Meyer zoysia grass is a genetically modified version of Japan’s grass variety called Zoysia japonica. This plant is much more tolerant of heat than its predecessor. This variety of grass is growing at a faster rate than any other grass. It can withstand droughts and brings a desirable look to your garden with its attractive green look soft texture. That’s why this variety is found in many gardens, golf courses, cricket grounds, etc.
How Can we Plant Meyer Zoysia Grass?
There are two ways the planting of Meyer zoysia grass can be done. Firstly, by seeds and secondly by plugs. If you want to plant via seeds then the best time to do that is in summer or late spring whatever is convenient. unlike other planting methods seeds are not buried inside the soil but remain on its surface for better growth.
Special care and protection are required during germination as strong wind and rain could displace the seeds. About 3 weeks plants will begin to grow and will reach full maturity in 2 months. Meyer zoysia plugs could also be used to plant the grass we could plant the plugs in a row .there should be a separation of about 8 to 13 inches between them. The removal of weeds is crucial so that Mayer zoysia plugs could take over the area and fill it.
Different Types of Meyer Zoysia
There are two types of seeds found for this grass. ‘Zenith’ and ‘Compadre ‘. While the most common type that is used in suburban gardens is ‘Emerald’ zoysia due to its soft texture and the fact that it requires trimming only once a month.
Soil Requirements
The soil requires a ph. of about 6.0 to 6.5 if it is more than the grass will not grow or grow in patches. To bring it up to mark 40 lbs. of limestone is used per 800 sq. ft
Light Requirements of Meyer zoysia grass
Meyer zoysia grass needs at least 5 hours of sunlight in a day. That’s the minimum requirement. It is usually found that this species of grass doesn’t strive well under the shade of a tree it’s due to the mere fact that its light requirement is not being filled. It would be futile to plant the grass in such a place.it could tolerate moderate shade but grows well when it has full disclosure to sunlight. the ideal temperature for the grass is from 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Maintenance of Meyer Zoysia Grass
The maintenance of Meyer zoysia grass is very important. The requirement of water, irrigation, and fertilization should be met for its prosperity. Protection against diseases and pests is also important for the health of the grass. how to do it is the aforementioned.
Irrigation of Meyer Zoysia Grass
There is no hard and fast rule that the plant should be watered every week or every 3 days or so. The grass should be kept moist so that at least the top 7 inches is moist. But do not overwater the grass as it could harm it. We can easily deduce when to water the grass by looking at it. When the grass shows a blue fragment or starts to turn this means it should be watered. The visibility of the footprints of a person is another such indication.
Fertilizers
Fertilizer should be added at the time of planting. After that when the plant starts to emerge another dose of fertilizer should be given after 25 to 30 days. Thereafter, at the end of summer or during spring a little amount of fertilizer should be ample. If the grass is not receiving enough nutrients the color of grass will change from green to yellow. In such cases, a mixture of iron or magnesium should be sprayed. 1 ounce of the said mixture with 3.5 gallons of clean water would be enough for about 800 square feet.
Pests/Diseases
It’s rare to find a variety of grass being damaged from pests and diseases. There is an occasional infestation by beetles like that of June beetle in the month of summer. These beetle don’t cause harm on large scale but if they propagate exponentially then pesticides should be applied to curb their growth. In rare cases, diseases like brown patches could also damage this grass. This is a result of over-fertilizing. Fungicide and proper watering practices should be used to curb this disease.
The Mooing of Meyer Zoysia Grass
Mooing should be done when the grass exceeds 3. Some like to keep the grass length up to 1.5 0r 2. Many also prefer the length to be 2.5, especially in the sunny season. The mooing should be done as regularly as possible as it gives the grass an attractive look.
Where Meyer Zoysia Grass Should Not be Planted.
This grass usually changes its color from green to brown in the winter season. If you live in a place where winter Is more frequent than summer the grass will be brown for a long time. This grass is utterly useless for places like these and shouldn’t be placed there.
Meyer Zoysia Sod
There are many places where it is difficult to grow this plant due to different weather conditions which include high wind, heavy rain. the seeds are displaced due to this and the desired look that a person wants is not achieved. Due to this Meyer zoysia sod are also available in the market. This is quick easy and the headache of planting and looking after it until the grass matures is eliminated.
Meyer Zoya grass is planted in an area where it could grow easily without natural calamities ruining its look. It takes about 11 to 17 months for the grass to mature after that it could be installed on lawns. Meyer zoysia sod will give the same look as Meyer zoysia grass. The price of Meyer zoysia grass ranges from $160 to $430 in the USA but it is so worth it.
if Grown in Patches
If you grew the plant and it grew in patches there could be two reasons for that firstly that the seeds got displaced and secondly that the grass is not having enough sunlight. To fill the spaces two things can be done
1) Reseeding The Bare Area
The reseeding process will take a lot of time. For about 11 o 15 months so that it would come to the same level in height as that of other grass. proper care should be given to the grass in terms of watering.
2)To Restart New Lawn
If you opt for this you should first kill all the existing grass by plowing. some people don’t like this method due to the expense they could use Roundup® this product would kill all the existing grass. Then you can start the growing process again.
3) Plant Another Grass With it
You could plant another grass in the patches like Bermuda grass. But it would cause problems as different grasses will have different needs like Bermuda grass which requires more water, fertilizer, etc then Meyer Zoysia Grass. Plus it will grow at an exponential rate and it could be deduced that 2 different types of plants are grown if mooing is not done regularly.
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Conversion to Meyer Zoysia Grass by Overseeding
Many guarders would like to convert their garden to Meyer zoysia grass the possibility of this working is slim. To do this the grass should be cut to the scalp so that the seeds of the plant could have contact with the soil. The best time to do this in the summer. The plant should be watered for 15 days consecutively so that the soil would be moist. Avoid overwatering. But the best option would be to kill the existing grass.
Precaution
There are certain types of chemicals such as Round-up, bermudagrass, etc. which can protect other types of grasses and be beneficial for them. But these chemicals can cause harm to this plant therefore special consideration should be made while selecting these types of chemicals.
These were the ways that you could plant this beautiful grass. This grass will surely add to the beauty of your garden with its bright green color. Plus it is very low maintenance and requires mooing only once a month. one should opt for this for his or her garden.
