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Warm-season · transition zone

Zoysiagrass care calendar

Dense, slow-growing warm-season turf. Late to green up, late to go dormant. Lower N needs than bermuda; excellent shade tolerance for a warm-season grass.

Mowing height
1"–2" (reel) · 1.5"–2.5" (rotary)
N per season
2–3 lb / 1,000 sq ft
Green-up
Soil ~65–70°F sustained (slower than bermuda)
Dormancy
First hard frost
Jan
winter
Dormant.
  • Soil test
    Zoysia does best in slightly acidic soil (6.0–6.5).
Feb
winter
Prep.
  • Order pre-emergent
    Prodiamine — timing follows soil temp, not date.
Mar
spring
Pre-emergent window.
  • Apply pre-emergent
    Soil 2" at 55°F for 3+ days. Zoysia is still dormant — pre-emergent doesn't harm it.
Apr
spring
Slow green-up.
  • Patience
    Zoysia lags bermuda by 2–4 weeks. Straw color into mid-April is normal.
  • Post-emergent for winter weeds
    Safe on dormant zoysia in most cases — read the label.
May
spring
Wake up.
  • First N app
    0.5–0.75 lb N / 1,000 sq ft. Slow-release preferred.
  • First mow at target height
    Reel mower rewards you here — clean cuts, denser turf.
Jun
summer
Growing hard.
  • Feed
    0.5 lb N / 1,000 sq ft. Zoysia burns easily — don't overdo it.
  • Deep water
    1" per week including rain. Zoysia handles drought better than bermuda.
Jul
summer
Peak growth.
  • Iron for color
    Chelated iron greens up without pushing top growth.
  • Grubs check
    July is peak grub-egg season. Preventative if you've had past damage.
Aug
summer
Cruise.
  • Optional light feed
    0.25–0.5 lb N. Skip if lawn is dark and dense.
  • Sedges & sandburs
    Sedgehammer, Certainty for tougher sedges.
Sep
fall
Last feed.
  • Final N
    Wrap N applications by mid-month. Zoysia stores carbs early.
  • Fall pre-emergent
    Prodiamine before soil drops to 70°F.
Oct
fall
Wind down.
  • Potassium boost
    0.5–1 lb K / 1,000 sq ft for winter hardiness.
  • Aerate — only if actively growing
    Zoysia recovers slowly; skip if temps already dropping.
Nov
fall
Leaf pickup.
  • Clear leaves
    Dense zoysia holds leaves — mulch-mow or rake.
Dec
winter
Dormant.
  • Nothing
    Rest.

Time this to your actual weather

This calendar is a great baseline. Patch shifts every task to your real soil temp, GDD, and forecast.

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