Posts Tagged ‘ Amazoy Zoysia Plugs ’
Zoysia Growth: Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
posted on March 4th, 2010 by Steve Schug
How much time have you spent messing around with grass seeds that you hoped would improve your lawn? Having a beautiful lawn may not be quick fix. The solution starts with a product that is appropriate for your needs.
Zoysia is the right solution for sunny and partly shady lawns. When planted one plug per square foot, (the minimum we recommend), Amazoy Zoysia will take two to three growing seasons (2 to 3 years) to fill in completely. If you choose to plant plugs closer together, your estimated growth time will decrease. If you want to calculate how many plugs you may need, check out our plug calculator.
Two to three years may sound like a lot, but Zoysia’s process of growth is part of its strength. It actually grows differently than other grasses, sending our runners or “stolons,” expanding sideways more than it grows tall. Zoysia’s slow spreading tendencies help it to become strong and sturdy, withstanding heavy traffic and erosion. So over those few growing seasons, Zoysia will grow lush, even, and green, while simultaneously crowding out the summer weeds, ultimately creating a beautiful lawn for you to enjoy.
Zoysia Grass: Seeds vs. Plugs
posted on March 1st, 2010 by John
If you are considering purchasing zoysia for your lawn, you may be considering a few different options. In your research, you may find that zoysia is not an all-inclusive term. Not only are there are different types of zoysia, there are also different ways to plant it: seeds or plugs.
Seeds
Seeds are a new option for planting your Zoysia, although it tends to be more expensive and can require more to cover a comparable area. Seeds can be planted from May to June, resulting in a very short planting period of about 6 weeks in most regions of the country.
The area to be seeded must be well prepared, flat and with no competition from other grasses or weeds. The seeded area must be watered frequently and kept moist until established, and must be covered with an erosion cloth to reduce surface distribution caused by this watering. They are also sensitive to light and temperature. Because of this, seed has generally only been successful when planted by professions, such as golf course managers.
The grass that results from Zoysia seed is a medium to coarse textured lawn. It can grow unevenly and in mounds. The resulting grass is also not very resilient against cold temperatures, sometimes resulting in death during winter.
Plugs
Here at Zoysia Farms, we believe in the power of plugs. Although plugs require more time to fill in than seed, the success rate is virtually 100%. Even more so, they require less maintenance overall. You don’t have to water often, and the grass isn’t light sensitive. The grass is thick and tough enough that erosion isn’t a problem. Grass resulting from plugs is an even lawn that proves to be hardier in colder temperatures.
Planting is easier, too. We have already done all of the hard work for you. We ship you the product, and you plant exactly what we provide to you: a living plant. The planting period is much longer, too. Rather than the 6 week planting period for seeds, zoysia grass plugs have a planting season that spans from early spring to fall.
Amazoy Zoysia: What’s the Difference?
posted on February 25th, 2010 by Steve Schug
As we have mentioned, Zoysia is a particularly hardy grass that grows well in a wide range of conditions. We also let you know a little bit about its history, both historically and company specific.
But zoysia isn’t just a catchall. There are many different types of zoysia. They act similarly, but can look and grow differently. Read more below about the most popular types of zoysia on the market today.
Amazoy / Meyer Z-52
This is the type of zoysia we specialize in. It has a medium, dark green color and an intermediate leaf texture and shoot density (thickness). It is known for fast spring green up (gain color back if it goes dormant) and is the most cold tolerant. It is sold as plugs and sod.
Emerald
Emerald zoysia is a hybrid of zoysia, and was developed in Georgia. It is dark green in color, with a very fine leaf texture. It grows more quickly than other zoysia, but is only available as sod. This hybrid grass has fair shade tolerance and high shoot density, but doesn’t have superb cold weather tolerance.
Matrella / Manila
Zoysia matrella or manila grass originated on the island of Manila, hence its name. It has an intermediate leaf texture and shoot density. It does not hold up well in colder temperatures and is slow to establish.
Zenith
Similar to Meyer Z-52 in appearance, but grows less dense. It does not do well in areas that are shaded and its ability to withstand cold temperatures is questionable.
Empire
This type of zoysia is from Brazil. It has a courser texture than other zoysia and is the least cold tolerant.
To see descriptions of other zoysia grasses, click here.
Zoysia: Solution for Spreading
posted on February 15th, 2010 by Julie
Sometimes Amazoy Zoysia can be a little, well, eager. It is a spreading grass and sometimes finds its way into flowerbeds, gardens, and neighbor’s yards (in which case it might help the whole neighborhood look great). But maybe you don’t want it in your garden and maybe your neighbor doesn’t want it in his yard.
No problem, there is an easy solution. Inserting plastic or metal borders inserted about 6” into the ground will keep the grass from spreading in places where it isn’t wanted. Here at Zoysia Farms, we recommend Easy-Edge® lawn edging. The flexible and easy to install plastic edging will take care of any unwanted spreading.
