Over seeding is the sowing of new grass seed over an existing lawn. I used to have S. Augustine, the only grass South Florida uses. However, Zoysia's heat and cold tolerance allow it to flourish in this region. Instead of Kentucky Bluegrass, overseed with this. The Kentucky bluegrass will likely require some added irrigation during the heat of the summer, so be on the lookout for wilting. Fertilizing will give it the nutrients it needs to continue growing. It is a grass cultivar that is thick, drought-resistant and loves heat. This new zoysia is expected to be ready for the commercial market in four to six years. Yes, that is correct. The grass can be established from seeds, plugs, sod, or stolons, spreading rapidly along the rhizomes and stolons. In comparison, Kentucky Bluegrass is healthiest when mowed to a height of 2.5 to 3.5 inches (6-9 cm). Warm summers and cold winters work best with its natural growth cycle. If your Bluegrass grass seeds sprout, Zoysia can make up ground and choke them out in summer. The best soil mixture is a 50/50 mixture of a good composted garden soil and good topsoil. We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Some amount of Poa annua can be expected during the initial establishment period but it should wither away during the summer heat and not be a repeat issue. Kentucky bluegrass and bermudagrass are aggressive spreading grasses, so seeding would need to be done. ft. after the last frost in the spring. While the grass is slow growing, it produces a thick turf that inhibits weed growth.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'careforyourlawn_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',661,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-careforyourlawn_com-medrectangle-3-0'); A lawn of only Zoysia will not do well in shaded areas and will become unsightly when the grass enters its winter dormancy. Kentucky bluegrass is a cool season grass that is winter hardy. Kentucky bluegrass may seem like the dream lawn, but it's not for everyone. Kentucky Bluegrass grows best in regions where Zoysia performs poorly. This means that in the northernmost parts of the country where bermudagrass is grown, many golfers could be left with suboptimal playing conditions for weeks, if not months, each spring. 7. 6) I now look forward to HOT weather, as opposed to dreading my fescue dying. This is why it is the hardest grass variety to grow! Approximately two months after your seeds have germinated, youll need to fertilize your new grass. Popular blends include Turf Blue HGT from Barenbrug, 365ss from Mountain View Seeds, and others that can tolerate a low mowing height, have good summer patch resistance, strong traffic tolerance and the ability to germinate quickly. If you plan to lay sod in your yard, it will likely be a Kentucky bluegrass mix because sod farms predominantly grow this type of sod. When planted together, it produces a mix of grasses that keeps lawns green all year long, though it depends on the region youre from. I lived in Florida for many years, and our lawn was always green Never paid any attention to the turf quality until I moved up here 3 years ago. The USGA promotes and conserves the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. Letting Zoysia grow too long can ruin its appearance. With both of . All grass seed must have an analysis tag; be it tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, Bermudagrass seed, Zoysia and more. Winka, B. We understand how frustrating it can be when you buy a product only to find out it can't stand the test of time. But as a practical consideration he notes that its greenery is short-lived in the far-northern zone. Its high demand is due to its incredible resilience to heat and drought. Zoysia: Worst. Plus, grass types would differ in look, maintenance, and establishment methods. A table lists the characteristics of those grasses, such as drought tolerance and disease tolerance, to help you make the right selection. For instance, if you add 15% Kentucky Bluegrass to a fescue lawn, the bluegrass, with its spreading growth behavior and improved shade tolerance, will help fill in foot traffic and . The breakthrough came when his researchers found a way to treat zoysia seed so that it would germinate--that is, sprout like other grass seeds. Tall Fescue can attribute its unique drought and heat tolerance to its deep root system. This grass variety has shown promise throughout the transition zones, which are areas of a country where cool and warm-season grasses struggle at various times of the year. There are some varieties of Zoysia that grow well when mowed as tall as 2.5 inches (6 cm), but these are not planted in every Zoysia lawn. Bermuda grass also stands up well to high foot traffic, making it perfect for busy lawns. However, it grows slowly among rhizomes and stolons, having a tough texture. Zoysia sod provides instant beauty and speedy establishment. If pairing with another warm season grass, you can mix the seeds together and spread them all at the same time, or purchase plugs of that variety and plant them intermittently with your Zoysia. . In our Midwestern climate, it turns brown in the Fall and Winter. Suggest you reduce watering to once per day and deep water it. I love the looks of KB during Spring, Fall, and even Winter; but Summer is always harsh on cool season grasses especially here in this part of the state. The best practice is to plant a two inch plug every six inches. With that said, you do not have to fertilize after the initial starter application until the following year, when turf growth resumes in spring. Steve in Apex posted 03 August 2004 19:45. Tall fescue: 1.5 to 4 inches. For sites with mixed conditions, planting your lawn with seed instead of sod may be your best bet. 1) You need to use Emerald sod, it is very slow growing and plugs will take forever. If you would like help with this project, Good Nature is happy to help plant the plugs as well. My Emerald Zoysia is very nice! What makes it different is that Zoysia gives tighter sods compared to Bermuda, making it better when it comes to resisting weed invasion. Some people have wondered, can I mix Zoysia and Bermuda grass? While people combine