Everyone likes lush and deep green lawns, but many people are afraid to install turf on their property because of the maintenance it requires. If you are looking for hardy grass featuring an attractive dark green color and soft leaves, you shouldn’t look further than Empire Zoysia.
This grass is perfect for gardeners and homeowners who don’t want to spend too much time taking care of their lawn but still want to have an aesthetically pleasing one. However, for Empire Zoysia grass to thrive, you’ll need to ensure you can meet its requirements.
To discover whether you can install it in your garden, keep reading this essential guide.
Empire Zoysia: Characteristics
What you may not know is that Empire is a grass type native to the coastal grasslands of South East Asia. Because of its tropical natural habitat, this grass thrives in warm and humid regions. However, because of its versatility and resistance, it is now one the most widely used species in the United States.
This variety of Zoysia grass features wide blades and is smoother than other types. Because of its wear tolerance, it is perfect for gardens that receive heavy foot traffic. Plus, it is less prone to diseases and pests than other types of Zoysia, which makes it an ideal choice for golf, parks, and commercial landscapes.
Its tendency to develop deep roots ensures superior tolerance to wear, drought, and improved sod strength. Plus, with proper care, this grass type will recover from any injury in little time. All you have to ensure is that you install this grass under the right conditions, and you won’t have to spend too much effort into maintaining it.
The minimal mowing requirements are a characteristic that makes this grass type so popular among homeowners. Experts recommend keeping this grass below two inches in height to maintain its quality and attractive color. By mowing once every two weeks, you’ll be able to enjoy a healthy lawn.
Growth and Survival Conditions
While this type of grass has higher wear tolerance than other varieties and fewer mowing requirements, before planting it in your yard, you’ll need to make sure your region’s climate and soil are suited for its survival.
For starters, Empire Zoysia is a perfect type of grass for warm climates, especially if humidity levels are high. It does well in arid areas and thrives in sandy soil. In essence, this turf is suitable for most regions of the Southern US area.
To get the most out of this attractive grass, you’ll have to ensure it gets at least five hours of direct sunlight per day. If you live in cold climates, you probably have to look for other grass types. This grass doesn’t tolerate frost and will not recover quickly from low temperatures.
However, if you can provide it with enough sun, warmth, and the proper soil conditions, you’ll be able to enjoy this variety of Zoysia with little effort. Indeed, this grass is a low water user, meaning you barely have to give it water during the winter.
Plus, you won’t need to spend your money on chemical pesticides: this turf has a high resistance to most bugs and doesn’t generate weed. To minimize diseases and reduce shock, you can consider using fertilizer. Make sure the product you add to your garden is low in nitrogen and high in potassium and phosphorous. Don’t forget to perform a soil test before buying any new product and fertilize accordingly.
Of course, nothing can be this perfect. One of the downsides of installing this type of grass is the higher initial upfront cost (compared to most turfs in the market). Still, if you consider paying the price as an investment to avoid maintenance costs in the future, installing Empire Zoysia grass might be one of your best solutions.
Empire Zoysia: The Bottom Line
As you may have learned by now, there are several reasons for Empire Zoysia’s popularity. One of them is the low maintenance and high resistance to diseases, drought, and bugs. Plus, despite the initial investment, you can expect to spend very little on keeping your turf healthy. Just make sure you install it in the proper climate conditions to ensure you can give this grass all it needs to survive and thrive.