Installing Empire Zoyisa (SW Fla)
Dogfood – posted 31 March 2011 11:21
We purchased a home in SW Florida, was a foreclosure, and the previous lawn was totally neglected, overrun with weeds.
10-15 days ago, we nuked everything in the yard and now it’s completely dead. There are some long patches of possible grass.
We’re planning on putting down Empire this weekend and my question is more of prep.
Our turf seller tells us there’s not much we will need to do to prep for this sod, but maybe run a hard rake over the top of everything to expose the soil. He says we will not need to till at all and that we can shave down the dead long grass if we wanted to, but it wasn’t necessary due to the large pads the turf comes on.
We have a couple patches of what looks to be pure sand in the yard and i’m concerned after reading some posts here that the roots won’t hold water on top of the sand, unless it’s tilled with top soil.
1) Should we mow and shave down the longer, dead grass?
2) Do we need to till the entire yard? Or will raking with a hard rake be enough?
3) Should we till in topsoil with the extra sandy parts?
Thanks for everyone’s time
mrmumbels – posted 31 March 2011 17:49
How big is the lawn?
Pick up some alfalfa pellets and till them into the soil. You may want to drop them on the soil water them in then till them in since they’ll expand quite a bit once wet.
I tilled mine and the empire took great but there’s just not enough organic material in the soil to keep my empire roots hydrated without watering multiple times a week.
Dogfood – posted 02 June 2011 00:44
So, it’s been just over 2 months since we put this lawn in.
I ran the mower over the area and scalped what was there. We ended up not tilling the lawn, but just running a heavy rake over all the dead weeds, then throwing down an inch of topsoil and raking it in to the sand.
After a couple days, we filled gaps in with Black Kow.
Gotta say, it looks unbelievable. We haven’t been stingy with the water, watering everyday, heavy for the first 30 days, then 5 times a week heavy in the mornings for the next 30. Now, because of restrictions, we’re on a 2x/week heavy watering schedule.
Even with all the waterings, there was still a few spots that do curl, but since the summer rains have started, it’s no longer an issue, our grass is a lush carpet, we mow every weekend, keeping it at a 2.5-3 inch height for now, hoping to get it down to about 2 for the summer.
We can’t wait to do the front yard real soon.
Carlincool – posted 18 October 2011 05:46
Hi, I was wondering how your empire is doing? I also live in the SW Cape. I put 10 pallets down on Friday. Since Monday it has been raining. Some sections are really saturated. I’m kinda worried about fungus. I hope this takes root before it gets cold and goes dormant.Did you ever get to do your front?Have a great day!!
Dogfood – posted 18 October 2011 19:34
Hi,
Thanks for the reply. The back yard has been ok, it still gets dry and curls in the same spots, worse now than before and it’s concerning. I just don’t think the ground holds the moisture it needs in those spots.
We went away for a week or so back at the end of April. When we came home, these “trouble spots” were completely dead. We were devistated. We had the local grass guys come over (for free, very nice of them) and tell me what happened.
They said it looked like it got too much water. I personally think it didn’t get enough, but the point is that when we raked the dead grass up, it immediately began to fill itself back in. It’s not quite back to perfect, but it at least looks normal again.
After it rains, however, the yard as a whole looks fantastic. I think we’re going to throw down a bunch of topsoil in the trouble area to see if that helps hold the moisture a bit.
We did end up doing the front yard and it looks better than the back. No problems at all with it, and we get many compliments from the neighbors.
Best of luck with yours, it’s a wonderful grass.
mrmumbels – posted 19 October 2011 07:05
Dogfood, do a test with alfalfa pellets. In that dead spot mix in some pellets down about 8 inches. Next year that will be your thickest spot. I’ve tested multiple sections on all sides of my house and there’s no doubt that this sand is not liked by zoysia mostly due to it’s inability to hold water.
I almost forgot Do Not over water. Floratan /Seville all strains of St. Augustine are suseptible to fungus from over…
I am from the north and it has taken me five yrs to learn and undertand seville lawns. No 1…
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