turfgrass

Zoysia plugs

Zoysia plugs

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GrassRookie – posted 04 May 2003 22:05

Hey Gang!

Let me “paint a picture” for you guys before posing my question.

Back in the mid 50’s, my grandfather “sprigged” his yard with Zoysia plugs that he mail ordered … unsure of the type/hybrid of Zoysia, but it has really fine blades. Anyway, back to the story. Over the next 30 years, he babied and pampered this lawn like a mother does over a new-born baby. Needless to say, his yard was the nicest in his neighborhood and brought many compliments to him. My grandfather is since passed and I wanted to bring part of his yard to mine as sort of a “living remembrance” of him. To some this may sound very corny, but when I think of him I think of his days spent pampering his lawn and would be so happy to be able to look at my lawn and think of him.

Now to my question. I have cut some 6″ X 6″ plugs/squares from his backyard and have replanted them in my yard. What is the best way to accelerate their growth (if there is any way) and/or what other advice can you guys give me that may help with these plugs taking root and flourish. I have only done a very small section, as a test, to see if this will be feasible … if so, then I will continue to “plug & sprig.”

Many thanks to any & all the help!

wdrake – posted 05 May 2003 05:34

Your POST made my day. Outstanding idea. Good on you! Checkout what the green thumb gurus at the Univ of Fla have to say about the “Maintenance of Zoysiagrass Lawns”

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH022

VooMan – posted 06 May 2003 12:54

Don’t feel like that’s corny at all…

That is a wonderful idea! Good luck with it!

Lex – posted 24 August 2003 08:36

Good for you! One thing you can do is to soak the plugs in water (100% submerged) for about 30 minutes. That will help them about as much as anything. Good luck!

Dchall_San_Antonio – posted 25 August 2003 09:56

I never have anything good to say about zoysia but in this case I’ll make an exception.

I would start it on a total organic program of corn meal fertilizer. Besides fertilizing, corn meal will prevent the fungus that traditionally attacks zoysia and other grasses. You may apply every 90 days at a rate of 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet to prevent fungal disease.

Fungal disease is the major reason people in my neighborhood drop zoysia. It can take 10 years to fill in a lawn and be wiped out in 3 months.

I get corn meal at the feed store in 50 pound bags for $6.50. That will cover 5,000 square feet for you.

skimmer – posted 26 August 2003 09:18

Can anyone tell me a real good way to cut up Zoysia sod to make plugs. I need to make 14000 plugs in the most efficient way.Thanks

Mouse – posted 27 August 2003 12:51

I know nothing about Zoysia, but I wanted to say that’s a very neat way to keep a memory alive.

yard guy – posted 27 August 2003 18:39

I used my electric edger to cut the sod up into 3×3 plugs. Turn the sod upside down(root side up) and lay several of them side by side. Make some reference marks(lines) on the edge of the sod so as to keep the plug about the same size. My edger has a setting for “trenching”. I set the edger to the trenching setting and made multiple passes across the sod in both directions (X&Y axis). This sounds complicated but its not. The complicated part is in the descripition of the process.

yard guy – posted 28 August 2003 05:15

PS. I read a posting recently that recommended just using enough sod to do the job and forget the plugs. I agree. It costs alittle more but the results are instant with a fraction of the work. I had done it both ways.(plugs vs sod)You will find that it takes along time and alot of work to make 14,000 3-4″ holes in which to place 14,000 plugs, assuming that you proceed in that manor. Not to mention the fact that it takes a long time for the grass to grow enough to fill in the area between the plugs.

yard guy – posted 28 August 2003 05:18

quote:Originally posted by Dchall_San_Antonio:I never have anything good to say about zoysia but in this case I’ll make an exception.

I would start it on a total organic program of corn meal fertilizer. Besides fertilizing, corn meal will prevent the fungus that traditionally attacks zoysia and other grasses. You may apply every 90 days at a rate of 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet to prevent fungal disease.

Fungal disease is the major reason people in my neighborhood drop zoysia. It can take 10 years to fill in a lawn and be wiped out in 3 months.

I get corn meal at the feed store in 50 pound bags for $6.50. That will cover 5,000 square feet for you.

