Mower choice for Empire Zoysia

jigmaster – posted 07 November 2005 11:21

I am in the market to purchade a new lawn tractor. I have about 9,000 sq ft of Empire zoysia and about 5,000 sq ft of tall fescue. I have been bagging the empire and mulching the fescue – so I require either 2 mowers or time consuming change-overs with my current riding mower. I have heard varying reports on cutting procedure for Empire Zoysia – some say it should always be bagged and others say mulching is OK. I would like to go with a mulching blade set up if it will be OK for the Empire. Any comments are appreciated.

Empire 1 – posted 08 November 2005 21:43

I have had Empire down for 1.5 years, still not sure wether to bag or not. I started mulching it this fall due to the lower growth rate. In the summer and spring I had been bagging it. One comapany said to alternate mulching one cut the next bag. I don’t know. I have read that mulching zoysia should not add much to the thatch. I had the mower set at 2 in. for the most part, but had to move to 2.25 late summer to avoid that slightly scalped look.