Zoysia grass as a home lawn alternative to St. Augustine grass is increasing in popularity in Florida.  This article takes a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of Zoysia grass in the Tampa Bay area.

Zoysia Grass in Tampa 

When I first started in the lawn care business in Atlanta back around 1992, I clearly remember the first time I laid my eyes on Zoysia grass.  The fine leaf blades, the emerald green color, and the dense stand of grass made quite an impression on me.  In the late ‘90’s I moved to Florida, and over the years I have seen Zoysia used on golf courses and in home lawns here.  Interestingly, over the past 3 years in the Tampa area we have seen a dramatic increase in the frequency of Zoysia used in home lawns.  One thing we know for sure about any turfgrass type is that there is both an upside and a downside.  Let’s take a quick look at both the advantages and disadvantages of Zoysia grass as a home lawn in the Tampa Bay area. 

Above Zoysia grass is pictured in a Tampa, FL lawn.  Photo taken in late Feb 2010 during very cold weather.

Advantages:

• Zoysia grass does not get chinch bugs!  If you are fed up with replacing your St. Augustine lawn due to chinch bug damage, this is good news.  Zoysia grass can have issues with billbugs and worms, but in my experience it is much less likely than getting chinch bugs in your St. Augustine grass.
• Generally speaking, any Zoysia grass cultivar has good tolerance to shade; however, sometimes this is overstated by those in the business.  Comparing Zoysia’s shade tolerance to that of St. Augustine grass, which people are generally more familiar with, can be helpful in providing perspective.  The St. Augustine grass semi-dwarf cultivars, ‘Seville’ and ‘Delmar’, exhibit the best shade tolerance, while ‘Floratam’ (the most widely used variety) has poor shade tolerance.  If ‘Seville’ and ‘Delmar’ cannot thrive in a shady place in your lawn, Zoysia grass can’t be expected to thrive.
• Healthy Zoysia lawns can become incredibly thick.  In fact, they can become so dense that they completely prevent weeds from establishing a foothold.
• Although there is some variety among different Zoysia cultivars, generally speaking it is a slow growing grass.  This can be an advantage, in that you may not have to mow as frequently as with St. Augustine grass.
 

Disadvantages:

• Generally speaking, Zoysia grass cultivars have a higher Nitrogen requirement than St. Augustine grass.  For Central Florida, the University of Florida recommends 2-5 lbs. of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet annually for St. Augustine grass, while recommending 3-6 lbs. of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet annually for Zoysia grass.
• Zoysia grass prefers a more alkaline soil that many other turf types.  A soil pH of greater than 7.4 is said to be ideal.  Experience tells us that most Tampa area soils are not that alkaline, and thus may require adjustment.  Make sure you or the company you hire to manage your grass is capable of addressing this issue.
• Zoysia cultivars can be susceptible to nematodes.  Nematodes are soil dwelling, microscopic worms that feed on plant roots.  Unfortunately, there is no effective control for nematodes in a home lawn. 
• The slow growing nature of Zoysia grass was listed above as an advantage, and in many cases it is; however, the other side to that characteristic is that the turf will be slower to recover from damage. 

 Zoysia grass is a personal favorite when it comes to home lawn turf.  It may be a good option for your Tampa area lawn if you are looking for something other than St. Augustine grass.  Call or email us at Green Solutions Lawn Care & Pest Control if you are interested in learning more about Zoysia grass for your lawn.