Tall Fescue vs. Zoysia

cabdial – posted 06 June 2005 22:18

I’m a little confused here…I live in the Charlotte area of N.C., and most of my neighbors use Tall Fescue for their lawns; some with great success and others (like green-thumbless me) with moderate or little success. However, all the literature I have read on the Internet seem to point to Zoysia (the Zenith variety in particular) as the better choice for this area.

I just recently installed an irrigation system, so I’m primed to make a turfgrass change while my lawn is still cris-crossed with filled trenches. This area has moderately hot and humid summers with the occasional drought period thrown in for extra measure. The winters are normally damp and cool, and the temperature may only dip in the upper teens once or twice during the season. I do have a fair amount of shade particularly in my back yard, and my soil–like most of this area–is predominantly red clay.

So, which would be the better choice for this area and the conditions I described? Should I be a follower of my neighbors’ choice of Tall Fescue, or be a radical and grow the Zoysia? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

mwhite125 – posted 07 June 2005 08:11

Hello there, If I were you I would get what does the best for your area. I too was just like you in that I wanted a good tall fescue because of the year round lawn, but here in the Dallas area the summers get very hot and from what my local Lesco rep told me, the grass will get very thin during these hot months. So I just went with bermuda in the front yard, but I did install Empire Zoysia in my back yard which looks very nice, and grows so slow, I mow it every 10-14 days. But the zoysia is slow to green up(middle of May for me). The tall fescue I wanted to get was this.

http://www.fescue.com/info/plantation.htmlGood luck.

fresco – posted 07 June 2005 08:48

mwhite,

i too live in dallas and the tall (turf type) fescue has worked very well for me. just seed it in the spring and fall and water regularly. just dont use kentucky-31 pentoked tall fescue!

mwhite125 – posted 07 June 2005 09:54

Fresco,

What cultivar of the tall fescue did you seed with? Does it need alot of water in the hot summer months? I really wanted to overseed with that Penn 1901 but after talking with several pros decided not to, anyways, my common/sahara bermuda mix looks preety good, espicially using the Lesco 28-3-10 fert.

fresco – posted 07 June 2005 12:16

The only thing I know was that it’s called Rebel Turf type tall fescue. Lots of watering in the beginning and so far its holding up well in the 90 degree heat. It grwos much better under my tree. I was told to reseed every spring and fall otherwise it doesn’t last. Looks great!

I just mowed the lawn very close, aerated it with those spiky shoes, seeded it with the fescue, and 7 days later fertilized it.

Good luck.

mwhite125 – posted 07 June 2005 16:05

Yep, thats the biggest reason I decided not to go with tall fescue in my full sun Texas lawn, I do not want to reseed over and over and water,water,water. For Most of texas, a warm season grass is the best. Now for North Carolinia, tall fescue would do better, and thats probally what I would have if I lived there. Good luck with that fescue this summer!

cabdial – posted 07 June 2005 16:14

I was talking with a neighbor today, and he likes the Tall Fescue better as well because of the plushness of it along with the year-around color. I think with the new irrigation system, I should be able to get away with it. However, the Zoysia sounded better because of its low maintenance and high drought, weed, and shade resistance. Can anybody describe what kind of texture Zoysia has?

mwhite125 – posted 07 June 2005 17:54

I take it you already have grass in your lawn except where the ditch witch went right? If so, seeding with the tall fescue would be easier than zoysia, since its easily germinated if kept moist. If going with zoysia, I would get a sod cutter and remove all the grass you currently have and sod it with zoysia. No plugging, which will take extremely long time to fill in. My personal epinion would be to overseed the crap out of your yard with a good turf type tall fescue for your neck of the woods. If you have a Lesco store near by get their seed. But hey, thats just me.

termides – posted 25 July 2005 05:17

I live in Charlotte and you can call or go down to Supersod on Downs RD in Pineville. They have samples of all types out front. I am also thinking about the Bermuda because the fescue is dead as usual this time of the year. Unfortunately that is when I am outside the most and have to look at it. It does not bother me to see the Bermuda dormant in the winter because it stays thick. I am trying to cheap out maybe just scalp the fescue do some tilling and raking and seed. Then have the problems with shady areas. I can’t afford to sod with Zoysia.

Cary, NC – posted 25 July 2005 23:54

Nice topic…

What about Kentucky Bluegrass? I’m thinking about killing my entire yard (the largest collection of weeds in the state of NC) and seeding with Awesome Kentucky Bluegrass, or Perfection. Both suited for central NC.