Zoysia Grass
LawnZoysia japonica, Meyer Zoysia, Empire Zoysia, Korean Lawn Grass, Japanese Lawn Grass, Japanese Lawngrass, Korean Grass, Korean Lawngrass, Korean And Japanese Lawn-Grass, Zoysia
Warm-season grass for zones 6–10. Slower to establish and green up than Bermuda but denser, more weed-resistant. Dormancy: goes dormant (tan/straw) at first frost, remains dormant longer in spring than Bermuda. Green-up: slow — soil temps must reach 18°C consistently. Mow at 1–2 in for a dense, carpet-like appearance. Extremely drought-tolerant once established. Thatch accumulates rapidly — dethatch every 2–3 years. Large patch disease is the primary threat in spring/fall: apply preventive fungicide in fall when soil temps drop below 21°C. Fertilize: lighter schedule than Bermuda; avoid high nitrogen in fall to reduce large patch risk. Best for: sunny, well-drained yards with less maintenance pressure than Bermuda.
When to sow Zoysia grass
Sow 4–10 weeks after your last spring frost.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to establish and care for Zoysia grass
- 1
Plant in warm soil
Sow, plug or lay turf from late spring once the soil reaches 18 °C. Zoysia establishes slowly but becomes dense and weed-resistant.
- 2
Mow
Mow at 2.5–5 cm for a thick, carpet-like lawn.
- 3
Dethatch
Thatch builds up quickly; dethatch every 2–3 years.
- 4
Watch for large patch
Large patch disease strikes in spring and autumn. Keep nitrogen light in autumn. Zoysia turns straw-coloured at first frost and greens up later than Bermuda.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Temperature
-10–38 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
How Tomatograph watches your Zoysia grass
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- 30 °C or more with under 5 mm of rain forecast over 3 daysDeep-watering reminder before the lawn goes into heat stress.
- 3 nights at 0 °C or below in the forecastDormancy notice: stop regular watering, mowing and feeding until spring green-up.
- 30–60 days before your first frostAutumn prep window: aerate, overseed bare patches and apply a slow-release feed.
- Over 20 mm of rain forecast over 3 daysTells you to skip irrigation until the ground dries out.
Zoysia Grass questions
- When should I sow Zoysia grass?
- Sow 4–10 weeks after your last spring frost.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).