To see how to accurately install borders, check out the video below.
Removing Weeds from Zoysia Grass
posted on February 11th, 2010 by Steve Schug
Just kidding. We know that even though Amazoy Zoysia is good at choking out weeds because of its density and thickness, a few may pop up every now and then. No need to worry, this can be easily taken care of.
Using a weed killer will solve the problem. Weed Be Gone is an efficient product and a good place to start. Using this on your weeds will kill them without killing the grass itself. You can also check out our Hose-End Sprayer if you want to apply water-soluble components. But steer clear of Round-Up; it is designed to kill grass!
If you are attempting to get rid of crabgrass, the best solution is to attack it with a pre-emergence product that will kill the seeds before they germinate. Any product like this must be applied in the early spring.
So when (or should we say if?) weeds pop-up, maintenance is easy and simple. Just get the right product and your weeds will be taken care of and Amazoy Zoysia will help prevent them from coming back.
Zoysia vs. Regular Grass: The Bottom Line
posted on February 10th, 2010 by Steve Schug
When it comes to making decisions, sometimes it really is about the bottom line. This is especially true of a home investment purchases, like an improved lawn. When comparing Amazoy Zoysia to other grasses like Kentucky Blue or Rye, there is quite a difference in continual costs and maintenance.
With Amazoy Zoysia, mowing is reduced to about once per month. In regions with a growing season of 6 months, that is only six times a year. Other grasses require more, often about once a week during the active growing season. That is 26 times a year! And if you put that in terms of cost of a lawn service or gas for your mower, mowing less would obviously save you money.
Grasses like Kentucky Blue require a multi-step program throughout the growing season, so you would have to pay for and apply fertilizer three to four times a year. With Amazoy, you can choose to apply fertilizer, but you will only need to do so one time at the start of the growing season.
Amazoy Zoysia also requires less watering, if any at all. Many grasses require at least one, if not multiple, watering each week to stay green in the heat of the summer, resulting in a higher water bill or strain on your well, and more of your time.
Weed Control
Less densely growing grasses tend to need weed control, requiring costly general applications and spot treatments. Densely growing Zoysia will choke out most existing summer weeds once it has become established, but if a weed or two pops up, a quick spot application should take care of it.
The Evolution of Zoysia
posted on February 5th, 2010 by John
So, what is zoysia? Where did it come from? Maybe you have heard the term or have seen advertisements, but in this blog post, we are going help you out a bit.
Zoysia grass, native to southeastern and eastern Asia, is a genus of eight species of spreading grass named after Austrian botanist Karl von Zois. Of the eight species, three are common in the United States: Zoysia Japonica, Zoysia Matrella, and Zoysia Tenuifolia. Meyer Zoysia, which we specialize in here at Zoysia Farm Nurseries, is a strain of the Japonica species.
As mentioned in our last blog post, zoysia made its first appearance in America when botanist C.V. Piper brought it over from Manila. Prior to that, zoysia was popular in Asian culture, dating as far back as the early 12th century.
Here at Zoysia Farm Nurseries, we specialize in Meyer Zoysia, which has a history all its own. According to the USGA Journal and Turf Management, the Meyer Z-52 strain was discovered in 1906 by Frank N. Meyer, a plant explorer for the Division of Plant Exploration. He brought it back to the United States from Korea, where it was filed with the Department of Agriculture as Zoysia pungens. Over time, it became Zoysia japonica, the species name it carries now. It was released by the USDA for commercial development in 1951.
Today, zoysia is used in a wide variety of ways, including golf course fairways, athletic fields, playgrounds, park areas, and home lawns.
Zoysia Grass: A Little History
posted on February 3rd, 2010 by John
The Grass:
Zoysia grass has long been a staple in Asia, with a more recent introduction into American lawn society. According to AllAboutLawns.com, zoysia has been around from as early as the 12th century, being an important part of Japanese gardens and tea ceremonies.
Much later, around the early 1900’s, zoysia made its first appearance in America when botanist C.V. Piper brought it over from Manila. It wasn’t until 1951 that the USDA released zoysia for commercial development.
The Company:
Zoysia Farm Nurseries has a long history behind it. Richard Friedberg, President of Zoysia Farm Nurseries, can remember walking the rows of zoysia test plots at the U.S. Department of Agriculture when he was a young boy. Richard’s father, Herbert, became pretty convinced early on of zoysia and its power to be the solution for American lawns. He also had a brilliant idea: to sell it by mail to homeowners nationwide.
The USDA released zoysia for commercial development in 1951. By 1953, Herbert was the first entrepreneur to focus on zoysia for private lawns. He bought a farm in Maryland, perfected the process of growing and distributing the product, and the rest is history.
Today, zoysia is still as dedicated to bringing beautiful, low-maintenance lawns to every homeowner. Now, Zoysia Farm Nurseries is employee-owned, meaning every member of the staff is equally committed to bringing you a great product and the best service.