I’m in central NC. Is it too late to apply the corn meal(aug 28)

yard guy – posted 28 August 2003 12:42

quote:Originally posted by yard guy: I’m in central NC. Is it too late to apply the corn meal(aug 28)

When is the right time?

skimmer – posted 29 August 2003 09:23

Thanks for the help in the “how to cut up Zoysia for plugs”. I have till next spring to decide to go plugs or sod (expensive). I have been trying to grow fescue for five years as it is my favorite. But living in the Atlanta area fescue growing is hopeless.

Thanks

cboothe – posted 29 August 2003 09:39

Once you factor the time involved to actually plant and then maintain the plugs until you have full coverage, I think the sod will be much cheaper.

GrassRookie – posted 29 August 2003 10:15

guys …. thanks for all of the replies. But if you would read the original post, you would see that I am asking about the Zoysia plugs for “sentimental” reasons as opposed to “economic” reasons.

Thanks Again,

cboothe – posted 30 August 2003 02:03

Just addressing skimmer’s post above mine. He appears to be debating plugging vs. sodding.

skimmer – posted 03 September 2003 09:18

Thanks for the input on Zoysia plugs. I have seen an auger electric drill bit for dirt at Home Depot and thought that it make a fairly easy way to make the holes.I will look into the edger idea. Thanks again.

murph – posted 16 September 2003 23:01

Great idea.

Have you talked with the local county extension office? Where are you? Have you had your variety identified? A good sod dealer can usually hazard a guess if the variety is common locally. That can give you some hints.

Zoysia is a slow grower so patience will be the key. I don’t know anything fancy, just great soil prep and a close eye to watch for wilt, fungus, bugs, color change due to nutrients or pH, etc. If you go Sat-Sat without looking at it you might encounter a problem.

trugreen – posted 13 June 2004 14:08

Zoyzia grass (emerald zoyzia – like the type you described) is a very sensitive grass type. Like the other posts have mentioned; it is very susceptible to disease and can die off with many given circumstances, but the upside of all this is once established it can provide one of the thickest turfs available, reducing weeds and adding an overall beautiful appearance.

Emerald zoyzia does well in summer months with a good dose of nitrogen – low phosphorus – and a fair amount of potassium. 36-3-10 should treat it well and promote growth and vigor. A treatment of iron and a fungicide will be a considerable help after your initial fertilization.

Like noted before you will need to keep an eye on fungus, root rot, and over fertilization, as emerald zoyzia is a very picky grass type.

I suggest you get as many plugs as possible and keep an eye on your grandfathers’ grass just like he did over the years.

Ralph (zoysia expert) – posted 15 July 2004 07:13

You don’t have to use plugs at all. I use Zenith Zoysia Grass Seed. I also live in New York and am amazed at how well this brand of Zoysia survives the below freezing winters and dry hot summers. While I use to plant most of the seed directly in my lawn, now I make my own plugs by putting a few seeds & dirt in a plastic cup. I have gotten over 1,000 plugs from just one pound of zoysia seed. As far as Zoysia compared to other lawn grasses: any lawn grass is susceptible to disease, I have had rye grass, blue grass, fescue and numerous other grasses die on my from disease or weed pressure very quickly. And properly planted a new zoysia lawn can be fully grown in less than one year if you use seed (not ten). The plugs you are using are probably Meyer Zoysia which was the first Zoysia to be marketed in the US. I think you would have better results moving away from Meyer. I have a few spots of Meyer I bought a long time ago from plugs that I am slowly replacing with Zenith Zoysia. Another option could be to use companion zoysia which grows less dense than Meyer or Zenith and overseed it with another more traditional grass seed. Personally I like the low growth of the Zoysia which decreases the number of times I have to mow my lawn, and that’s the biggest benefit of all. Remember to you a 1:1:1 fertilizer on zoysia and not only a 1:1:1. Other traditional fertilizers like Scotts are too strong for Zoysia and will make it more open to diseases.

manion12 – posted 20 July 2004 18:38

Great story GrassRookie! My wife thought I wrote it. That was exactly what I did last year. Everything I walk outside and see the grass plugs I think of my Grandfather.

BIGGB – posted 29 July 2012 07:31

@RalphI’m in NY also, I like it for many reasons. Where do you get the seeds????? I just redid an area near my pond and need to fill it back I put down sod but it’s not doing well, my soil is almost pure sand and the arears that have it are beautiful.

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