Detailed Guide to Zoysia Grass Planting Techniques: Sowing Methods and Key Maintenance Points

Zoysia grass, also known as awl grass and creeping green, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Poaceae family and the genus Zoysia. It is distributed in Korea, Japan and China, among other places, growing in areas at elevations of 200 m to 500 m, mostly on hillsides, plains and seaside grasslands, and is mainly used for sports field turf. Let us take a look at the planting techniques for zoysia grass below!

Growth Habits of Zoysia Grass

Zoysia grass grows on plains, hillsides or seaside grasslands. It prefers a warm and humid climate, and coastal areas affected by an oceanic climate are most favorable for its growth. It is light-loving and grows robustly on open ground with good aeration, but it also has a certain tolerance for shade. It has strong drought resistance, salt-alkali resistance and pest and disease resistance, and tolerates poor soil, trampling and a certain degree of waterlogging.

Propagation Methods of Zoysia Grass

1. Sowing: The sowing period for zoysia grass is best after the rainy season, that is, late July to early August. Before sowing, the seeds must first be treated by soaking them in a 0.5% sodium hydroxide solution for 24 hours, then washing them clean with water, drying them and sowing. They germinate 10 to 13 days after sowing, and the seedlings are fully established in just over 20 days.

2. Division: Division can be carried out from mid-May to mid-August. First dig up the zoysia grass, separate the intertwined branches and vines, and bury them in a pre-prepared soil bed, planting them in rows with a row spacing of 15 to 20 cm; they can fill in after 3 to 4 months.

Planting Techniques for Zoysia Grass

1. Planting time: Zoysia grass is generally planted in April to May or August to September. One month before planting, apply fertilizer, prepare the land and water it, and spray the soil surface with herbicide (sodium pentachlorophenate). One month later, water again, and when the soil surface is half dry and half wet, rake it level and sow.

2. Timely sowing: For zoysia grass, it is suitable to sow 5 to 6 kg per mu. After sowing, lightly drag a rake over it once, spread a layer of compost or cover with a layer of sawdust soil on the ground surface, and if conditions permit, cover with a thin layer of rice straw, which can prevent direct sunlight and increase the germination rate. After sowing, spray water to maintain a certain humidity. After germination in about 10 days, remove the rice straw covering.

3. Planting management: When the zoysia grass seedlings are 6 to 8 cm tall, cut off the upright stems of the young grass to promote germination and tillering and accelerate the spread of the turf. Regular rolling and cutting is an important task in seedling-stage management. From April to October, use mechanical rolling twice a month so that annual and biennial weeds lose their tender tips or flower stems and lose the ability to set seed and propagate offspring, thereby accelerating the spread of the turf.

Pest and Disease Control of Zoysia Grass

1. Rust disease

[Symptoms] The yellow powdery substance produced on the leaves when the disease occurs is the urediniospore of rust disease. The dark brown powdery substance produced in the later stage of the disease is the teliospore of rust disease. April to June and late autumn to early winter are the two peak periods of the disease. Turf with insufficient sunlight, poor and compacted soil and excessive nitrogen fertilizer application usually suffers severe disease. After the disease occurs, blister-like small spots first appear on the surface of diseased leaves, then develop into round or strip-shaped yellow-brown lesions that are slightly raised. In the later stage of the disease, the blister-like epidermis ruptures and releases yellow powdery substance. When the disease is severe, the leaves turn yellow, curl, dry up and die.

[Control] ① Agricultural control: Strengthen the cultivation and management of turf. Before planting turf, the soil should be reasonably improved according to its properties. Heavy clay soil can be appropriately mixed with sandy soil, while soil with a high sand content can be mixed with an appropriate amount of river mud or pond mud. If soil fertility is insufficient, farmyard manure can be added as a base fertilizer, but it is not suitable to apply nitrogen fertilizer alone; phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be appropriately increased to promote robust plant growth and enhance the plant's resistance to stress and disease. ② Chemical control: After rust disease of zoysia grass occurs in turf, spraying should begin at the early stage of the disease. A 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 800 to 1000 times dilution, or 0.3 degree Baume lime sulfur mixture, or fenaminosulf sodium at 250 to 300 times dilution can be selected for uniform spraying on the turf, spraying once about every 10 days until the disease is completely controlled.

2. Leaf blight

[Symptoms] The young and tender tissues (such as leaves and leaf tips) of plants infected with leaf blight are severely damaged. In the early stage of the disease, water-soaked and yellow-brown small spots appear on the leaves and leaf tips near the ground, and white filamentous substances can often be seen at diseased plant sites in the turf. Then the diseased areas gradually expand, and the leaves dry up rapidly. In severe cases, the disease can also infect the stems and cause them to turn black and rot. It can cause turf to dry up and die in patches.

[Control] ① Agricultural control: Before planting grass, the ground should be plowed and raked level, and pits and depressions should be eliminated to avoid water accumulation that induces disease. Compost, garbage manure and the like used should be fully decomposed to avoid the spread of disease by pathogen-carrying diseased plant residues. If diseased plants are found, they should be thoroughly cut off and destroyed immediately. ② Chemical control: In the early stage of disease in turf, a 50% thiram wettable powder at 500 times dilution, or a 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 600 to 800 times dilution can be used for uniform spraying. When spraying, it should also be appropriately sprayed onto the ground so as to also disinfect the soil, which can achieve good control results.

3. Mole crickets

[Symptoms] Zoysia grass is susceptible to damage by underground pests such as mole crickets.

[Control] Use manual capture. After flooding the turf with a large amount of water, mole crickets will float on the turf surface, and at this time they can be captured manually. For chemical control, 50% phoxim granules can be used at 2 kg to 2.5 kg per mu to treat the soil, or 5% chlordane powder at 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg per mu can be mixed with 25 kg to 50 kg of fine soil and thoroughly mixed to make poisoned soil, then evenly spread on the ground or dusted on the ground, and applied before sowing along with pesticide application, plowing and raking.