Zoysia sod
Zoysia sod has a dark green color and turns a brownish yellow in the winter. It is similar to Bermuda grass in that it is thick, resistant to high traffic, and commonly used for golf courses and parks. It is also very salt tolerant like Bermuda grass and can be grown along the coast where soil is salty and sandy. It resembles Bermuda sod in appearance, but has a spongier texture than Bermuda grass. Zoysia requires less fertilizer than Bermuda.
Zoysia sod is named after an 18th century Austrian botanist named Karl von Zois. Zoysia grass originates from Japan, China, and other parts of Southeast Asia. It has been grown in sod form in Japan since the 1100’s. It is popular throughout Asia. A U.S. botanist named Dr. C.V. Piper brought the grass to the U.S. from Manila in 1911. Because of this, it can also be known as Manila grass. Piper found that Zoysia was plentiful along the coasts of the Philippines.
Only two varieties of Zoysia grass, Zenith and Compadre, can grow well from seed form. Because of the slow germination of many of the varieties of Zoysia, it is usually only sold in sod form.
There are several major varieties of Zoysia sod, and each one has its advantages and disadvantages. These are the types of Zoysias we carry:
- Emerald - Emerald Zoysia doesn’t need to be mowed very often. It has a slow growth. It is named for its emerald color. It has a fairly good shade tolerance, but it also has less cold resistance.
- Meyer - Meyer Zoysia has a wider blade than the Emerald Zoysia. It is more resistant to the cold but less resistant to the shade. It can turn yellow in cold conditions. The Meyer variety is named after Frank N. Meyer who traveled the world in search of different plant species. Meyer was also the first person to grow Bermuda grass.
- Ja'mur - Ja'mur Zosia is one of the most shade tolerant of all the zoysia grasses. It is designed as a replacement for St. Augstine. And, is one of the fastest repairing of all zoysias. It's mainly characterized by a wide blade and a deep green color.
- Zeon - Zeon Zoysia is one of our newest types of zoysia. There have been many claims as to it's shade tolerances and survivability. We have been unable to verify these cliams and will require a genetic stability waiver on all orders utill it proves itself.
Zoysia sod is a partially shade tolerant as a whole. It thrives in high temperatures, becoming dormant in the winter or in consistent temperatures below 70 degrees.
Zoysia sod requires less fertilizer than other types of sod. In fact, if it is watered or fertilized too much, it will begin to form thatch. Thatch is a layer of dead plant materials that stunts root development and increases the chance of weeds and insects. Thatch will inevitably form on Zoysia sod over an extended period of time, so it may be necessary to remove thatch from time to time with a vertical mower.
Other ways to prevent thatch are to winterize and aerate your Zoysia sod. This process is often done in the fall and ensures that your grass will survive the winter. Winterization also helps to prevent diseases. A common Zoysia sod disease is rust. Zoysia grass usually bounces back from disease when conditions become more favorable for it. Aeration is the process by which a bunch of little holes are poked in your soil to provide oxygen to it. An aeration tool looks like a spiky roller.
When mowing Zoysia grass, you should avoid cutting the grass too closely in areas of shade. Frequent mowing helps Zoysia grass stay healthy and helps the appearance of the grass. Watering should be done in the morning to make sure that the Zoysia does not develop any diseases.
In addition to having an attractive color, Zoysia is one of the first grasses to turn green in the spring. It can be used by homeowners and landscapers. Our company will distribute Zoysia sod throughout the state of Georgia. It is especially successful in Southern Georgia. We can answer any questions about the advantages and disadvantages of Zoysia and the different varieties.
We supply sod throughout Georgia, including:
- Atlanta
- Augusta
- Columbus
- Savannah
- Athens
- Macon
- Roswell
- Sandy Springs
- Albany
- Marietta