different grass varieties for a thicker lawn, you need to know if both varieties go well together. This is because there are various grass types to choose from, each having different tolerance depending on many factors. A couple of thoughts. At minimum, golf carts should be restricted for the first three weeks immediately after planting and ideally through the entire fall. Grass Seed Premium RYE Gulf Annual Oregon Grown 50 LBS, How to Reseed a Lawn with Weeds [8 Pro Steps], Can You Walk on an Overseeded Lawn? Zoysia grass for clay soil. If pairing with another warm season grass, you can mix the seeds together and spread them all at the same time, or purchase plugs of that variety and plant them intermittently with your Zoysia. The best time to overseed a bermuda grass lawn is in the spring if you're overseeding with a warm-season grass like zoysia. Kentucky Bluegrass will take up to 28 days to germinate. Moreover, zoysia plugs are expensive. Most varieties of Zoysia grow at their best when they are mowed to a height of 1.5 to 2 inches (4-5 cm). Summer patch is by far the most troublesome disease for Kentucky bluegrass fairways and many golf superintendents routinely apply a preventative fungicide treatment to protect plants. Overseeding Zoysia with Kentucky Bluegrass is a poor choice. People also wonder if Zoysia will take over the fescue. ''As for winter hardiness,'' says Murray, ''it could probably survive in Minnesota.'' This gives your new plants less competition for resources as they germinate and establish themselves. If youre overseeding your entire lawn, youll want to ensure even and adequate coverage. From fertilizing to controlling those pesky weeds, we have the entirety of lawn care covered! If you have more questions, e-mail me at steve.klose@varianinc.com Im on vacation until July 12. 4. Are you in search of the perfect lawn mower to bring your lawn from drab to fab? Turf managers are quickly realizing the benefits of combining these cool- and warm-season turfgrass species as part of a two-grass system that can provide a better-quality playing surface throughout the year in an area of the country that experiences freezing winters and hot, humid summers. As with any seeding, good seed-to-soil contact will provide the best results. Home Lawn Care Specific Lawn Grasses Bermuda Grass. Kentucky bluegrass and bermudagrass can be grown from seeds. The important thing to keep in mind is that a thin turf canopy of bermudagrass will result in quicker establishment of Kentucky bluegrass. Often, Zoysia is mixed with cool season grasses such as Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall fescue. Applying a plant growth regulator, such as trinexapac-ethyl, prior to seeding could also prove beneficial by slowing bermudagrass regeneration and allowing the Kentucky bluegrass more time to develop under less competition. 2. I purchased the sod from a place in Newton Grove.2) The grass turns brown brown in mid Nov. and greens up again in maybe late April but does not develop full color until sometime in May3) Emerald loves the heat, the more heat the better!4) You need to bag the grass and cut about every 10 days or so, use sharp rotary mower or reel mower. Prior to seeding, loosen the existing bermudagrass canopy by verticutting. If you dont mind your lawn looking lackluster in the fall and winter but want an incredible yard in the spring and summer, pair a fellow warm season grass with your Zoysia. If you have decided mixing these grass varieties, make sure you learn all about their needs and how to begin the seeding process. Even if you overseed your Kentucky Bluegrass in the fall, it may not be able to establish itself well enough to resist the Zoysia summer growth spurt. The plugs will create brown patches in the winter and green patches in the summer. While St. Augustine grass loves to bask in the sun, it does tolerate shade more than other warm season grass varieties. Then, Good Nature will be happy to plant a new lawn for you. The benefit of Annual Ryegrass is that it only survives for one season. Zoysia grass is a warm-season grass favored by home and property owners for its medium-coarse, deep emerald coloring that is dependable throughout the year. Its leaves are very broad (may I say ugly?) Can you change grass type by overseeding? St. Augustine stands up to moderate foot traffic and shouldnt be planted in areas with a lot of pedestrian activity. ft. of grass. Thermal Blue shows up in products like Scotts' new Turf Builder Heat-Tolerant Blue Mix ($30 for seven pounds), a blend of tall fescue and hybrid bluegrass. Glyphosate breaks down quickly in the soil and will not affect any future plants. Photo: azpworldwide / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images. Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescues coexist well together, so it's unlikely for one to choke out the other. Perennial rye germinates faster than most other grass types, which means it grows soon after you plant it. All Rights Reserved. Their seeds grow best when the temperature of the soil is between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Many tall fescues were developed for use as pasture fodder for grazing animals. While the most difficult to grow, they are more favored over Bermuda grass since there is less blue in the green and would stand more upright. If your established Zoysia lawn is growing well in your lawn, its unlikely that the Kentucky Bluegrass seed you spread will grow very well there. If the seeds dry out, they will not germinate. But by mixing zoysia seed with, say, bluegrass seed, one can create an even-toned green turf in both winter and summer. Even overseeding an existing sod lawn can help it resist foot traffic and adapt better to site conditions. Copyright 2010 - Anyway, I really appreciate your feedback on this. Pros and cons of Kentucky bluegrass . Using Annual Ryegrass gets better results with less work. It seems any bermudagrass can work under a bluemuda setup. Lawn mower to bring your lawn with seed instead of sod may be your best bet bluegrass grows best regions. And loves heat nutrients it needs to continue growing can create an green... 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