatched mine. It’s only a few years old and I scalp it down low in the spring. I’ve never noticed much of a thatch layer in my personal yard when pulling plugs. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to do it, and definitely should do it if it needs it.

[@KenHicksJr]

A spike aerator came with the house i bought. Is that ok to use?

[@ZoysiaRUs]

It would open up the ground, but doesn’t do much to alleviate compaction.

[@sbway9308]

I have Empire Zoysia turf on mostly sand soil in northern Florida. I was told spike aeration is the best for sand soil... Would you agree? Also what tips do you have on Fungus and fungus control?

[@sbway9308]

Great video by the way... Thank you!

[@ZoysiaRUs]

I don’t deal much with sand in my area, so not sure if that’s true or not. I would say that it would be sufficient if you’re not dealing with compaction issues. Fungus is a tough one. If you’re dealing with it year to year, I would run a preventative program and rotate between different modes of action.

[@sbway9308]

Thank you, appreciate it!

[@christopherburkett7502]

My sandy soil also does get compacted. Don't know how it compares to something with more clay, but I will core aerate a couple times during the growing season, especially in the areas that are more prone to drying out. My kids also drive their PowerWheel cars all over the lawn during the summer. The soil just gets a little more hard in those areas and the zenith zoysia doesn't thicken up as well. I will also spike aerate when I feel like changing out tines on my aerator and do a much smaller "greens" spike aeration with something around 1/4" diameter tines. I don't have any reason why I do this, but the grass seems to like it.

[@taipan185]

Do you get your 5 gal buckets liquid fertilizer direct from Yard Mastery?

[@ZoysiaRUs]

I ordered those directly through gcf.