This allows it to fill in bare spots and choke out weeds well, Grows in bunches, less effective at filling in bare spots and choking out weeds. Sydney has over 15 years of experience in lawn maintenance, landscape design, and organic gardening. It can thrive in shaded, cool and wet areas, but is short-lived; it does not like the wear and tear of lawn use, or the heat of summer. By the way, I live in northeast Alabama and have large oak trees in both the front and back yards, and the zoysia does not grow at all beneath the canopies. Overseeding benefits a lawn that is already healthy, but needs to be thickened. Examples provided of tested products are actual products owned, tested, and used regularly by the author. I realize it may take time but in years past I took a really scraggly fescue lawn and made it into something nice. Zoysia is a tough grass that requires a clean cut to look good. The sod industry has made it confusing to choose between Emerald Zoysia, Zeon Zoysia, Meyer Zoysia, Discovery Bermuda, Tifway 419 Bermuda and all of the other cultivars that exist. Zoysia is a yellow/green grass that creeps low to the ground, while fescue grows in tall, deep-green bunches. She is a regular freelancer for "Living Light News," an award-winning national publication. Unlike corporate website companies, the authors on this website regularly use many of the tips and recommendations provided in their own garden and lawncare. Drought Tolerance. per 1000 sq. It should take about a week for the new seed to germinate. Step 1 Zoysia will generally not choke out fescue in deep or moderate shade. Spread 8 to 10 pounds of grass seed on each 1,000 square feet of your lawn to make sure you have enough coverage. Zoysia is a warm season grass and does go dormant during the winter months in northern states. But with zoysiagrass, there are other factors to consider. Her past writing experience includes school news reporting, church drama, in-house business articles and a self-published mystery, "Duty Free Murder. Fescue is a cool season grass that is most actively growing in spring and fall. Buy Zoysia plugs that are guaranteed to grow or replaced free (link to Zoysia Farms). In addition, fertilizing the ryegrass may make the turfgrass more easily winter-damaged. While zoysia can thrive during the hot summers of this region, it may be too damaged from cold winter temperatures to fill in or choke out fescue during the growing season. If your existing Bermuda grass lawn is partially shaded, overseeding with shade-friendly zoysia may help to keep your entire lawn green and attractive through much of the year. Zoysia grows well throughout the southeast and the southernmost areas of California through Texas. If your zoysia lawn has other health issues, those need to be addressed first or the new seed is a waste of time and money. Fescues are also susceptible to diseases in humid climates. Besides, centipede grass is easier to maintain, unlike other types of grass. If you have to overseed, rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis) is a better choice. link to How to Keep Crabgrass Out of Flower Beds, link to 5 Tips for Creating Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Flower Beds, complete guide to establishing and maintaining a healthy zoysia lawn, Growing Tall Fescue In Difficult Soil: Renee’s Success Story, Will Zoysia Grow In Clay Soil? But with zoysiagrass, there are other factors to consider. The one agreed upon warm-season grass that can tolerate overseeding is Bermuda grass, while experts are divided on whether zoysia grass can recover from overseeding. Zoysiagrass grows too thickly to allow ryegrass seed to penetrate to the soil and germinate. IF you (Homeowner or professional) can correctly prepare the site, plant at correct depths, fertilize regular, mow regular and provide irrigation to the site it is possible to obtain a successful stand with 1 lb. Overseed using the Grass Pad seed of your choice and fertilize with Golf Course Starter or Renovator. A common choice for overseeding zoysiagrass lawns is ryegrass, which comes in both annual and perennial forms and grows quickly.However, it also competes with the established lawn for water and important nutrients, and can cause more harm. Phil, this Phil agrees. When switching from a Bermuda grass lawn to a emerald zoysia lawn by overplanting instead of stripping and then replanting, emerald zoysia plugs are your best option. Zoysia can tolerate light shade, but it cannot tolerate the deep shade where fescue thrives. Caution: Don't use a pre-emergent herbicide! Zoysia is touted as a low-maintenance, all-purpose, wondergrass that may even eliminate the need to care for your lawn at all. Aerating the yard -- using a special tool to punch holes in the soil to allow water, air and light to reach the grass roots -- is also recommended to encourage overall lawn health. Even the more desirable “turf type” Fescue is the heaviest maintenance lawn type for our area. You will also need to rake the yard first to remove any buildup of dried, matted grass known as thatch. You can now water less frequently, but give the new grass a deeper drink. You will see planting rates recommended as low as 1 lb. To be successful, mow regularly to allow the zoysia seedlings to receive sunlight and avoid being crowded. Ryegrass is often used to overseed lawns in the Southwest during the colder months while our Bermuda grass and zoysia grass is sort of hibernating. Zoysia generally requires 10 fewer mowings per growing season than the average Bermuda grass lawn. In warmer climates, zoysiagrass still turns brown during winter dormancy; so overseeding in the fall can give your lawn some green during the winter months. in Landscape Design/Organic Produce Production from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Can overseeding do the trick? Zoysia is a warm-season grass, which means it has a creeping growth habit that allows it to quickly fill in patches of bare soil. Zoysia and fescue can overlap in the middle part of the southeastern U.S. Parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi can be too humid for fescues to thrive, although they may linger in shady portions of older lawns. Zoysia and fescue have completely different growth habits. Pros of overseeding with ryegrass There are four types of fescues: tall fescue, creeping red fescue, chewings fescue, and hard fescue (source). If you need a grass variety to plant in partial shade, such as beneath a tree, fescue will probably do better. Mow it when it reaches 2 inches tall, and keep it around that height. Phil. Be sure you do not apply any pre-emergent herbicide prior to overseeding your Tall Fescue lawn. As with anything, there are pros and cons of overseeding with ryegrass. Pick a time in September to overseed the lawn. Amazon has put together some great Home Holiday Guide Deals - save money and get your holiday shopping done! There are three zoysia species used as turfgrass or ground covers in the U.S. Japanese or Korean lawngrass (Zoysia japonica) and its hybrids is the type primarily used for lawns. Here Are The Facts. If your zoysia grass is as dense as most, the fescue seed will be caught on the leaves and will not contact the soil at all. Fescues are one of the top choices for shady lawns, so direct, southern sun can leave fescue looking washed out and patchy. Aerating and verticutting the yard prior to overseeding is recommended. If you worry it, you will probably have bermuda; if you turn your back on it, you will have zoysiagrass. Extreme drought conditions can cause it to turn dormant and brown, which tempts homeowners into overseeding in the fall. Now that the zoysia or Bermuda grass is gone, we’re ready to start seeding the yard. I spent a year battling the Bermuda, then gave up.