Patchy Emerald Zoysia
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- Posts: 41
- Joined: February 10th, 2016, 1:00 pm
- Location: Celina, TX
- Grass Type: Emerald Zoysia
- Lawn Size: 1000-3000
- Level: Experienced
Patchy Emerald Zoysia
Hey all - my emerald zoysia seems to be coming in very patchy this year in spots. I haven't had this problem the last couple of years, especially this late in the season, and am wondering if there are any causes or steps I can take to remediate.
I scalped in March at 0.30" and am currently maintaining at 0.50". 1LB/K of N on April 1 and May 15 (milorganite). Rain has been average, and on weeks without rain, I've ensured to water 0.5"-1.0" per week.
I also laid down a grub treatment in mid-May, just in case. But again, the lawn looked like this coming out of dormancy, and wasn't damaged going into it last Fall.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
I scalped in March at 0.30" and am currently maintaining at 0.50". 1LB/K of N on April 1 and May 15 (milorganite). Rain has been average, and on weeks without rain, I've ensured to water 0.5"-1.0" per week.
I also laid down a grub treatment in mid-May, just in case. But again, the lawn looked like this coming out of dormancy, and wasn't damaged going into it last Fall.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
- Dchall_San_Antonio
- Posts: 3343
- Joined: December 17th, 2008, 1:53 am
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Grass Type: St Augustine
- Lawn Size: 5000-10000
- Level: Advanced
Re: Patchy Emerald Zoysia
First of all, the yard looks pretty danged good.*
Regarding pictures 1 and 3, it often happens that when two massive concrete structures come together like that, the heat retained by the concrete will dry out the soil much more quickly than the rest of the lawn causing the grass to suffer from drying out. Those spots need to be watered more deeply.
As for picture 2, when it rains, does rain and/or roof water drain through that area? I have a picture...
The dead zoysia in front of the beds is in a low spot where all the water from his yard drains. I don't know what variety of zoysia he has, but this dead spot only happens after prolonged rainy periods. His grass had a chance to come in before the rains hit, so it looks a little different.
* Side notes:
Never use an insecticide just in case. Always verify that you have the problem before spraying. Grubs are normally only a problem in late July and August, but even then you should dig up a square foot of turf and search for grubs. If you find fewer than a dozen, then restore the dirt and sod without spraying. If you find an uncountable mass of grubs, then go ahead and do what you have to do. One more thing about insects and pictures 1 and 3, chinch bugs love hot soil especially in the concrete corners like that. If it were later in the season I would suspect chinch bugs, but you said the grass never came in. You can check for chinch bugs by wiping your hand across the grass (back where there is grass). The cinch bugs normally hang onto the grass blades, so when you wipe your hand across, they flick off into the air. You can use a piece of paper for them to land on. If you get them landing on the paper, then that is your issue, but again, I think it is too early for them. Check anyway.
Your tree in the middle of the yard has too much mulch at the base. The roots should be exposed at the very surface as in this picture.
They don't need this exact amount of exposure, but the important thing is that all the bark on the trunk of the tree has access to fresh air. When it is mulch up like that the trunk bark will get a fungal disease which eventually makes the tree look ugly before it dies completely. I realize that you see trees mulched like that in every community, but that doesn't make it the best practice. If you like the built up look of the mulch, you can create a crater in the middle which exposes the trunk down to the roots.
Regarding pictures 1 and 3, it often happens that when two massive concrete structures come together like that, the heat retained by the concrete will dry out the soil much more quickly than the rest of the lawn causing the grass to suffer from drying out. Those spots need to be watered more deeply.
As for picture 2, when it rains, does rain and/or roof water drain through that area? I have a picture...
The dead zoysia in front of the beds is in a low spot where all the water from his yard drains. I don't know what variety of zoysia he has, but this dead spot only happens after prolonged rainy periods. His grass had a chance to come in before the rains hit, so it looks a little different.
* Side notes:
Never use an insecticide just in case. Always verify that you have the problem before spraying. Grubs are normally only a problem in late July and August, but even then you should dig up a square foot of turf and search for grubs. If you find fewer than a dozen, then restore the dirt and sod without spraying. If you find an uncountable mass of grubs, then go ahead and do what you have to do. One more thing about insects and pictures 1 and 3, chinch bugs love hot soil especially in the concrete corners like that. If it were later in the season I would suspect chinch bugs, but you said the grass never came in. You can check for chinch bugs by wiping your hand across the grass (back where there is grass). The cinch bugs normally hang onto the grass blades, so when you wipe your hand across, they flick off into the air. You can use a piece of paper for them to land on. If you get them landing on the paper, then that is your issue, but again, I think it is too early for them. Check anyway.
Your tree in the middle of the yard has too much mulch at the base. The roots should be exposed at the very surface as in this picture.
They don't need this exact amount of exposure, but the important thing is that all the bark on the trunk of the tree has access to fresh air. When it is mulch up like that the trunk bark will get a fungal disease which eventually makes the tree look ugly before it dies completely. I realize that you see trees mulched like that in every community, but that doesn't make it the best practice. If you like the built up look of the mulch, you can create a crater in the middle which exposes the trunk down to the roots.
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- Posts: 41
- Joined: February 10th, 2016, 1:00 pm
- Location: Celina, TX
- Grass Type: Emerald Zoysia
- Lawn Size: 1000-3000
- Level: Experienced
Re: Patchy Emerald Zoysia
Thank you very much for the reply! I appreciate it.
I should have clarified - it was grub prevention (GrubEx). I don't think this was a grub issue since the damage has been since the grass has come out of dormancy in March.
Agreed on the tree mulch - that will be my weekend "to do"!
Do you suspect fungus or root rot?
What has made this so challenging is that the lawn has been in pristine condition the last three years. This was the first year I have had any turf damage, and it was in multiple locations around the yard. So on picture 2, if water was collecting there, it has been doing so for three years (and now just showing damage, similar to pic 1 and 3).
I should have clarified - it was grub prevention (GrubEx). I don't think this was a grub issue since the damage has been since the grass has come out of dormancy in March.
Agreed on the tree mulch - that will be my weekend "to do"!
Do you suspect fungus or root rot?
What has made this so challenging is that the lawn has been in pristine condition the last three years. This was the first year I have had any turf damage, and it was in multiple locations around the yard. So on picture 2, if water was collecting there, it has been doing so for three years (and now just showing damage, similar to pic 1 and 3).
- Dchall_San_Antonio
- Posts: 3343
- Joined: December 17th, 2008, 1:53 am
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Grass Type: St Augustine
- Lawn Size: 5000-10000
- Level: Advanced
Re: Patchy Emerald Zoysia
It has been a full summer now. How do your patchy areas look now?
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