EMPIRE Turf® Zoysiagrass Maintenance

During the fall, mowing will occur less often—keeping your EMPIRE slightly higher will encourage deeper root growth for winter.

Water less as temperatures drop—too much water will lead to disease. Water to prevent drought stress while grass is actively growing and after the beginning stages of dormancy to prevent dehydration.

Fertilize your lawn with the Lawnifi Fall Fertilizer Box for optimal results. The Fall Fertilizer Box was designed to help your grass recover from the heat of summer and prepare for winter dormancy.

Apply pre-emergent herbicides to control winter annual and perennial weeds like chickweed, henbit, Poa annua, crabgrass or goosegrass. Apply post-emergent herbicides only when weeds are present.

Check for and control any white grubs. Treat with an insecticide if needed. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption.

If large patch disease is a common problem in your EMPIRE, apply a fungicide at a preventative rate. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. Consider mapping those areas because fungicide treatment can be expensive.

When mowing during the summer, never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at a time. If you remove more than that, you will stress the grass and it may go brown for a short time. Taller blades provide more shade for your root system to stay cool and retain moisture during the hot summer days. If you are returning from vacation, you may have to mow multiple times to get the grass back to the desired height. Wait about three to five days between each mowing.

Do not over water the grass. EMPIRE only needs about one inch of water weekly. Water for longer periods of time, less frequently and in the early morning hours. Take rainfall into consideration.

For optimal results, feed your lawn monthly during the summer season by applying the Lawnifi Summer Box liquid fertilizer program.

Apply post-emergent herbicides as needed to control summer annual and perennial broadleaf weeds. Crabgrass species, goosegrass, dallisgrass, purple and yellow nutsedge, annual sedge and sandbur can be controlled with post-emergent herbicides. If crabgrass and goosegrass are present, make a note to apply a pre-emergent herbicide next spring. Do not apply herbicides during a drought, when grass and weeds are not actively growing or when temperatures exceed 90 degrees. Consider spot treating weeds to avoid burning the grass during hot summer months.

Check for and control any white grubs. Treat with an insecticide if needed. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. August is the best time to control grubs because they are small and feeding near the soil surface.

Treat with a fungicide if needed. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption.

If you have a mature, established EMPIRE Zoysia grass lawn, drop your mower a notch and give your lawn a “buzz-cut” for the first mow of the spring with a rotary mower that has a sharpened blade. Bag up all the material to keep excess clippings from clumping or causing disease. Check out our Sod University article on the First Mow of the Spring for EMPIRE for more details.

After your initial “buzz-cut,” begin mowing your zoysia grass at the height of 1–2 inches. You can return to spreading your mower clippings on the lawn at this time.

Don’t overwater. EMPIRE needs about one inch of water a week considering rainfall. If you apply any granular fertilizer or control product, you will need to water it in. This is a sufficient amount of water for the week. Overwatering may promote disease outbreak. Conduct an irrigation audit to evaluate how much water is being delivered to different areas of your lawn.

For optimal results, feed your lawn monthly during the spring season by applying the Lawnifi Spring Fertilizer Box.

Apply a pre-emergent herbicide when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prevent summer annual weeds like crabgrass and goosegrass from plaguing your lawn and garden. Apply post-emergent herbicides in May as needed to control summer annual and perennial broadleaf weeds like white clover, knotweed, spurge and lespedeza. Products containing multiple broadleaf active ingredients are more effective in controlling broadleaf weeds.

Apply a broad-spectrum insecticide to prevent spring insects from appearing or to control any current spring insects like chinch bugs, billbugs or white grubs. White grubs may be active at this time. If you see any white grubs, apply a systemic insecticide like Merit Imidacloprid .5G Granular Insecticide.

Apply a systemic fungicide at a preventive rate to keep disease from taking hold of your lawn. You may begin to see circular patches of brown or dead grass as your EMPIRE Zoysia begins to green up. Do not apply fertilizer until you’ve applied a systemic fungicide at a curative rate and your grass has recovered.